Artemisinin is the most recent anti-malaria drug developed from plant-based traditional medicine. It is isolated from the leaves and flowers of Artemisia annua. (Compositae), commonly known as the sweet wormwood, a cousin of tarragon. Indigenous to China, the extract of this plant is traditionally known as the Qing Hao. It has been used to treat malaria in China for over 2000 years. Its active component, Artemisinin, was first isolated in 1970s by Chinese scientists. Unlike Quinine and Chloroquine, this compound is non-toxic rapid in effect, and safe for pregnant women. Furthermore, it is effective against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria and in patients with cerebral malaria. It kills the parasites directly so parasitemia is quickly controlled. This work was confirmed by WHO in Africa and other parts of Southeast Asia.

       Artemisinin is an endoperoxide of the sesquiterpene lactone. The structure of this compound is too complex to be synthesized effectively. Artemisia is also found in many parts of the U.S., abundantly along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., but the drug content of these varieties is only about half that of the Chinese variety, Currently, the WHO and the U.S. are jointly engaged in the cultivation of Chinese Artemisia for worldwide use. This recent development offers renewed hope for using traditional medicine to provide new drugs for future medicines.