IV Artesunate

Artemisinin, a chemical compound extracted from the plant Artemisia annua, commonly used in Chinese medicine for treating malaria, is considered to have anti-cancer properties based on in vitro/in vivo and few clinical studies. However, more well-defined larger clinical trials are needed to determine the conditions and dosage under which Artemisinin or artesunate, a derivative of artemisinin, may be safe and effective in cancer patients. However, artemisinin may induce CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 enzymes and hence may interact with cancer drugs or other drugs metabolized by these enzymes, thereby affecting their concentration/dosage and bioavailability. Patients also should be monitored for potential side effects before prescribing artesunate/artemisinin for cancer treatment.

Additional Resources:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29422423
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30668363
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27519711
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29392450
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28439738
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32005582
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33814617
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29174651
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34539854