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Artemisinin

Artemisinin is a drug used to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. The compound (a sesquiterpene lactone) is isolated from the shrub Artemisia annua long-used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Not all shrubs of this species contain artemisinin. Apparently it is only produced when the plant is subjected to certain conditions. more...

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Cancer Treatment

Artemisinin is also under early research and testing for treatment of cancer. Artemisinin has a peroxide lactone group in its structure. It is thought that when the peroxide comes into contact with high iron concentrations (common in cancerous cells), the molecule becomes unstable and releases reactive oxygen species. It has been shown to reduce angiogenesis and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in some tissue cultures.

History

Artemisia has been used by Chinese herbalists for more than a thousand years in the treatment of many illnesses, such as skin diseases and malaria. In the 1960s a research program was set up by the Chinese army to find an adequate treatment of malaria. In 1972, in the course of this research, Tu Youyou discovered artemsinin in the leaves of Artemisia annua. The drug is named qinghaosu (青蒿素) in Chinese. It was one of many candidates then tested by Chinese scientists from a list of nearly 200 traditional Chinese medicines for treating malaria. It was the only one that was effective.

It remained largely unknown to the rest of the world for about 10 years, due to the Communist Chinese government at the time. The rest of the world finally found out about the drug from an article in a Chinese medical journal. People were sceptical at first, because the Chinese had made unsubstantiated statements about having found treatments of malaria before. Another reason was the peroxide part of the molecule. It was thought unlikely this would be a stable molecule, and so would not last long enough to be effective. This turned out not to be the case.

The Chinese government at the time, however, was very wary of western scientists, and would not give anyone either the plant or the refined drug. People around the world now started looking for the shrub themselves, to see if they could find it. They finally found it along the Potomac river, in Washington, D.C. Apparently it was a very common shrub, found in many parts of the world--In fact, it was often treated as a garden weed. It took another 10 years of research before the drug finally became commercially available. By this time relations between Communist China and the rest of the world had improved, and scientific information could be exchanged.

The drug is used these days in China and Vietnam without much regard to taking precautions against creating resistance of the malaria parasite to this drug as well, but nevertheless no resistance has been encountered in these parts of the world. Because ot the method of action, it is unlikely that resistance to artemisinine and derivatives will become a problem in the near future.

Read more at Wikipedia.org

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Artemisinin and oxidative therapies - Letters to the Editor
From Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, 4/1/03

Editor:

I have received many inquiries from physicians about the use of Artemisinin therapy since my article appeared in the Townsend Letter's December issue. The herb Artemisinin is not only the drug of choice for Malaria worldwide but is also turning out to be a highly successful oxidative therapy that works synergistically with other oxidative modalities to treat a number of difficult conditions. As President of The International Oxidative Medical Association, I would like to invite those interested in learning how to use Artemisinin and other oxidative therapies to attend one of our upcoming April teaching courses in Phoenix and to also attend our Annual Education Meeting. This year's meeting theme is Integrative Therapies in the Treatment of Cancer.

Our Basic Oxidative Medicine Course offering teaches the fundamentals of oxidative medicine -- both theory and practical lessons on the use of: photoluminescence, ultraviolet blood irradiation, hyperbaric oxygen, intravenous vitamin therapies, etc. and is for the physician who has had little or no experience in alternative therapies.

Our second course offering is a Basic Chelation Therapy Workshop for both technicians and physicians and will cover the newly emerging fast push calcium EDTA technique and oral chelation strategies for the treatment of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, etc. as a treatment method for atherosclerosis, autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc.

For those physicians who have already attended a Basic Oxidative Medicine course, we are offering an advanced workshop on a new method of treating cancer that uses low dose chemotherapy in combination with insulin (Insulin Potentiation Therapy Practical Workshop). This new method is also useful in the treatment of many other conditions and is a "must" attend for those who are looking for the most effective non-toxic, insurance-reimbursable cancer therapy to offer their patients. These courses fill up quickly so don't delay in signing up.

Immediately following the above mentioned workshops, IOMA in association with the Gordon Research Institute will feature that weekend a meeting on Integrative Therapies in the Treatment of Cancer. We will be exploring cancer treatment strategies with oxidative agents such as artemisinin, IPT, vitamin C, D, K, B-12, ozone, photoluminescence, ultraviolet blood irradiation, hydrogen peroxide, hyperbaric oxygen, etc, paying attention to peculiar "Achilles Heel" metabolic properties of cancer cells. Newly emerging strategies to enhance apoptosis based on p53 gene properties will be presented. At least three well known German physicians (including Dr. Frederich Douwes and John Ionescu) will be in attendance or assisting in the teaching as well as a stellar cast of talented alternative medicine specialists like Gary Gordon. The board of directors of IOMA will also be presenting their findings and methodologies. I will be updating Artemisinin usage and experience.

Unfortunately, available hotel space limits attendance at the spring meeting, April 2-6, so those interested should register early to avoid missing out on these great events. For those interested in attending call 928-472-4263 or visit Gordon Research on the net.

Robert Jay Rowen, MD, President

International Oxidation Medicine Association

Editor-in-Chief, Second Opinion

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