L’Artemisia annua est utilisée en Médecine Traditionnelle Chinoise depuis des millénaires mais n’a toujours pas fait l’objet de toutes les études exigées par la médecine occidentale pour pouvoir écrire qu’elle guérit.

Il est toutefois bien établi que l’Artemisia annua a une action biologique sur de nombreuses pathologies parasitaires (paludisme, bilharziose (schistosomiase), leshmaniose, filariose, trypanosomiase, maladie de Chagas, babésiose), virales, bactériennes, fongiques, cancéreuses. Elle a des actions d’immunorégulation, anti-inflammatoires, anti-ostéoporosiques, anti-adipogénique.

Des essais cliniques ont montré qu’elle soigne le paludisme simple et la schistosomiase. Référence : X. Feng, S. Cao, F. Qiu, et al., Traditional application and modern pharmacological research of Artemisia annua L., Pharmacology & Therapeutics,, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107650

Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial

Now UK researchers believe this plant holds even more promise. DNA damage occurs in all cells, but normal cells, on the other hand, are able to stop growing and repair their damage. Cancer cells keep growing and don't repair DNA.

They continue to transmit DNA damage to make other cancer cells. In laboratory tests, Artemisia annua appeared to stop the growth of cancer cells and allow the cells to repair their DNA damage, said Dr Jill Kolesar, a professor at the UK College of Pharmacy and managing director of the Precision Medicine Clinic of Markey.

These findings led Kolesar and Markey gynecological oncologist Dr. Frederick Ueland to develop the world's first clinical trial to test Artemisia annua in women with ovarian cancer.

The study will follow women who have completed chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. During this period, doctors often stop treatment and monitor patients for the return of the cancer. Study participants will receive multiple doses of the plant in tea or decaffeinated coffee supplements to determine the correct dose and tolerability. Once researchers find the correct dose, they will move on to a comparative study.

Sources: https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/sites/default/files/uk-markey-cancer-center-annual-report-2020-web.pdf