Comparison reveals that Artemisia annua teas vary widely in artemisinin content and antiplasmodial activity, suggesting the need for further metabolomic exploration.
Key Points
Teas made from Artemisia annua from Benin showed higher artemisinin levels than those from France, averaging 15.7 mg/L versus 0.3 mg/L.
Chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum was used to measure the antiplasmodial activity of the teas, revealing a correlation with artemisinin content.
Metabolomic analysis identified unknown alkaloids in A. annua teas, linking them to antiplasmodial properties alongside artemisinin concentrations.
These findings indicate that further studies are warranted to identify additional metabolites that may contribute to the teas' antiplasmodial effects.