Artemisinin is the most recent anti-malaria drug developed from plant-based traditional medicine. It is isolated from the leaves and flowers of Artemisia annual. (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. 

    近年来，从传统草本药物中提炼出来的青蒿素成为抗疟疾的常用药物。它是一种从青蒿属植物中分离出来的药物。青蒿属植物亦属于菊科，人们通常就把它称之为青蒿，是龙蒿的同类。 在中国，此类植物的提炼物传统上也被称为青蒿。 它在中国被用来治疗疟疾已有两千多年历史。 青蒿的活性成分，也就是青蒿素也是由中国科学家在二十世纪七十年代首次分离出来的。 这种物质不像奎宁和氯喹，它是无毒的，而且见效快，孕妇使用也很安全。 不仅如此，在对抗抗氯喹的恶性疟原虫疟疾以及治疗脑疟疾患者上使用此药，效果也很显著。 它可以直接有效的杀死寄生虫从而迅速控制寄生虫血症。 世界卫生组织已经在非洲和东南亚部分地区验证并确认了其控制寄生虫血症的效果。

    青蒿素是倍半萜烯的一种内过氧化物， 这种物质由于其极复杂的结构，因此很难被有效合成。 虽然在美国许多地区尤其是华盛顿特区的波多马克河岸也生长着大量艾属植物，但是其药物成分只有中国艾属植物的一半。因此，目前世界卫生组织和美国正联手致力于中国艾属植物的培育，使其早日在世界范围内被广泛应用。 近来的研究成果给未来医药使用传统药物作为新药补给重新带来了希望。