New Artemisia annua hybrids with high artemisinin content

Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide isolated from the herb Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae), is a highly potent antimalarial compound, which is efficient against multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The promotion of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) by the WHO during the past years lead to a strong pressure on the world market of artemisinin. The scarcity of artemisinin caused a price increase that strongly renewed the interest for Artemisia annua culture at a large scale. The use of varieties with high artemisinin content is a key factor for the development of such cultures. The new hybrids recently obtained by Mediplant, with artemisinin contents nearing 2%, are being presented.