Artemisinin for COVID-19: real-time analysis of 11 studies

Artemisinin was adopted in 13 countries. Recent:


Dec 1	Covid Analysis	Artemisinin reduces COVID-19 risk: real-time meta analysis of 3 studies
	Significantly lower risk is seen for recovery. One study shows significant benefit. Meta analysis using the most serious outcome reported shows 34% [11‑51%] lower risk. Results are similar for peer-reviewed studies and better f..
Jul 31	Abayomi Banjo et al., Rwanda Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, doi:10.4314/rjmhs.v8i2.2	Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF- α) and Antiviral Activities of Artemisia SPP. Extracts on SARS-COV2
	In vitro and cross-sectional study showing that Artemisia afra and Artemisia annua extracts inhibit TNF-α levels in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients by approximately 50-70% in severe cases. Authors analyzed the phytochemical composition of et..
Nov 15 2024	Navacchia et al., Molecules, doi:10.3390/molecules29225403	Insights into SARS-CoV-2: Small-Molecule Hybrids for COVID-19 Treatment
	Review of recent advances in small-molecule hybrid compounds as potential antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2. Authors provide an overview of hybrids, which are formed by covalently linking two or more pharmacophores, as a promising appro..
Oct 26 2024	Bagheri-Far et al., Molecular Biology Research Communications, doi:10.22099/mbrc.2024.50245.2001	Non-spike protein inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by natural products through the key mediator protein ORF8
	In silico study showing that ivermectin, artemisinin, and DEG-168 may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 by targeting the ORF8 protein's binding sites. Ivermectin showed the highest binding affinity. Authors identified two key binding regions on ORF8 - a..
May 18 2024	Fowler et al., NCT04330690	A Multi-centre, Adaptive, Randomized, Open-label, Controlled Clinical Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Investigational Therapeutics for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients (CATCO: Canadian Treatments for COVID-19), in Conjunction With the Public Health Emergency SOLIDARITY Trial (World Health Organization)
	Estimated 966 patient artemisinin late treatment RCT with results not reported over 1.5 years after estimated completion.
May 15 2024	Irfan et al., BMC Infectious Diseases, doi:10.1186/s12879-024-09387-w	Phytoconstituents of Artemisia Annua as potential inhibitors of SARS CoV2 main protease: an in silico study
	In silico study showing that artemisinin and artesunate from Artemisia annua bind to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^pro), with artesunate exhibiting a binding score of -7.5 kcal/mol. Authors screened 25 phytoconstituents, identifying arte..
Jan 2 2024	El-Megharbel et al., PeerJ, doi:10.7717/peerj.15638	Chemical and spectroscopic characterization of (Artemisinin/Quercetin/ Zinc) novel mixed ligand complex with assessment of its potent high antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and antioxidant capacity against toxicity induced by acrylamide in male rats
	In vitro and animal study showing that a novel artemisinin/quercetin/zinc (Art/Q/Zn) complex exhibits potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity (IC₅₀ = 10.14 μg/ml) without cytotoxicity (CC₅₀ = 208.5 μg/ml). The complex alleviates acrylamide-induce..
Dec 1 2022	Gyanwali et al., NCT05273242	WHO Solidarity Trial Plus: An International Randomised Trial of Additional Treatments for COVID-19 in Hospitalised Patients Who Are All Receiving the Local Standard of Care in Nepal
	Estimated 400 patient artemisinin late treatment RCT with results not reported over 3 years after estimated completion.
Nov 1 2022	Chandiwana et al., eBioMedicine, doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104322	Safety and efficacy of four drug regimens versus standard-of-care for the treatment of symptomatic outpatients with COVID-19: A randomised, open-label, multi-arm, phase 2 clinical trial
	29% lower progression (p=0.66), 27% faster recovery (p=0.1), and 1% worse viral clearance (p=0.76). Very high COI low-risk patient RCT in South Africa, showing no significant differences with artesunate-amodiaquine or pyronaridine-artesunate.
Feb 7 2022	Farmanpour-Kalalagh et al., Frontiers in Plant Science, doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.780257	Artemisinins in Combating Viral Infections Like SARS-CoV-2, Inflammation and Cancers and Options to Meet Increased Global Demand
	Review of artemisinin and related compounds (artemisinins) for their potential in combating viral infections, inflammation, and cancers, with a special focus on SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Authors explain that artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lacton..
Feb 7 2022	Schultz et al., Nature, doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04482-x	Pyrimidine inhibitors synergize with nucleoside analogues to block SARS-CoV-2
	In vitro and mouse study showing synergistic antiviral effects when combining pyrimidine biosynthesis inhibitors with antiviral nucleoside analogues against SARS-CoV-2. Authors screened 18 thousand drugs and validated 122 with antiviral a..
Mar 19 2021	Uckun et al., Frontiers in Pharmacology, doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.649532	Repurposing Anti-Malaria Phytomedicine Artemisinin as a COVID-19 Drug
	Review of artemisinin, an anti-malaria phytomedicine with anti-inflammatory properties, as a potential COVID-19 drug. Authors explain that artemisinin, discovered by Nobel laureate Tu Youyu, shows broad-spectrum antiviral activity and spe..
Feb 1 2021	Trieu et al., medRxiv, doi:10.1101/2021.01.24.21250418	Targeting TGF-β pathway with COVID-19 Drug Candidate ARTIVeda/PulmoHeal Accelerates Recovery from Mild-Moderate COVID-19
	52% improved recovery (p=0.08). RCT 60 mild-moderate COVID-19 patients showing faster recovery with artemisinin.
Apr 28 2020	Lin et al., China Critical Care Medicine, doi:10.3760/cma.j.cn121430-20200312-00412	Clinical study of artesunate in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019
	31% faster recovery (p=0.02), 8% shorter hospitalization (p=0.22), and 29% faster viral clearance (p=0.05). Prospective study of 43 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in China showing faster symptom improvement and shorter hospitalization with artesunate. Artesunate 60 mg twice daily for 10 days.
Apr 24 2020	Sekiou et al., ChemRxiv, doi:10.26434/chemrxiv.12181404.v1	In-Silico Identification of Potent Inhibitors of COVID-19 Main Protease (Mpro) and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) from Natural Products: Quercetin, Hispidulin, and Cirsimaritin Exhibited Better Potential Inhibition than Hydroxy-Chloroquine Against COVID-19 Main Protease Active Site and ACE2
	In silico study of natural compounds identifying quercetin, curcumin, hispidulin, cirsimaritin, sulfasalazine, and artemisin as potential compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2.