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Research and Development on Artemisia annua in India

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New Age Herbals

Abstract

Artemisia annua (family Asteraceae) is an important medicinal plant. It produces an array of secondary metabolites, but it is mainly known for the antimalarial phytomolecule, artemisinin, which is an endoperoxide sesquiterpene lactone. Artemisinin and artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are globally used as antimalarials. Presently, the plant remains the only commercial source of artemisinin. After its introduction in India in the early 1980s, A. annua has been subjected to intensive research by Indian scientists. This chapter presents a snapshot of the research carried out on A. annua in Indian laboratories over the years.

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Acknowledgements

The authors duly acknowledge the continued support of CSIR and Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, at various stages for projects and facilities in their work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow, 226015, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ashutosh K. Shukla & Ajit K. Shasany

  2. Former Director, CIMAP and Chairman, Flora Fauna Science Foundation, C41-42, Double Storey, Ramesh Nagar, New Delhi, 110015, India

    Suman P. S. Khanuja

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  1. Ashutosh K. Shukla
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  2. Ajit K. Shasany
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  3. Suman P. S. Khanuja
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Former Director, Life Sciences DRDO, New Delhi, India

    Brahma Singh

  2. Director, World Noni Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    K.V. Peter

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Shukla, A.K., Shasany, A.K., Khanuja, S.P.S. (2018). Research and Development on Artemisia annua in India. In: Singh, B., Peter, K. (eds) New Age Herbals. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8291-7_2

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