Plasmodium; anti-malarial

Artemisinin (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg b.wt/day, p.o.) prevents isoflurane-induced working memory impairments as observed in T-maze test. Artemisinin enhances spatial navigation and memory of rats exposed to isoflurane. Artemisinin-treated rats exhibit markedly better performance in comparison with isoflurane-alone-exposed rats[3].

Reactive Oxygen Species Measurements[2]
Intracellular and mitochondrial ROS production were assessed by a fluorometric assay using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA) and MitoTracker Red CMXRos, respectively. After 12 h treatment of artemisinin and followed by 12 h treatment of glutamate, cells were incubated in 10 μmol/L H2DCFDA or 0.25 μmol/L MitoTracker Red CMXRos for 30 min at 37°C. The fluorescence was then observed via a fluorescence microscope. The fluorescence was detected with 530/485-nm and 579/599-nm excitation/emission wave lengths.[2]

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Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (ΔΨm) Measurement[2]
The mitochondrial membrane potential was detected using Tetramethylrhodamine, Ethyl Ester (TMRE) mitochondrial membrane potential assay kit (Abcam, USA). Cells were loaded with 20 nM of TMRE working solution for 20 min at 37°C. The fluorescent images were observed and obtained on a Zeiss fluorescence microscope. Fluorescence intensity was measured using a Tecan Infinite F200 plate reader with 594/575-nm excitation/emission.

[1]. Artemisinin protects PC12 cells against β-amyloid-induced apoptosis through activation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Redox Biol. 2017 Apr 4;12:625-633.

[2]. Artemisinin Prevents Glutamate-Induced Neuronal Cell Death Via Akt Pathway Activation. Front Cell Neurosci. 2018 Apr 20;12:108.

(+)-artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone obtained from sweet wormwood, Artemisia annua, which is used as an antimalarial for the treatment of multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. It has a role as an antimalarial and a plant metabolite. It is a sesquiterpene lactone and an organic peroxide.
Artemisinin has been used in trials studying the treatment of Schizophrenia, Malaria, Falciparum, and Plasmodium Falciparum.
Artemisinin has been reported in Artemisia lancea, Artemisia annua, and other organisms with data available.

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Accumulating evidence displays that an abnormal deposition of amyloid beta-peptide (Aβ) is the primary cause of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). And therefore the elimination of Aβ is regarded as an important strategy for AD treatment. The discovery of drug candidates using culture neuronal cells against Aβ peptide toxicity is believed to be an effective approach to develop drug for the treatment of AD patients. We have previously showed that artemisinin, a FDA-approved anti-malaria drug, has neuroprotective effects recently. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects and potential mechanism of artemisinin in protecting neuronal PC12 cells from toxicity of β amyloid peptide. Our studies revealed that artemisinin, in clinical relevant concentration, protected and rescued PC12 cells from Aβ25-35-induced cell death. Further study showed that artemisinin significantly ameliorated cell death due to Aβ25-35 insult by restoring abnormal changes in nuclear morphology, lactate dehydrogenase, intracellular ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential and activity of apoptotic caspase. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that artemisinin activated extracellular regulated kinase ERK1/2 but not Akt survival signaling. Consistent with the role of ERK1/2, preincubation of cells with ERK1/2 pathway inhibitor PD98059 blocked the effect of artemisinin while PI3K inhibitor LY294002 has no effect. Moreover, Aβ1-42 also caused cells death of PC12 cells while artemisinin suppressed Aβ1-42 cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. Taken together, these results, at the first time, suggest that artemisinin is a potential protectant against β amyloid insult through activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. Our finding provides a potential application of artemisinin in prevention and treatment of AD.[1]

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Artemisinin is an anti-malarial drug that has been in use for almost half century. Recently, novel biological effects of artemisinin on cancer, inflammation-related disorders and cardiovascular disease were reported. However, neuroprotective actions of artemisinin against glutamate-induced oxidative stress have not been investigated. In the current study, we determined the effect of artemisinin against oxidative insult in HT-22 mouse hippocampal cell line. We found that pretreatment of artemisinin declined reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, attenuated the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential induced by glutamate and rescued HT-22 cells from glutamate-induced cell death. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that artemisinin activated Akt/Bcl-2 signaling and that neuroprotective effect of artemisinin was blocked by Akt-specific inhibitor, MK2206. Taken together, our study indicated that artemisinin prevented neuronal HT-22 cell from glutamate-induced oxidative injury by activation of Akt signaling pathway.[2]

C15H22O5

282.3322

282.146

C, 63.81; H, 7.85; O, 28.33

63968-64-9

Artemisinin-d3;176652-07-6

White to off-white solid powder

1.2±0.1 g/cm3

389.9±42.0 °C at 760 mmHg

156-157ºC

172.0±27.9 °C

0.0±0.9 mmHg at 25°C

1.533

2.27

O1[C@@]23[C@]4([H])OC([C@]([H])(C([H])([H])[H])[C@]2([H])C([H])([H])C([H])([H])[C@@]([H])(C([H])([H])[H])[C@]3([H])C([H])([H])C([H])([H])C(C([H])([H])[H])(O1)O4)=O

BLUAFEHZUWYNDE-NNWCWBAJSA-N

InChI=1S/C15H22O5/c1-8-4-5-11-9(2)12(16)17-13-15(11)10(8)6-7-14(3,18-13)19-20-15/h8-11,13H,4-7H2,1-3H3/t8-,9-,10+,11+,13-,14-,15-/m1/s1

(3R,5aS,6R,8aS,9R,12S,12aR)-3,6,9-trimethyloctahydro-12H-3,12-epoxy[1,2]dioxepino[4,3-i]isochromen-10(3H)-one

qinghaosu; NSC-369397; NSC369397; Arteannuin; Huanghuahaosu; Artemisinine; Artemisine; (+)-Artemisinin; NSC 369397

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

DMSO : 50~56 mg/mL (177.10~198.34 mM)
H2O : < 0.1 mg/mL

Solubility in Formulation 1: ≥ 2.08 mg/mL (7.37 mM) (saturation unknown) in 10% DMSO + 40% PEG300 + 5% Tween80 + 45% Saline (add these co-solvents sequentially from left to right, and one by one), clear solution.
For example, if 1 mL of working solution is to be prepared, you can add 100 μL of 20.8 mg/mL clear DMSO stock solution to 400 μL PEG300 and mix evenly; then add 50 μL Tween-80 to the above solution and mix evenly; then add 450 μL normal saline to adjust the volume to 1 mL.
Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH₂ O to obtain a clear solution.

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Solubility in Formulation 2: ≥ 2.08 mg/mL (7.37 mM) (saturation unknown) in 10% DMSO + 90% (20% SBE-β-CD in Saline) (add these co-solvents sequentially from left to right, and one by one), clear solution.
For example, if 1 mL of working solution is to be prepared, you can add 100 μL of 20.8 mg/mL clear DMSO stock solution to 900 μL of 20% SBE-β-CD physiological saline solution and mix evenly.
Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.

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Solubility in Formulation 3: ≥ 2.08 mg/mL (7.37 mM) (saturation unknown) in 10% DMSO + 90% Corn Oil (add these co-solvents sequentially from left to right, and one by one), clear solution.
For example, if 1 mL of working solution is to be prepared, you can add 100 μL of 20.8 mg/mL clear DMSO stock solution to 900 μL of corn oil and mix evenly.

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Solubility in Formulation 4: 3% DMSO+ 97% Corn oil: 6mg/ml (21.25mM)

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 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)