Are artemisinin capsules medicines or health care products

Introduction: Artemisinin capsule is a medicine, not a health product. It is a sesquiterpene lactone drug with a peroxy group extracted from the Chinese medicinal material Artemisia annua. Its main component is artemisinin. It is a highly efficient, fast-acting, and low-toxic antimalarial drug. Artemisinin capsules have a powerful and rapid killing effect on the red stage of Plasmodium, and can quickly control the clinical onset and symptoms of malaria. Due to its clear pharmacological effects and therapeutic purposes, artemisinin capsules are used as prescription drugs, mainly for the treatment of malaria, and are not health products.

Introduction to the pharmaceutical ingredients of artemisinin capsules

The main active pharmaceutical ingredient is artemisinin. Artemisinin is a natural product extracted from the plant Artemisia annua and belongs to the sesquiterpene lactones. This ingredient has strong anti-malarial activity due to its unique peroxide bridge structure.

Artemisinin and its derivatives are the fastest-acting anti-Plasmodium falciparum malaria drugs among all drugs today. The use of artemisinin combination therapies, including artemisinin derivatives, is now the standard approach for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria worldwide.

Pharmacological effects

The mechanism of action of artemisinin capsules is mainly to interfere with the surface membrane, food bubble membrane, mitochondria and other structures of the Plasmodium, causing the biosynthetic process of the Plasmodium to be blocked, and ultimately causing the death of the Plasmodium. It has shown extremely high efficacy in the treatment of malaria, especially drug-resistant malaria, and is currently one of the first-choice drugs for the treatment of malaria, especially falciparum malaria and cerebral malaria.

In addition to its anti-malarial effect, artemisinin and its derivatives have also shown other potential pharmacological effects in research, such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor and anti-parasitic properties. However, these effects are still in the research stage and have not been widely used in clinical practice.

Side Effects

Adverse reactions of artemisinin capsules include urinary system reactions, such as urinary urgency, frequent urination, and renal insufficiency. In severe cases, it may cause body edema. These reactions suggest that artemisinin may have certain effects on the kidneys. It can also cause digestive system discomfort, and some patients may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort. These reactions may affect the patient's appetite and digestive function.

Patients may also experience allergic reactions. Patients who are allergic to artemisinin or other ingredients in the drug may experience allergic symptoms such as skin itching, redness, swelling, and pain after use. In addition, there are also effects on liver function. Long-term or improper use of artemisinin may cause liver function damage, manifested as abnormal liver function indicators, and may develop into cirrhosis in severe cases. In some cases, abnormalities in blood test indicators, such as leukopenia, may be observed.