n. the active ingredient of qinghaosu, a Chinese herbal medicine prepared from a species of wormwood (Artemisia annua) and long used for treating malaria. Derivatives of artemisinin (including artesunate and artemether) have been developed for the treatment of malignant (falciparum) malaria; they act by killing the asexual stages of the parasite (see Plasmodium) and are used in combination with other antimalarial drugs. In the UK, for example, artemether is available in combination with lumefantrine.
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