Extraction of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua

Malaria disease is endemic in least developed countries like Ethiopia. The rapid development of drug-resistant malaria parasite strain leaves the need for new effective drugs. Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone found in the leaves of Artemisia annua L and have different chemical structures and higher efficacy than others. The content of artemisinin is very small and from 0.5 to 1.2 % of dry weight of plants in Ethiopia. Since artemisinin is only present in the epidermis of the leaves, leaves were only washed on the outside by stirring appeared to be the most appropriate method. So the first step was solvent extraction using hexane and followed purify by repeated crystallization. Laboratory scale production data and procedures were listed for aremisinin extraction process. By using those data large scale production method was designed. And did material and energy balance calculations for large scale production process carried out by taking scientific approach followed by feasibility study. The payback period is 1.22yrs and it is economically acceptable and therefore this market is promising in Ethiopia in addition to save millions of Ethiopian and African from killer malaria.