Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

Artemisinin, IUPAC name (3R,5aS,6R,6aS,9R,12R,12aS)-3,6,9-trimethyl-3,5,5a,6,6a,7,8,12,12a-decahydro-8,12-epoxy-6-hydroxy-1,4,4a,5-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yl acetate, is a sesquiterpene lactone with molecular formula C₁₅H₂₂O₅ (molecular weight 282.33 g/mol). Its structural features include a bicyclic endoperoxide bridge and a hydroxyl group, critical for antimalarial activity. Therapeutically, it is used in artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) against Plasmodium falciparum. Physicochemically, it is a white crystalline solid with low water solubility (logP ~1.5) and moderate lipophilicity. Mechanism of action involves iron-dependent cleavage of the endoperoxide bridge, generating reactive oxygen species that disrupt parasite membranes and metabolic pathways.