Author(s):
MFMF Siddiqui, SP Waghmare, SW Hajare, RS Ingole SG Deshmukh, SD Chepte and S Anwar Ali
Abstract:
Artemisia annua also known as sweet Annie or Wormwood belonging to the family Asteraceae and the genus
Artemisia, widely distributed in Asia, Europe and North America. The main chemical constituent obtained from
Artemisia annua is a hydrophobic sesquiterpene lactone called Artemisinin which is responsible for the anti malarial action. The per cent extractability of the extract of
Artemisia annua was 4.89 per cent. The extract of whole plant of
Artemisia annua was greenish brown in colour, solid and sticky in consistency, bitter in taste and pleasant in odour. Phytochemical analysis (qualitative) revealed presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponin, tannins, steroids, glycosides and phenols in the twelve different solvent extracts of
Artemisia annua. The hydro-ethanolic plant extract of
Artemisia annua was administered orally upto 5000 mg/kg body weight in swiss mice was shown no lethality or toxic reactions at any of the doses of Artemisia annua extract. The absence of toxicity symptoms suggest that
Artemisia annua was non toxic and was well tolerated at the doses employed in this study.
MFMF Siddiqui, SP Waghmare, SW Hajare, RS Ingole SG Deshmukh, SD Chepte and S Anwar Ali. Phytochemical analysis and acute toxicity studies of Artemisia annua in Swiss albino mice. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2018;7(4):1893-1895.