Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmacognosy

Artemisia annua L. has been used in China for more than 2000 years for treating many disorders including malaria, A. annua leaves are the main source for the production of artemisinin (the drug of choice for malaria). The present work including botanical identification of the plant material and DNA finger print of the leaves were carried out, to confirm identity of the drug. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, sterols and/ or triterpenes, carbohydrates, tannins and volatile oil The alcoholic extract of the leaves was found to be safe (LD50 value = 4 gm/kg b.wt.), and the ethyl acetate fraction showed significant hepatoprotective, anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant activities. Further investigation of the polar fractions; ethyl acetate and n-butanol soluble fractions, resulted in the isolation and identification of 5 major quinic acid derivatives: 3,5-dicaffoeylquinic acid, 4,5-dicaffoeylquinic acid, 3,4- dicaffoeylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffoeylquinic acid methyl ester and 3- feruloeylquinic acid.

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