India Successfully Cultivates Anti-Malarial Plant ‘Artemisia’

The artemisia plant, which is used to develop artemisinin (drug) and its derivatives for treating acute malaria and parasitic worm (helminth) infections, is now been cultivated in India, Earlier the country was heavily reliant on China, which is the largest and natural grower of artemisia .

"Because the artemisia plant is primarily found in China, it is used to prepare artemisinin and export it to other countries." India was also reliant on China, but extensive research by the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) resulted in the development of a new species with a high artemisinin concentration of 1.2 percent. The chemical extracted from the plant, which comes in over 200 varieties, is used to make artemisinin, which is then used to make drugs for meningitis treatment. In a recent technology transfer programme, Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, director of CSIR-CIMAP, stated, "This plant is proving to be life-saving for meningitis patients."

This variety will benefit both farmers and industries involved in Artemisia cultivation/business, according to a report published in the journal of medicinal and aromatic plant sciences. The industry may benefit by a 20 percent reduction in production costs.

It was demonstrated that cultivating 'artemisia annua' provides a high return to farmers (65,000 per hectare) in a short period of about four months. This drug is currently being exported to several countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chennai-based Sattva Vaid Natures Global Pvt Ltd for anti-malarial plant artemisia cultivation and processing technology. Under the terms of the agreement, company representatives will be trained in the technology of extracting artemisinin from the cultivation of artemisia crop (Artemisia Annua) from high-quality seeds of the CIM-Sanjeevani variety, with the assistance of CSIR-CIMAP.

CIM-Sanjeevani is the result of extensive breeding work over the last 12 years. According to the Journal, it was created through poly cross progenesis between two existing varieties, Jeevan Raksha and CIM Arogya.

"The company would cultivate artemisia on a contract basis with farmers." The corporation will purchase farmers' vegetables at fixed prices, resulting in higher profits for farmers," said Shrenik Modi, director of M/s Sattva Veda Natures Global Private Limited Chennai.

The contract was signed by Naresh Kumar, administrative officer of CSIR-CIMAP, and Shrenik Modi, director of Sattva Ved Natures Global Pvt Ltd. The MoU was then exchanged between Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, director of CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, and Shrenik Modi, director of M/s Sattva Ved Natures Global Pvt Ltd, Chennai.