The 16 day administration of artemisinin for the long-term cure of malaria in Haiti (P3134)

Abstract

Abstract Artemisinin is a natural compound that has been advocated by our Institute in cancer treatment and for its intended purpose in the treatment of malaria. Both malaria parasites and tumors accumulate iron, specifically in the mitochondria, which reacts with the Artemisinin to create a free radical complex that destroys the host malarial parasite or cancer cell. To date, over 50 patients in Haiti, have been treated with our protocol, which encompasses using 100mg orally per day for 16 days. Children under 12 years of age were given 50mg/day, while six babies were given 25 mg/day. Many of these malaria victims had previously experienced multiple recurrences with poor performance and side effects from the conventional malaria treatments. None of the patients treated ever had a recurrence with some over six years after the single treatment (n=17).These cures occurred in spite of repeated mosquito bites of 800-1,000 per year (African estimates). The interesting immunological question is why is a single treatment over 16 days so effective? There must be an in vivo vaccination occurring where the parasites are destroyed so that “super antigens”, regardless of the stage of the cell cycle, are produced. The 16 day treatment assures the transition between early IgM to IgG development. We are currently in the process to secure a collaboration to study antibody and even cytokine levels in these patients during and after treatment to attempt to explain these results.