Song Jianping (second from right), director of the Artemisia Annua Research Center at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, fights malaria in comoros
Text/Yangcheng Evening News all-media reporter Zhang Hua correspondent Yue Xinglin
Photo/Courtesy of respondents
On 25 April, World Malaria Day, the 50th anniversary of the advent of artemisinin and the International Forum on Helping to Build a Community of Human Health were held in Beijing.
Artemisinin is a gift of traditional Chinese medicine to the people of the world, Guangdong is the birthplace of Artemisia annua antimalarial, but also the forerunner of the industrialization of artemisia annua today. On April 29, the relevant leaders of the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission and the Provincial Bureau of Traditional Chinese Medicine pointed out at the media briefing on the antimalarial situation of Artemisia annua in Guangdong that Guangdong traditional Chinese medicine has contributed the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine to human control of malaria epidemic, created the global antimalarial China program, and the mainland artemisinin compound has also brought opportunities for global malaria elimination.
Artemisia annua originates from traditional Chinese medicine and originates in Lingnan
It has a strong killing power against malaria parasites
Malaria is one of the three most catastrophic infectious diseases in the world. Professor Song Jianping, the main member of the artemisia annua antimalarial team of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and director of the Artemisia Annua Research Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, told reporters that malaria is currently endemic in 91 countries, and 1 child dies of malaria every 2 minutes. In 2020, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, two-thirds (about 47,000 people) died from the interruption of malaria-related services during the epidemic, and the number of deaths from malaria increased by 69,000 from 2019 to 627,000.
In 2020, the continent achieved malaria elimination, of which artemisinin contributed. "Artemisia annua originated in traditional Chinese medicine and originated in Lingnan." Xu Qingfeng introduced, "In 327 AD, Ge Hong summed up and recorded the experience of the lingnan people in treating malaria with artemisia annua in Luofu Mountain, Guangdong. In 2015, Tu Youyou won the Nobel Prize for inventing artemisinin for the treatment of malaria. In her speech at the Nobel Prize ceremony, she mentioned that Ge Hong's "Elbow Reserve Formula" inspired her to successfully extract artemisinin. ”
Guangdong Artemisia annua antimalarial team has long been engaged in clinical research on artemisinin and derivatives, Song Jianping believes that artemisinin antimalarial has the advantages of quick action, high efficiency and low toxicity, and has a strong killing power against malaria parasites. In 1974, Li Guoqiao, a professor at Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, demonstrated the quick-acting and low-toxic effects of artemisinin in the treatment of falciparum malaria and cerebral malaria. Later, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine also confirmed for the first time in the clinic that the efficacy of artemisinin in the treatment of falciparum malaria was better than that of chloroquine, which was once the most commonly used antimalarial drug, which shifted the focus of national antimalarial research to artemisinin antimalarial research. In 1996, the 7-day course of artemisinin was promoted by the Who (World Health Organization) as the standard course for malaria.
After more than ten years of efforts, New South Group has achieved remarkable results in the selection and breeding of high-quality Artemisia annua varieties. Zhu Lai, chairman of Guangdong New South Group, told reporters, "At present, the artemisinin content of excellent single plants has increased from 0.5% of the original single plant to 2.97%, and the output has doubled. Artemisia annua grown in other regions can extract about 5 kg of artemisinin per ton, and in Meizhou Fengshun it can reach 12 kg, with a content of 29 ‰, far exceeding the global average. ”
Zhu Lai, chairman of Guangdong New South Group, has an indissoluble relationship with artemisinin
Global malaria clearance process is slow
China offers "Strategies for Mass Prevention and Mass Treatment to Eliminate the Source of Infection"
In 2020, the mainland relied on the strategy of "adapting to local conditions, categorical guidance, highlighting key points, taking medicines for the whole people, and preventing and curing in groups". However, the global malaria clearance process is slow, and the World Health Organization's World Malaria Report 2021 shows that there will be 140 million malaria cases worldwide in 2020, and 470,000 people will die of malaria, which has become an important factor hindering the socio-economic development of the world, especially in Africa. Song Jianping said: "As early as 2001, artemisinin compound became the first choice of antimalarial drugs, and the Guangdong Artemisia annua antimalarial team insisted on the development and international promotion of artemisinin compound to bring Artemisinin to Asia-Africa malaria-endemic countries in China. ”
In order to promote and apply China's antimalarial strategy globally, Song Jianping said that we have formulated an antimalarial plan with Chinese characteristics of artemisinin compound "taking medicine for the whole people, mass prevention and treatment, and eliminating malaria and seeking the root cause". The programme has been shown to be able to rapidly roll back malaria epidemics and significantly reduce malaria incidence and mortality. Since 2003, the Guangdong Artemisia annua antimalarial team has achieved remarkable results in implementing the Artemisinin Eradication Project in several countries in Southeast Asia (Cambodia), Africa (Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe), and the South Pacific region (Papua New Guinea). At present, Cambodia has entered the ranks of countries recognized by the World Health Organization as a pre-elimination of malaria. The national incidence of malaria in the Comoros has fallen by more than 98 per cent, and zero malaria deaths have been achieved. For the first time, the first pilot area in Sao Tome and Principe achieved eight consecutive months of zero malaria reports. The malaria infection rate of 45,000 people in Kirivina, a pilot area of Papua New Guinea, has dropped by more than 95%, achieving zero malaria deaths.
On April 29, Guo Wenfeng, head of the project team of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in Sao Tome and Principe, introduced to reporters, "Since January 2017, we have carried out three phases of antimalarial technical assistance in São Tomé and Príncipe. Villagers said, 'In the past, because of malaria, they went to the hospital twice every three days, and since the Chinese antimalarial team came to the village to work, there has been no malaria at all.' In this regard, the representative of the World Health Organization also affirmed China's contribution to the fight against malaria, opening up a new path for the elimination of malaria in Sao Tome and Principe. China's antimalarial research in Asia and Africa has been published in journals such as Nature Genetics and Lancet Infectious Diseases, and included in the National Health Organization's Guidebook on Medication for All issued in 2016.
On April 25, president of the Comoros Union, Azali Assoumani, expressed his gratitude to China for its support of antimalarials at the 50th anniversary of the advent of artemisinin and the International Forum on Helping to Build a Community of Human Health, saying: "Researchers at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine have been monitoring the implementation of this strategy on the ground, and I take this opportunity to thank them again. Today, the Union of the Comoros has one of the lowest incidences of malaria in the East African region, with the incidence falling from nine per thousand to less than five per thousand between 2012 and 2020. The Comoros is also one of the countries that has successfully disrupted the local chain of transmission of malaria. ”
Shouzheng innovation, artemisinin drug research and development continues to upgrade New South Group is now cooperating with overseas scientific research institutions
Artemisinin is a gift of traditional Chinese medicine to the people of the world, Guangdong is the birthplace of Artemisia annua antimalarial, but also the forerunner of the industrialization of artemisia annua today. Since 2004, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and New South Group have jointly established the Guangdong Artemisia annua anti-malarial team, and successfully developed the fourth generation of artemisinin compound - artemisinin piperaquine tablets.
According to Zhu Lai, artemisinin piperaquine tablets obtained the State Food and Drug Administration Class I New Drug Certificate in 2006, and have obtained international patent protection in 40 countries, completed trademark registration in 36 countries, and have been selected as the national preferred drug for the prevention and treatment of falciparum malaria and the mainland foreign aid antimalarial drug.
At present, in addition to expanding the research investment of artemisinin in the treatment of malaria, Guangdong New South Group is actively carrying out clinical research on the treatment of other diseases with artemisinin piperaquine tablets. Zhu Lai said: "Guangdong New South Group cooperated with the research team of Artemisia Annua Research Center of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health to further expand the clinical research of artemisinin piperaquine tablets. Clinical research on the treatment of new crown pneumonia was carried out in cooperation with the Eighth People's Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University and the Hongqi Hospital Affiliated to Mudanjiang Medical College in Heilongjiang Province. Some of the research results have been published in the international professional academic journal International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (International Journal of Antimicrobials). ”
Zhu Lai also revealed to reporters: "We have also actively cooperated with overseas scientific research institutions to establish artemisia annua research centers in Cambodia and Papua New Guinea to carry out research on the treatment of lupus erythematosus, tumors and other indications." ”
The legend of Artemisia annua is undoubtedly a baton-like journey. Professor Tu Youyou obtained inspiration from the prescription works left by Ge Hong; Professor Li Guoqiao used his life to clinically verify the miraculous efficacy of artemisinin in curing malaria; Guangdong Traditional Chinese medicine people implemented the "Compound Artemisinin Rapid Elimination Malaria Project" to promote original artemisinin drugs in the mainland, assist people in overseas malaria areas to eliminate malaria, continue to provide Chinese solutions for major health problems in the world, contribute Chinese medicine wisdom to healthy China, and warm the world with Chinese medicine.
Editor: Wu Jiahong
Source: Golden Sheep Network