From a new research conducted, it has been discovered that the combination of Dihydroartemisinin and Piperaquine Phosphate (ACT) is a new hope for treatment and prevention of Malaria in Africa.
Artemisinin was first used as herbal treatment for parasitic infections and MALARIA in China. It also protects against particular types of cancer. Extracted from the plant ARTEMISININ Annua L(sweet wormwood, also known as the Chinese herbal Qinghao), ARTEMISININ has been used for centuries to kill parasites, particularly worms and flukes. These parasites create burden for the body, sapping resources and creating by-products that need to be excreted.

ARTEMISININ has also proven itself as a safe and effective treatment for MALARIA.
For now, ACT is being advocated by WHO and national health authorities as the only hope for malaria. The idea is to protect the individual components, so that parasites could not develop resistance to them. Secondly, the components compliment actions of each other through different targets of attack on the parasites. Artemisinin and its derivatives are fast – acting and are combined with a long –acting partners. Such candidates for this partnership include Amodiaquine, lumefantrine, mefloquine and more recently Piperaquine.

The immediate deploy of the ACT’s to malaria endemic areas is urgently advised, particularly in Africa, where millions of lives are lost yearly. The poverty level in Africa has complicated the burden of malaria as the affordability of the ACT’s becomes a major concern. Of all the candidates, Piperaquine is the most effective and affordable including low incidence of adverse reactions. At present in Nigeria, Kunimed Pharmachem Ltd, based in Lagos made a breakthrough of producing ACT of piperaquine combination at less that $2. This effort is highly commendable and support is needed even to lower the cost.

As ACT’s are being advocated, the answer remains on how to eradicate mosquitoes.