{"id":754,"date":"2026-05-13T03:01:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T01:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artemisine.ch\/?p=754"},"modified":"2026-06-14T19:07:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T17:07:05","slug":"use-of-artemisia-annua-in-chinese-medicine-and-early-uses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artemisine.ch\/en\/use-of-artemisia-annua-in-chinese-medicine-and-early-uses\/","title":{"rendered":"Use of\u00a0Artemisia annua\u00a0in Chinese medicine and early uses"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Origins and first written traces<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The oldest mention of the plant dates back to 168 BCE, found in a work written on a piece of silk: the\u00a0<\/span>Wu Shi Er Bing Fang<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(Prescriptions for Fifty-Two Ailments). Discovered at Mawangdui, an exceptional archaeological site in Hunan Province, this work recommends the use of Qing Hao (<\/span>Artemisia annua<\/span><\/em>) for hemorrhoids.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first mention of\u00a0<\/span>Artemisia annua<\/span><\/em>\u00a0for treating fever is found in the\u00a0<\/span>Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica), the foundational text of Chinese medicine. The work indicates that the plant can be used to “relieve heat lodged in the joints,” referring to febrile conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

As early as the 3rd century, the Chinese physician Zhang Ji (150\u2013219) recommended using Qing Hao to treat fevers, sweats, or jaundice in his treatise\u00a0<\/span>Shang Han Lun<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders).<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, in the 4th century, the\u00a0<\/span>Zhouhou Beiji Fang<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One’s Sleeve) by the scholar Ge Hong (283\u2013343) presents a precise description of an extraction method. Qing Hao must be extracted cold by macerating leaves in water to extract the juice. This juice is then consumed to relieve and treat fevers. This preparation method later became a source of inspiration for artemisinin research.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evolution of use in Chinese medicine<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Medical texts from the Song (960\u20131279), Yuan (1271\u20131368), and Ming (1368\u20131644) dynasties recommend using the plant in the form of decoctions, pills, or powder. The texts sometimes indicate the use of other herbs or plants in combination with Qing Hao to treat fevers and malarial paroxysms (typical manifestations of malaria: chills, heat, sweats).<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Ben Cao Gang Mu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(Compendium of Materia Medica), written in 1596 by Li Shizhen, a naturalist physician, describes the use of the plant for treating the paroxysmal (i.e., sudden and repeated) fever of malaria. This work solidified the position of\u00a0<\/span>Artemisia annua<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in its traditional use against febrile conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mentions of fumigating the plant to repel harmful insects, particularly mosquitoes (the main vectors of malaria), are also present in various treatises.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main traditional uses<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The main traditional uses from the texts of traditional Chinese medicine are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n