In vitro antimalarial activity of crude extracts and compounds from Artemisia abrotanum L

Artemisia abrotanum L. (Compositae) is widely used in European herbal medicine for treatment of various ailments including fever. Crude extracts of this plant and some of their constituents were tested for antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro using the technique of [3H]hypoxanthine incorporation. Two pure compounds, isofraxidin and a novel sesquiterpene, 1(S*)‐hydroxy‐α‐bisabololoxide A acetate were found to be active (IC50 values of 7.95 and 5.09 m̈g/mL, respectively).