摘要
In a collective effort to find new drugs for killing the ma- laria parasites （plasmodium） that became resistant to the conventional drugs such as chloroquine, scientists in China not only rediscovered the anti-malaria effect of the Chinese herb Qinghao （Artemesia annua L.）, but also isolated the single active ingredient Qinghaosu （artemisinin in English） in crystal form. They subsequently conducted very system- atic studies on the pharmacological properties of qinghaosu and its derivatives, and determined the unusual chemical structure of Qinghaosu. These anti-malaria drugs have saved countless lives, especially in the developing coun- tries. Due to her key role in achieving these remarkable discoveries, Prof. Youyou Tu was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine ＂for her discoveries con- cerning a novel therapy against Malaria＂. Here I will try to tell this fascinating China story based on what have been recorded in the peer-reviewed papers that were published in Chinese or English and largely in journals published in China.
In a collective effort to find new drugs for killing the malaria parasites(plasmodium)that became resistant to the conventional drugs such as chloroquine,scientists in China not only rediscovered the anti-malaria effect of the Chinese herb Qinghao(Artemesia annua L.),but also isolated the single active ingredient Qinghaosu(artemisinin in English)in crystal form.They subsequently conducted very system-
