In Vitro Antimalarial Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Aerial Parts of Artemisia fragrans Willd.

Background: Malaria is one of the most momentous transmittable diseases globally. Medicinal herbs like Artemisia species might be possible sources of new, effective, and cheap antiplasmodial products, making up the leading molecules to investigate new antimalarial drugs. The Artemisia genus, which belongs to the Asteraceae family, is a widely distributed medicinal plant in Iran. Methods: In this study, the antimalarial activities of essential oil, different extracts, and vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) fractions of A. fragrans Willd. were examined by a cell-free β-hematin formation assay. The aerial parts of A. fragrans were extracted by a Soxhlet extractor, and essential oil was obtained by a Clevenger apparatus. Then, GC-MS analysis was used to identify volatile compounds of essential oil and the 100% VLC fraction of chloroform. Results: Among the extracts, chloroform extract illustrated considerable antimalarial activity compared to the control (P < 0.001), with the IC50 value of 1.22 ± 0.05 mg/mL. Among the fractions, 100% VLC fraction of chloroform extract illustrated potent antimalarial effects compared to the control (P < 0.001). The volatile oil demonstrated moderate antimalarial effects (P < 0.001) compared with the control. Besides, GC-MS determined that sesquiterpenes in the 100% ethyl acetate fraction of the chloroform extract and oxygenated monoterpenes in the essential oil might be responsible for the potent antimalarial activity of this plant. Conclusions: The 100% ethyl acetate fraction of chloroform extract along with the essential oil of A. fragrans indicated potent and moderate activity, possibly due to sesquiterpenes and oxygenated monoterpenes, respectively.