Box–Behnken experimental design for extraction of artemisinin from Artemisia annua and validation of the assay method

ABSTRACT Obtaining artemisinin and its derivatives is very costly, which limits access to low-income people. Some hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia annua L., Asteraceae, which has shown comparable antimalarial activity could be an alternative to the purified compound, especially if the cultivars have higher content of artemisinin. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the extraction parameters (ethanol graduation, previous shaking time in an ultrasound bath and drug/solvent ratio) on the yield of artemisinin in the liquid extract obtained by percolation from A. annua and...