A process for the simultaneous production of artemisinin and essential oil from the plant artemisia annua

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel process for the simultaneous production of essential oil and artemisinic acid optionally converted into artemisinin, from the plant Artemisia annua, comprising the following steps: a) extracting said plant with a non polar organic solvent, thereby obtaining a non polar organic extract; b) partitioning the non polar organic extract between an organic phase and an aqueous phase; c) evaporating the organic phase substantially to dryness thereby obtaining an organic phase residue, and performing a hydro-distillation of the residue preferably admixed with the plant marc yielding said essential oil d) purifying the aqueous phase to yield artemisinic acid; and e) optionally converting artemisinic acid into artemisinin. The present invention also relates both to the use of artemisinin obtained from said process as an anti-malarial drug, as well as the use of the essential oil produced from the process in perfumery, cosmetics, and aromatherapy.