Scientists in malaria battle (From York Press)

Scientists in malaria battle

8:01am Tuesday 1st July 2008 in News

SOMETHING’S been bugging scientists at the University of York.

They are working to make vital malaria drugs cheaper and more accessible to patients in developing countries.

They are doing this by improving yields of one of the world’s most important medicinal plants, the aromatic herb artemisia, and will showcase their work this week at a major public exhibition at the Royal Society in London. Malaria kills more than a million people every year. It is spread when a victim is bitten by an infected mosquito. The malarial parasite has gradually become immune to most of the medicines used to combat it.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) now recommends artemisinin combination therapies (ACTS) as the most effective malaria treatment. However, artemisinin is extracted from the aromatic herb artemisia and the plant only produces tiny amounts, making ACTs too expensive for many in need.

The Centre for Novel Agricultural Products at the University of York is using the latest molecular and genetic technologies to fast-track the plant breeding of artemisia and increase yields.

Professor Dianna Bowles, one of the project leaders, said: “Our aim is to rapidly develop high-yielding, non-GM varieties of artemisia that will help reduce costs and secure supplies of this anti-malarial medicine.”