Two decades ago, a group of Chinese scientists discovered the antischistosomal properties of
artemether, a derivative of the
antimalarial drug artemisinin. However, it was only recently that the importance of this finding was recognized internationally, following a collaborative effort between Chinese, European and African scientists, who investigated the effects of
artemether against the major human schistosome species. Laboratory studies revealed that
artemether exhibits the highest activity against juvenile stages of the parasites, while adult worms are significantly less susceptible. There was no indication of neurotoxicity following repeated high doses of
artemether given fortnightly for up to 5 months. Randomized controlled clinical trials confirmed that
artemether, orally administered at a dose of 6 mg/kg once every 2-3 weeks, results in no
drug-related adverse effects, and significantly reduces the incidence and intensity of schistosome
infections. The risk that these treatment regimens might select for resistance, particularly for resistant-plasmodia, appears to be low. Combined treatment with
artemether and
praziquantel, given to animals harbouring juvenile and adult schistosome worms, resulted in significantly higher worm burden reductions than each
drug administered singly. In conclusion,
artemether-integrated with other control strategies-has considerable potential for reducing the current burden of
schistosomiasis in different epidemiological settings.