Naturopathy and Natural Therapies World Conference 2026

Biography

Pawan K. Agrawal obtained his PhD at the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India, in 1981, and was a Visiting Scholar at the Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany, the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA, and the University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA. His research interests include natural product chemistry; he has authored over 100 publications including a monograph (Carbon-13 NMR of Flavonoids) and several book contributions. He was Founder and Editor-in-Chief of an international journal, Natural Product Communications. He was an invited and/or keynote speaker at more than 25 International Symposiums/Conferences and Co-chairperson of International Symposium on Natural Products for the Future 2016, Tokushima, Japan. Currently, he is Chair, Natural Products Research Academy as well as Editor in Chief of a recently launched journal, Natural Products: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Nutrition. 

Abstract

Artemisia annua is a source of artemisinin, which is not only active against malaria, but also exhibits potential for other diseases. This raised the interest of artemisinin's potential for drug repurposing. Artemisinin-based combination therapies, so-called ACTs, have been already recognized as first-line treatments against malaria. Artemisia extract, as well as ACTs, have demonstrated inhibition of SARS-CoV-2. Artemisinin and its derivatives have also shown anti-inflammatory effects, including inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) that plays a key role in the development of severe COVID-19. There is now sufficient evidence in the literature to suggest the effectiveness of Artemisia, its constituents and/or artemisinin derivatives, to fight against the SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting its invasion, and replication, as well as reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, and mitigating lung damage.