乘載希望的茶葉

一項臨床試驗的目的是評估將青蒿（Artemisia annua）製成的草本茶用在治療無併發症瘧疾病例的效果。

根據世界衛生組織（WHO）的資料，每年有超過60萬人死於瘧疾，主要是5歲以下兒童和孕婦。儘管已經實施了有效的的控制措施，如使用蚊帳和採用以青蒿素類為基礎的合併療法，但非洲許多地區的瘧疾發病率仍然高得不成比例。

我們特地拜會了圖賓根大學臨床寄生蟲學教授、新型抗瘧疾干預措施開發專家 Stetten Borrmann 教授。Borrmann 教授與合作夥伴聯盟合作，其中主要包括Lambaréné Gagon 醫學研究中心的主任 Ayôla a. Adegnika 教授。他們正在致力於從2024年開始，實施一項為期6個月的2a期臨床試驗，該試驗以青蒿茶作為治療無併發症瘧疾的方法，並由百靈佳殷格翰提供資助。

Borrmann 教授對青蒿茶進行臨床試驗的原因

2,000多年前，中醫記載了青蒿作為草本茶的使用。更重要的是，青蒿素類藥物合併療法被世界衛生組織（WHO）推薦治療瘧疾的黃金標準基礎。青蒿茶是將乾燥的青蒿葉加入沸水，儘管還沒獲得WHO的明確認證，但被廣泛使用。WHO尚未明確認證的原因是從隨機對照臨床試驗中獲得的數據還不夠充分。然而，目前以青蒿素藥物為基礎的合併療法已被證實能夠治癒近100％的瘧疾患者。但並非所有患有瘧疾的兒童或孕婦都能夠獲得這些藥物。因此，任何替代治療在預防死亡方面都可能發揮重要作用。由於青蒿廣泛種植在撒哈拉以南非洲的社區中，因此成為一種可行的選擇。根據國際標準的首個臨床試驗計畫預計將於2024年初展開。

Borrmann教授表示：「長期來看，如果我們能夠在控制環境中確認青蒿素茶的功效，就有望獲得WHO的官方認證，合法化使用這種植物作為其他瘧疾控制措施的額外選擇。」

能產生什麼更多的正面影響？

瘧疾通常被稱為「貧困病」，因為生活在貧困線的人們只有有限的資金來應對這種疾病。瘧疾同時加劇了貧困問題，因為它阻礙了經濟成長和接受學校教育的機會。打破這種循環不僅有助於改善健康，還能為許多受影響的社區開創更光明的未來。

由 Edda Dankmeyer與Hilke Roßkamp採訪編輯

瘧疾：事實與數據

瘧疾是一種由蚊子傳播危及生命的疾病，常見症狀包括發燒、頭痛和畏寒。嚴重症狀可能包括癲癇和呼吸困難等症狀。

2.47 億

2021 年，全球出現  2.47 億例病例，全球近一半人口面臨瘧疾所帶來的風險

95 %

全球 95% 的瘧疾病例和 96% 的相關死亡病例發生在非洲

80%

非洲所有死亡病例中，有 80% 是 5 歲以下兒童

Bohrrman教授是 Tübingen大學流行病學家和首席研究員，他領導一個熱帶疾病醫療研究小組。

A clinical trial aims to assess how effective using the plant Artemisia annua as an herbal tea could be in treating uncomplicated malaria cases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria causes over 600,000 deaths per year, mainly among children under the age of five and pregnant women. Many regions of Africa have disproportionately high rates of malaria, despite proven and highly efficient control measures to prevent infections and cure the disease, such as insecticide treated bednets and artemisinin-based combination chemotherapy.

We met with Steffen Borrmann, Professor for Clinical Parasitology at the University of Tübingen and expert on the development of new anti-malarial interventions. Prof. Borrmann, in collaboration with a consortium of partners, foremost Prof. Ayôla A. Adegnika, director at the Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné in Gabon, is currently working on implementing a Phase 2a clinical six-month trial starting in 2024 on Artemisia annua tea as a treatment for uncomplicated malaria cases – a trial financially supported by Boehringer Ingelheim.

Professor Borrmann, why a clinical trial on Artemisia tea?

The use of Artemisia annua as an herbal tea was already documented in Chinese medicine over 2,000 years ago. More importantly, it is the basis of the current WHO recommended gold standard of malaria treatment: the artemisinin-based combination chemotherapies. “Artemisia tea”, which is prepared by adding boiling water to dried Artemisia annua leaves, is still being used despite the lack of a clear endorsement by the WHO. The hesitation of the WHO is due to the gap in available data derived from randomized controlled clinical trials. In fact, current artemisinin-based combination chemotherapies (ACTs) indicate that they can cure close to 100% of malaria patients. However, they are not available to every child or pregnant women with malaria. Therefore, any alternative treatment could play an important role in preventing death. Artemisia annua could be such an option, as it can be cultivated at the community level in Sub-Saharan Africa. A first clinical trial according to an international standard is planned to start at the beginning of next year.

“If, in the long run, we can show the efficacy of the Artemisinin tea in a controlled environment, we can hopefully contribute to the creation of an official WHO recommendation, giving legitimacy for using this plant as an additional option to other malaria control measures,” shares Prof. Borrmann.

What other positive impact could this create?

Malaria is often labeled a “disease of poverty”, as people living at the poverty line only have limited funds available to tackle the disease. At the same time, malaria aggravates poverty, because it hampers economic growth or access to school education. Breaking this transmission cycle is not just a way to improve health; it can also help pave the way for a brighter future for many affected communities.

This interview was conducted by Edda Dankmeyer & Hilke Roßkamp

MALARIA:FACTS & FIGURES

Malaria is a life-threatening mosquitoborne disease. Common symptoms are fever, headache, and chills. Severe symptoms can include seizures and breathing difficulties.

247 MILLION

cases worldwide in 2021, with nearly half of the world’s population at risk.

95 PERCENT

of global cases and 96% of all malariarelated deaths are in Africa.

80 PERCENT

of all fatal cases in Africa were children under the age of 5.

Prof. Bohrrmannis an epidemiologist and principal investigator at University of Tübingen.He leads a research group on tropical medicine.