The repeated emergence of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum underscores the importance of understanding the genetic architecture of current resistance pathways, as well as any associated fitness costs. Why resistance emerges in particular regions of the world has been linked to particular genetic backgrounds that better tolerate resistance-associated polymorphisms; this is likely to play a key role in driving the epidemiology of drug resistance, however is infrequently studied at a large scale in a laboratory setting. The first results chapter establishes a barcoding approach for P. falciparum with the aim of tracking parasite growth in vitro. The strategy used was adapted for P. falciparum by using a pseudogene (PfRh3) as a safe harbour to insert unique molecular barcodes. These libraries of barcoded P. falciparum vectors were also used as a readout of transfection efficiency. The second chapter establishes a proof of principle for phenotyping by barcode sequencing, using a panel of barcoded parasites generated in different genetic backgrounds that comprise sufficient genetic diversity to pilot the method. These were grown in the presence and absence of antimalarial compounds, and growth phenotypes were measured in parallel using BarSeq. The third results chapter studies the contribution of mutations in Pfkelch13, a molecular marker of artemisinin resistance, to parasite fitness. Combining CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing and high throughput sequencing, the impact of Pfkelch13 alleles on fitness in the context of particular strain backgrounds is revealed. In particular, the impact of genetic background in the emergence and spread of drug-resistant lineages (referred to as KEL1) in Southeast Asia carrying a Y580 Pfkelch13 allele. Overall, given the current pace of genome sequencing of pathogenic organisms such as P. falciparum, it will be important to increase the scale of experimental genetics, in order to tackle in real-time natural variation that might be under constant selection from drugs, thus anticipating the emergence of drug resistance in changing parasite populations. Through this work, tools were developed to facilitate parallel phenotyping by measuring in vitro growth using high-throughput sequencing. The work also develops novel approaches to address the importance of genetic background and a potential role for positive epistasis in a lineage responsible for the recent outbreak of drug-resistant malaria in Southeast Asia.

Cette thèse est consacrée à la conception, la synthèse et l'évaluation biologique de différents dérivés quinoliniques en vue de développer de nouveaux médicaments contre les maladies infectieuses, en particulier la tuberculosis (TB) et le paludisme. La première partie de cette étude décrit la synthèse de dérivés de la méfloquine (MFL) et leur évaluation sur Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Une série de 26 composés a été synthétisée par une réaction de condensation entre la MFL et des dérivés d’aldéhyde diversement substitués. Les activités ont été évaluées sur la souche standard de M. tuberculosis H37Rv, qui est sensible aux différents médicaments existants, et sur la souche multirésistante T113 (résistante à trois médicaments de premier choix, l'isoniazide, la rifampicine et l'éthambutol, ainsi qu'à l'ofloxacine, une fluoroquinolone utilisée dans le traitement de second choix). La seconde partie de cette étude concerne la synthèse et l'évaluation pharmacologique des dérivés hybrides contenant un groupement 7-chloro-4-aminoquinoléine, et un dérivé fluoré d’artémisinine dans leurs structures. Nous avons décrit deux séries de dérivés d’artémisinine: le CF3-artésunate, et une seconde série où un acide est introduit en position 16 d’une artémisinine modifiée, dont la fonction cétal a été supprimée. Les produits ont été évaluées in vitro contre la souche de P. falciparum 3D7, sensible à la chloroquine. Toutes les substances ont montré une excellente activité de l'ordre du nM. / The present work describes the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of several substances containing the quinoline nucleus, with potential activity against infectious diseases, with a focus on tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. In the first part of this work, we have been particularly interested in the synthesis of new mefloquine (MFL) derivatives which could help in the development of treatments against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A total of 26 new compounds were synthesized from reactions between MFL and a substituted arenealdehyde. The biological activities were evaluated against the standard strain of M. tuberculosis H37Rv, sensitive to the different drugs used in TB treatment and the multi-drug resistant (MDR) strain T113, resistant to three first line drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol) and ofloxacine, a fluoroquinolone used as a second choice treatment. The second part of this work presents the development of new hybrid molecules, containing a 7-chloro-4-aminoquinoline moiety and a CF3-artemisinin moiety. Two series were described, one containing a CF3-artesunate moiety and another one where a carboxylic acid functional group was introduced in position 16 of a modified artemisinin, where the ketal function was suppressed. The final products were assayed in vitro against the Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7, sensitive to chloroquine. The substances displayed excellent activities, in the nM range. / O presente trabalho descreve a concepção, a síntese e a avaliação biológica de diferentes derivados quinolínicos, com potencial atividade contra doenças negligenciadas, tendo como foco principal a tuberculose (TB) e a malária. A primeira parte desse estudo teve como objetivo a síntese de derivados da mefloquina (MFL) que pudessem auxiliar no desenvolvimento de novos tratamentos contra o Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Uma série de 26 compostos foi preparada a partir de uma reação de condensação entre a MFL e arenaldeídos substituídos. Os derivados tiveram sua atividade biológica verificada frente à cepa padrão de M. tuberculosis H37Rv, sensível aos diferentes tuberculostáticos e à cepa multirresistente T113, resistente a três fármacos utilizados no tratamento de primeira escolha (isoniazida, rifampicina e etambutol) e uma fluoroquinolona utilizada no tratamento de segunda escolha, o ofloxacino. A segunda parte desse trabalho visou à síntese e à avaliação biológica de derivados híbridos contendo um grupo 7-cloro-4-aminoquinolina e um grupamento trifluorometil-artemisinina em sua estrutura. Duas séries foram descritas, uma contendo um grupamento CF3-artesunato e a outra contendo um grupamento ácido carboxílico na posição 16 de uma artemisinina modificada, onde a função cetal foi suprimida. Os produtos finais foram testados in vitro contra a cepa de P. falciparum 3D7, susceptível à cloroquina. Todas as substâncias apresentaram uma excelente atividade, na ordem de nM.

Les combinaisons thérapeutiques à base d’artémisinine (ou CTAs) sont une des clés de voûte des stratégies actuelles de lutte contre le paludisme : ces thérapies ont en effet joué un rôle important dans la réduction de l’impact du paludisme au cours de la dernière décennie. Cependant, ces progrès sont aujourd’hui compromis par l’émergence de parasites Plasmodium falciparum résistants aux dérivés de l’artémisinine (ART). Les premiers parasites résistants ont été détectés pour la première fois en 2008 dans l’ouest du Cambodge, puis dans plusieurs pays avoisinants d’Asie du Sud-Est. Le problème de la multirésistance aux antipaludiques s’est récemment aggravé au Cambodge : plusieurs études ont rapporté l’émergence de parasites résistants à la pipéraquine (PPQ), la dernière génération de molécule partenaire utilisée en combinaison avec la dihydroartémisinine, entraînant des taux alarmants d’échecs cliniques. Pour préserver l’efficacité de ces combinaisons, la surveillance et la compréhension de ces deux types de résistance sont cruciales afin d’éviter la dissémination de parasites multirésistants en dehors d’Asie du Sud-Est, et particulièrement en Afrique où les conséquences sanitaires seraient désastreuses. À cette fin, le développement de nouveaux outils est nécessaire pour étudier les mécanismes biologiques et moléculaires impliqués dans la résistance aux CTAs et pour surveiller la distribution géographique des parasites multirésistants. Dans la première partie de cette thèse, axée sur la résistance à l’artémisinine, nous présentons tout d’abord la découverte de mutations au sein du gène K13, marqueur moléculaire pour la résistance à l'ART. Puis nous confirmons leur rôle comme déterminant majeur de cette résistance. Enfin, nous analysons l’étendue de cette résistance au travers d'une cartographie mondiale des polymorphismes de K13. Dans la seconde partie de cette thèse, nous présentons nos travaux portant sur l’émergence de la résistance à la pipéraquine au Cambodge, en confirmant dans un premier temps que des parasites multirésistants à l’ART et à la PPQ circulent désormais dans le pays. Puis en détaillant la mise en point d’un nouveau test phénotypique pour la détection des parasites PPQ-résistants, le Piperaquine Survival Assay ou PSA. Pour finir, nous exposons la découverte de l’amplification du gène PfPM2 comme marqueur moléculaire pour la résistance à la PPQ. / Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are one of the pillars of the current strategies implemented for fighting malaria. Over the last decade, ACTs have played a major role in decreasing malaria burden. However, this progress is being jeopardized by the emergence of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Artemisinin (ART) resistance was first detected in western Cambodia in 2008 and has since been observed in neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. The problem of antimalarial drug resistance has recently worsened in Cambodia, with reports of parasites resistant to piperaquine (PPQ), the latest generation of partner drug used in combination with dihydroartemisinin, leading to worrying rates of clinical treatment failure. The monitoring and the comprehension of both types of resistance are crucial to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant parasites outside Southeast Asia, and particularly to Africa, where the public health consequences would be catastrophic. To this end, new tools are required for studies of the biological and molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to antimalarial drugs and for monitoring the geographic distribution of the resistant parasites.In the first section of this thesis, centered on artemisinin resistance, we first present the discovery of mutations within the K13 gene as a molecular marker for ART resistance. Then we confirm their role as a major determinant of such a resistance. Finally, we analyze the extent of ART resistance through a global mapping of K13 polymorphisms. In the second section, we present our work on the emergence of piperaquine resistance in Cambodia, by initially confirming that multiresistant parasites now circulate in the country. Then we detail the development of a new phenotypical test for the detection of PPQ-resistant parasites, the Piperaquine Survival Assay or PSA. Lastly, we report the discovery of the PfPM2 gene amplification as a candidate molecular marker for PPQ-resistance.

Qi, Yan. / Thesis submitted in: December 2008. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-79). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.III / ABSTRACT --- p.IV / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VII / LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.XI / Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- the Plant of Artemisia annua L --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The disease of malaria --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- The life cycle of Plasmodium parasites --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- The Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of malaria --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Artemisinin --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- The content and distribution of artemisinin --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- The mechanism of artemisinin action --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.2.1 --- The proposed non-specific mechanisms of action --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.2.2 --- The proposed parasite-specific mechanisms of action --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- The biosynthesis of artemisnin in vivo --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- The biosynthesis of artemisinin in vitro --- p.16 / Chapter 1.4 --- Trichomes --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Non-glandular trichomes --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Glandular trichome --- p.20 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Trichomes of Artemisia annua L --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5 --- DNA Sequencing Methods --- p.24 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- The basic principle of pyrosequencing --- p.25 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- 454 pyrosequencing and its application --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER 2. --- MATERIALS AND METHODS --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1 --- Chemicals --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2 --- Plant materials --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3 --- Preparation of the cDNA sample for 454 sequencing --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Scanning electron microscopy --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Isolation of glandular trichomes --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- cDNA synthesis and normalization --- p.34 / Chapter 2.4 --- 454-EST SEQUENCING AND PROCESSING --- p.36 / Chapter 2.5 --- Analysis of 454 sequencing data --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6 --- Establishment of regeneration system of A. annua L --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Shoots induction from leaf discs --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- The sensitivity of the explants to Kanamycin --- p.38 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Rooting of the regenerated seedlings --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER 3. --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1 --- Glandular trichome isolation and cDNA preparation --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- The distribution of glandular trichomes on A. annua --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- The isolation of glandular trichomes --- p.42 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- The preparation of ds cDNA for 454 sequencing --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2 --- Pre-process of 454 pyrosequencing data --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3 --- Functional annotation of the 454-EST data --- p.47 / Chapter 3.4 --- Comparison of two sequencing runs --- p.49 / Chapter 3.5 --- Analysis of the 454 ESTs involved in secondary metabolisms --- p.50 / Chapter 3.6 --- Selection of the candidate genes --- p.55 / Chapter 3.7 --- Establishment of regeneration system of A. annua L --- p.57 / Chapter 3.7.1 --- Shoots induction from leaf discs --- p.57 / Chapter 3.7.2 --- Roots induction from shoots --- p.57 / Chapter 3.7.3 --- Sensitivity of A. annua to Kan --- p.59 / Chapter CHAPTER 4. --- CONCLUSION --- p.61 / REFERENCES --- p.63

Ce travail présente une nouvelle application des alcoxyamines en chimie thérapeutique et notamment pour lutter contre le parasite plasmodium falciparum, responsable du paludisme.Cette idée repose sur l'utilisation de la chimie radicalaire. A ce jour un traitement de choix met en œuvre l'artémisinine. Le mode d'action est la destruction du parasite par la formation de radicaux libres. L'artémisinine est activée par le Fe(II) de l'hème libéré lors de la digestion de hémoglobine par le parasite. L'activation conduit à la production de radicaux alkyles qui déclenchent l'apparition d'un stress oxydatif entrainant la mort du parasite.Dans ce travail, nous avons synthétisé des alcoxyamines inédites possédant des structures chimiques particulières. Ces alcoxyamines sont activables par protonation ou par complexation par des ions métalliques tels que le Fe(II) afin de produire de façon rapide et ciblée des radicaux capable d'induire un stress oxydatif. Des études cinétiques des molécules préparées dans ce manuscrit ont aussi été effectuées. Celles-ci ont montré une réduction drastique des énergies d'activation et des temps de demi-vie des alcoxyamines activées permettant de produire des radicaux rapidement et de manière sélective. Ce travail a permis d'obtenir des alcoxyamines modèles pour valider le concept d'alcoxyamines anti-paludéens. / This work presents a new application of alkoxyamines in therapeutics chemistry, in order to fight the parasite plasmodium falciparum, a parasite responsible for malaria.This idea is based on a mechanism similar to that of artemisinin, a standard drug used for malaria. Artemisinin is activated by iron(II) of heme, released during hemoglobin digestion by the parasite. Activation leads to the formation of radicals which trigger oxidative stress leading to the death of the parasite.In this work, we have synthesized new alkoxyamines with particular chemical structures. These alkoxyamines, upon protonation or metal-complexation, produce radicals able to afford oxydative stress. Moreover kinetic studies showed a drastic reduction of the activation energies and half-lives of activated alkoxyamines in oder to produce quickly radicals, which makes it possible to obtain model alkoxyamines with anti-malarial activities.

Plasmodium falciparum, one of the parasites that cause clinical malaria, is a continuous public health concern, especially in Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, the parasite has developed resistance to many drugs created to treat and prevent the disease. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the new gold standard for treatment of malaria, yet treatment failures in clinical studies are starting to be reported. Clearly, artemisinin resistance needs to be characterized and dealt with accordingly. In support of the Gates Foundation Artemisinin Consortium, we conducted a blinded study to elucidate the phenotypic response of artemisinin derivatives of parasites derived from patient blood samples from Cambodia and Thailand. Blood samples containing Plasmodium falciparum were cultured and then assayed using SYBR green as an indicator to obtain drug IC50s. The data suggested that many isolates are not demonstrating resistance to artemisinin. However, a select few are showing some resistant characteristics in the form of elevated IC 50s, especially to some of the drugs already identified in previous studies as drugs having resistant characteristics. Compared to studies conducted within the past ten years, no significant changes in parasite susceptibility to the artemisinin drugs have been observed. Additional analysis of clinical outcomes, therapeutic drug levels, and molecular markers needs to be completed before it can be assumed that artemisinin resistance has emerged.

<p>Artemisinin is the parent compound of a novel family of antimalarials. Repetitive administrations of artemisinin to both healthy volunteers and malaria patients have been shown to result in decreased plasma concentrations of the compound, most probably due to an autoinduction of different CYP450 enzymes. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the clinical pharmacokinetics and efficacy of different dosage regimens of the drug, and study the kinetics of the enzyme induction. Moreover, the putative interaction of the compound with blood components was investigated in vitro. </p><p>Artemisinin was found to distribute into red blood cells, competing with oxygen for binding to hemoglobin. The compound was stable in plasma and, in contrast to previous reports, did not bind to red blood cell membranes. </p><p>To circumvent the logistical and ethical problems associated with plasma sampling, suitability of saliva as substitute was investigated. Moreover, due to the large number of collected samples, an HPLC method, enabling a direct injection of saliva and plasma samples, was developed. </p><p>Saliva artemisinin concentrations were found to correlate with its unbound plasma levels, making saliva a suitable body fluid for pharmacokinetic studies of the compound. Based on saliva samples, artemisinin was shown to exhibit a dose-dependent kinetics and efficacy in malaria patients, with a possible sex-effect on the metabolism of the compound during the first treatment day. Moreover, the time-dependent kinetics of the compound was observed in both malaria patients and healthy subjects. A physiological approach was utilized to model the autoinduction in the latter group. A model with a feedback mechanism of enzymes was able to describe the data, with estimations of the half-lives of induction (3.15 hrs) and elimination of enzymes (32.9 hrs), as well as pharmacokinetic parameters of artemisinin. </p><p>In conclusion, artemisinin was found to exhibit a fast induction of enzymes, with time- and dose-dependent drug kinetics and dose-dependent antimalarial efficacy. </p>

Artemisinin is the parent compound of a novel family of antimalarials. Repetitive administrations of artemisinin to both healthy volunteers and malaria patients have been shown to result in decreased plasma concentrations of the compound, most probably due to an autoinduction of different CYP450 enzymes. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the clinical pharmacokinetics and efficacy of different dosage regimens of the drug, and study the kinetics of the enzyme induction. Moreover, the putative interaction of the compound with blood components was investigated in vitro. Artemisinin was found to distribute into red blood cells, competing with oxygen for binding to hemoglobin. The compound was stable in plasma and, in contrast to previous reports, did not bind to red blood cell membranes. To circumvent the logistical and ethical problems associated with plasma sampling, suitability of saliva as substitute was investigated. Moreover, due to the large number of collected samples, an HPLC method, enabling a direct injection of saliva and plasma samples, was developed. Saliva artemisinin concentrations were found to correlate with its unbound plasma levels, making saliva a suitable body fluid for pharmacokinetic studies of the compound. Based on saliva samples, artemisinin was shown to exhibit a dose-dependent kinetics and efficacy in malaria patients, with a possible sex-effect on the metabolism of the compound during the first treatment day. Moreover, the time-dependent kinetics of the compound was observed in both malaria patients and healthy subjects. A physiological approach was utilized to model the autoinduction in the latter group. A model with a feedback mechanism of enzymes was able to describe the data, with estimations of the half-lives of induction (3.15 hrs) and elimination of enzymes (32.9 hrs), as well as pharmacokinetic parameters of artemisinin. In conclusion, artemisinin was found to exhibit a fast induction of enzymes, with time- and dose-dependent drug kinetics and dose-dependent antimalarial efficacy.

A major challenge affecting the likelihood of a new drug reaching the market is poor oral bioavailability derived from low aqueous solubility. Nanocrystals are rapidly becoming a platform technology to address poor solubility issues, although several challenges including stabilisation and control of particle size distribution for nanosuspensions still need to be addressed. The aim of this study was to revisit the simplest approach of re-precipitation and to identify the critical parameters, including the effect of different stabilisers as well as process conditions. We utilised a combined approach of both experiments and molecular modelling and simulation, not only to determine the optimum parameters but also to gain mechanistic insight. The experimental studies utilised three rather distinct, relatively insoluble drugs, the hypoglycaemic glibenclamide, the anti-inflammatory ibuprofen, and the anti-malarial artemisinin. The choice of crystal growth inhibitors/stabilizers was found to be critical and specific for each drug. The effect of the process variables, temperature, stirring rate, and the solute solution infusion rate into the anti-solvent, was rationalized in terms of how these factors influence the local supersaturation attained at the earliest stages of precipitation. Coarse grained simulation of antisolvent crystallisation confirmed the accepted two step mechanism of nucleation at high supersaturation which involves aggregation of solute particles followed by nucleation. Recovery of nanocrystals from nanosuspensions is also a technical challenge. A novel approach involving the use of carrier particles to recovery the nanocrystals was developed and shown to be able to recover more than 90% of the drug nanocrystals. The phase stability of nanocrystals along with bulk crystals for the model compound glycine was explored using molecular dynamics simulation. The simulations were consistent with experimental data, a highlight being the β phase transforming to the δ phase at temperature >400K and 20kbar respectively, as expected. Nanocrystals of α, β and γ glycine, however did not show any phase transformation at high temperature. In summary the study demonstrates that standard crystallization technology is effective in producing nanocrystals with the primary challenge being physico-chemical (rather than mechanical), involving the identification of molecule-specific crystal growth inhibitors and/or stabilizers. The developed nanocrystal recovery method should enable the production of nanocrystals-based solid dosage forms. The molecular simulation studies reveal that crystal-crystal phase transformations can be predicted for hydrogen-bonded systems.

Malaria är en farlig tropiksjukdom orsakad av parasiten Plasmodium som vållar många dödsfall varje år. Sedan några år tillbaka rekommenderar Världshälsoorganisationen (WHO) användandet av artemisinin och dess derivat för behandlandet av malaria. Artemisinin syntetiseras normalt i växten Artemisia annua i lågt utbyte. På grund av det låga utbytet är läkemedlet väldigt dyrt. Då parasiten blivit resistent mot de flesta malarialäkemedel är artemisinin ett viktigt preparat i kampen mot malaria. Forskning pågår för att hitta nya eller effektivare metoder för framställning av substansen då en oro finns att produktionen från A. annua inte kommer kunna möta kraven från läkemedelsindustrin. En av teorierna är ifall andra växter inom Artemisia-släktet kan syntetisera artemisinin då flera växter uppvisat helande effekter vid andra sjukdomar. I denna studie undersöktes det ifall växterna A. vulgaris och A. absinthium från Artemisia-släktet skulle kunna syntetisera artemisinin. Med hjälp av molekylärbiologiska tekniker isolerades genetiskt material ifrån växterna. Materialet granskades efter ribonukleinsyra (RNA)- och deoxiribonukleinsyra (DNA) -sekvenser för funktionella enzym som katalyserar reaktioner i artemisinins biosyntes. Ifall generna uttrycks för dessa enzym kan eventuellt artemisinin bildas. Växterna hämtades från Revsudden, Sverige och genetiskt material isolerades. Förekomsten av genuttryck för fem viktiga enzym i artemisinins biosyntes undersöktes med Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Resultatet blev att växterna hade genuttryck för två respektive tre av de fem enzymen. Detta pekar mot att varken A. vulgaris eller A. absinthium kan syntetisera artemisinin då de saknade några viktiga nyckelenzym i syntesen. Trots att en tidigare studie indikerar närvaro av artemisinin i dessa växter kan slutsatsen dras att A. vulgaris och A. absinthium inte kan bilda artemisinin. / Malaria is a tropical disease that accounts for the death of many people annually and is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends artemisinin and its derivates for malaria treatment. Artemisinin is synthesized generally in Artemisia annua in small amounts. The artemisinin-treatment is very expensive due to the small amounts produced in the plant. Since the parasite has developed resistance towards many antimalarial drugs, artemisinin is an important drug against malaria. Research to find alternative methods for artemisinin-production has begun because there is a great concern that artemisinin-production at current rate will not meet the demand from the pharmaceutical industry. Some speculate if artemisinin can be synthesized in other plants from the Artemisia-genus since many plants have shown healing properties towards other diseases. In this study, we investigated if A. vulgaris and A. absinthium could produce artemisinin. Using molecular biology techniques, genetic material was isolated from the plants. Ribonucleotide (RNA)- and deoxyribonucleotide (DNA)- sequences which encode important enzymes in the artemisinin biosynthesis were examined. In case all the genes were expressed, artemisinin may be synthesized. The plants were picked on Revsudden, Sweden and genetic material was isolated. The presence of gene expression of five important enzymes in the artemisinin biosynthesis was investigated by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The results showed that the plants had gene expression of two respectively three of the five enzymes. Due to the fact that the plants need all five enzymes to synthesize artemisinin, even though a recent study has shown presence of artemisinin in these plants, this study concludes that artemisinin cannot be synthesized in A. vulgaris and A. absinthium.