Romanian researchers’ revolutionary discovery in the treatment of malaria

Medical discoveries are always important as they might save the lives of many or prevent diseases. Recently, a team of researchers from the Sapientia University from Cluj and UMF Targu-Mures has discovered something that will help treat malaria. This is important as 500 million people suffer from malaria and one million people die every day.

The researchers have discovered a special method through which by using a fungus they have extracted a large quantity of artemisine, a substance that is used in a drug that treats malaria. It took them 6 years of researching many medicinal plants called artemisia annua and the fungus called Rhizophagus irregularis. The medicinal plant used usually grows in tropical and subtropical regions. The plant does normally produce the substance that is used in the treatment of malaria, however, it produces in small quantities due to lack of water. The researchers have discovered though that when combining the plant and the fungus, both plants help each other obtain more of the vital substance.

Over 400 medicinal plants were tested and the experiments have shown that the artemisine content has grown with 17% for every 100 grams. The study will continue on another 2,000 medicinal plants which will be grown on the Targu Mures campus. The plants were originally bought form a pharma company in China.

source- adevarul.ro