Assessment of Artemisinin Contents in Selected Species from Tajikistan (Central Asia).

Central Asia is the center of origin and diversification of the genus. The genus is known to possess a rich phytochemical diversity. Artemisinin is the shining example of a phytochemical isolated from , which is widely used in the treatment of malaria. There is great interest in the discovery of alternative sources of artemisinin in other species. The hexane extracts of plants were prepared with ultrasound-assisted extraction procedures. Silica gel was used as an adsorbent for the purification of extract. High-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection was performed for the quantification of underivatized artemisinin from hexane extracts of plants. Artemisinin was found in seven species collected from Tajikistan. Content of artemisinin ranged between 0.07% and 0.45% based on dry mass of species samples. The artemisinin contents were observed in seven species. was found to be a novel plant source of artemisinin. Purification of hexane extract using silica gel as adsorbent resulted in enrichment of artemisinin.