During the epidemic, we heard a lot about a fabulous and unfairly despised plant: Artemisia annua (annual mugwort).
You have no doubt heard of the Madagascan president's initiative to produce a mugwort drink to fight the coronavirus.
The mainstream media, which rarely lose an opportunity to attack natural approaches, have been very critical of this.
But this is not the first time that the plant has been the victim of disparagement.
Artemisia is best known for its powerful action against malaria, validated by numerous scientific studies. I remind you that in 2015, researcher Tu Youyou even received the Nobel Prize in medicine for demonstrating the effectiveness of artemisinin, the plant's active ingredient, in antimalarial treatments.
Yet in 2019, the National Academy of Medicine called "for an end to a promotional campaign organized by figures who may be well-meaning but incompetent in malariology."
The sale of Artemisia-based products has been banned in France.
Effectiveness proven in the field ... but not in the Academy's offices
The official argument against mugwort is that there is a risk of resistance to artemisinin in people who take it.
But it would above all be a pretext to protect the large laboratories which produce thousands of doses of antimalarial drugs every day.
This is the opinion of many specialists, such as Dr Joël Liagre, a doctor specializing in phytotherapy who has participated in several humanitarian missions against malaria, particularly in Senegal:
“This is completely wrong. This is the pretext given by the labs. In Africa, people who have a fit collect mugwort in their garden and heal from the fit within two or three days. They have to start over regularly because they are infected over and over again but there is no resistance, this is totally false. A whole plant is like essential oils, it does not create resistance. "
In an interview for our magazine Mother Nature's Secret Pharmacy, this doctor also explains that other varieties of Artemisia that do not contain this famous active ingredient would also be useful in cases of malaria:
“The mugwort we use is Artemisia annua and there is another African mugwort, Artemisia afra which is also effective against malaria attacks although it does not contain artemisinin.
As always in herbal medicine, it is the totum of the plant that is effective rather than an isolated component. So, yes, isolated artemisinin works, but the whole plant apparently works just as well. "
Moreover, Dr. Liagre tells us that many Senegalese only use mugwort when they have malaria attacks. Conventional drugs, such as malarone, are overpriced for a large majority of Africans anyway.
In 2019, Congolese researchers wanted to test the effectiveness of mugwort infusions compared to conventional treatment. They had a big surprise: mugwort cured 99.5% of malaria attacks against only 79.5% with conventional drugs.
Scientific studies, a Nobel Prize, a proven use in the field ... what more do our authorities need to finally recognize the effectiveness of this plant?
Are the big labs putting pressure?
France’s position on Artemisia is grotesque. While many countries are studying this plant and using it successfully ...
… It is currently impossible to find it for sale in our pharmacies!
It makes you wonder if our authorities are not seeking to defend the interests of the drug industry? !
Artemisia is very easy to grow. All Africans could have it in their backyard. But of course, it does not suit everyone that African countries can cure themselves, without the help of large laboratories.
FYI, Artemisia annua costs 5 times less than antimalarial drugs sold by big labs.
The pharmaceutical industry therefore has every interest in preventing mugwort from being popularized.
Thus, as soon as researchers validate the effectiveness of the plant, they are systematically ridiculed, denigrated, contested ...
It’s a real witch hunt.
Last year, research in France and Africa by doctor Jérôme Munyang would have been stifled by Big Pharma. Dr Michel Idumbo, principal investigator of the study in Africa, is also at risk of dismissal.
Jérôme Munyang was even allegedly persecuted and detained in Kinshasa. He was forced to take refuge in France.
More recently, the President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, said he was launching a traditional remedy, consisting of Artemisia annua. Once again, the mainstream media have gone out of their way to criticize the news, despite initial results described as "encouraging" by the Malagasy government.
Sources: https://www.pure-sante.info/artemisia-petition/