This thesis reviewed the exploits and the antimalarial mechanisms of artemisinin-type drugs. Enlightened by the biochemical process of falciparum parasites and the molecular action mode that artemisinin alkylated protein, we carried out that the radical cleavage of qinghaosu was catalyzed efficiently by histidine and gave a reasonable explanation. Furthermore, a new probable antimalarial route that qinghaosu might act directly on protein containing methionine was proposed on the basis of our some experimental results. The single crystal of 3-hydroxydeoxyqinghaosu, a product of qinghaosu degraded by ferrous ion, was cultured and analyzed to provide more accurate crystal data. |