Experts in Canada and the United States claimed had found the process of making malaria drugs faster and cheaper. They found a way to make artemisinin, the main content in some malaria medicines, using yeast, genes, and fermentation. The researchers say that this way better and more efficient than extracting artemisinin from the plant.
Researchers from OneWorld Health, Amyris, Unversity of California at Berkeley, and the Canadian government, to identify genes that produce artemisinin at generating plants. Then they tried the gene in yeast and make them artemisinin in the lab.
"This technique makes more production doubled and faster,"explained the researchers.
Minister of science and technology Gary Goodyear Canada said that these developments represent a major advancement in the fight against the disease. "Reaffirming Canada's position as a provider of health solutions that reliably and inexpensively," said Goodyear told The Star Phoenix.
Plants that produce artemisinin growing in Africa and Asia. However, this plant is difficult to be maintained so that maintenance costs soar. In addition, artemisinin-producing plants have an annual production cycle so that the risk is very high malaria drug shortage.
Currently, malaria is one disease that causes most deaths. Nearly 1 million people die each year from this mosquito-borne illnesses. Malaria is also a leading cause of death of children under age 5 years. although they recovered, they can suffer brain damage and anemia.
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