Is artemisinin an approved treatment for cancer?

Cancer treatment is not an intended use of artemisinin, according to WebMD. While it may be beneficial in the treatment of other illnesses, it is not approved for use as a treatment for any cancer.

Artemisinin is a chemical compound that is found in a herb known as sweet Annie, says WebMD. This chemical is most commonly used as a way to prevent or treat malaria. There have been some preliminary studies investigating uses of artemisinin in cancer treatment that have found that the compound kills cultured cancer cells, states Healthline. However, these results do not imply that artemisinin is an effective treatment for cancer, and it has not been approved for clinical use as of 2015.