2007年VOA标准英语-Traditional Herb Fights Drug-Resistant Malaria

By Zulima Palacio
Washington
15 March 2007
 
watch Artemisinin and Malaria¹

 
Artemisia plant
Artemisia plants grow in many parts of the world, and many varieties have long been known to have medicinal properties.  One particular variety, Artemisia annua L., sometimes known as annual wormwood (or sweet sagewort) contains a drug recognized as one of the most effective anti-malaria medications.  The World Health Organization is encouraging farmers to produce more of the plants.  VOA's Zulima Palacio has more in this story, narrated² by Barry Wood.

Artemisia, growing in Arusha, Tanzania, among other places, has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries, and is known as Qinghao.  It is now in great demand for its malaria-fighting properties – especially the ability to attack malaria that is resistant³ to all other medication.

The World Health Organization recognizes Artemisia's special properties, and has issued guidelines for cultivating the plant and harvesting its medicinal ingredient.  The U.N. agency is trying to ensure a sustainable supply of the drug artemisinin to meet growing demand.

Enough artemisinin-based anti-malarial therapies have been produced to help more than 80 million people, but WHO estimates that 600 million people need the medicine.  Most who suffer from drug-resistant malaria live in Africa, often in impoverished⁴ areas. 

 
Professor Wilfred Mbacham
At Cameroon's University of Yaounde, Professor Wilfred Mbacham worries that artemisinin shortages could lead to counterfeiting⁵.

"If the artemisinin should run short in supply of that active ingredient, then we're bound to see counterfeiting,” he says.  “Now there have been talks on whether to synthetically⁶ manufacture the active ingredient.  I think we will see an increase in the level of concern for producing the raw material, not only in Asia but also in other parts of Africa."

The quantity and quality of artemisinin that an Artemisia plant produces can vary greatly, according to climate, geography and other factors.

These plants are young, but in six months they will grow to their full height, two meters.  WHO says soil quality, temperature and rainfall have a big effect on whether a plant produces high-quality artemisinin.

 
ASAQ, anti-malaria medication
ASAQ is the most promising⁷ new drug used in anti-malaria combination therapy.  Composed of a form of artemisinin and another highly effective medication, it also has the benefit of reduced dosage – patients take only six pills over a three-day period, compared to 24 for other therapies.  This increases the chances of successful treatment, especially among young children. 

Despite such progress, medical experts say the malaria crisis is not yet over for scores of nations.  Dr. Awa Marie Coll-Seck is executive director of the international Roll Back Malaria Partnership⁸.

 
Dr. Awa Marie Coll-Seck
"This is an advancement⁹, but we cannot say that [ASAQ] it is the only drug, or just like a panacea,” she says.  “It is one step forward in the right direction to help people to have access to drugs."

Dr. Coll-Seck says more new anti-malaria medications should be available soon.

"In the coming two years, we have with this Partnership around four new drugs we will be able to [bring to] the market," she says.

Malaria kills more than a million people a year.  Most of the victims are children in Africa.

1 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

2 narrated   

v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Some of the story was narrated in the film. 该电影叙述了这个故事的部分情节。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Defoe skilfully narrated the adventures of Robinson Crusoe on his desert island. 笛福生动地叙述了鲁滨逊·克鲁索在荒岛上的冒险故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 counterfeiting   

n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills. 他因伪造5美元的钞票被捕入狱。 来自辞典例句
• National bureau released securities, certificates with security anti-counterfeiting paper technical standards. 国家质量技术监督局发布了证券、证件用安全性防伪纸张技术标准。 来自互联网

6 synthetically   

adv. 综合地，合成地

参考例句：

• The time sequence model synthetically reflects trends of groundwater level. 总体来说，季节性时序模型的模拟和预测精度较高。
• You can't do It'synthetically, by just flying around and dropping in. 你不能仅靠坐着飞机到处蜻蜓点水地看看就得出一个综合印象。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

8 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

9 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。