Diapositiva 1

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York Conference October 2008
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• Objectives of the project
• To introduce quality from cultivation to
  artemisinin
• To produce artemisinin at the lowest possible
  price through
• Industrialization of the agricultural activities
• Optimization of agricultural activities
• Utilization of other components of Artemisia to
  lower costs

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Production sites
CULTIVATION EUROPE CTAEX, Badajoz
(Estremadura) Spain BRASIL Duas Rodas
Industrial Ltda and another site in
Itapolis EXTRACTION EUROPE EXXENTIA or
CTAEX BRASIL DPV Produtos Químicos Ltda
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Agronomical activities

• An agreement is ongoing, between Sigma Tau CTAEX
  (former affiliate of Nestlé located in south
  Spain) to optimize the cultivation of Artemisia.
  Achievement during five years (of which three in
  partnership with Sigma Tau)
• More productive plants were selected characters
  are stable
• Seeds were coated, to allow mechanical seeding
• Seeding procedure is currently under evaluation,
  to check whether it is possible to use broadcast
  seeding
• Multiple harvesting (1 vs. 2) under evaluation
  during 2008
• Leaf pelletization, to reduce storage and
  transport costs and to increase extraction yield

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Harvest was carried out by a machine (Di Pietri)
use for aromatic and officinal plants
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Exploitation of Artemisia

• The following components of Artemisia are being
  studied
• Essential oil fraction
• Stems and branches
• Extracted pellets

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Essential oil fraction
Sigma Tau has an open collaboration with the
University of Florence And Officina Profumo
Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella (OPF), whose
Foundation dates back to 1221, to use the
aromatic fraction, Residual of artemisinin
extraction, as the base for a line of
beauty products. Prototypes of a bath foam and
revitalising cream have already been prepared
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Stems and branches
The University of Florence and the University of
Cosenza have obtained fibres from stems and
branches The characteristics of fibres (if
spinnable, mechanic resistance, length) are
being evaluated , in comparison with those from
flax and hemp
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The first sample of fibres. It was obtained
from small Branches, after the drying period.
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Extracted pellets

• At the University of Naples exhausted pellets
  were used to prepare a bio-polymer which can be
  used for
• Mulching, instead of plastic materials, to
  reduce the growth of weeds, to reduce water
  evaporation and to maintain a more even soil
  temperature. The bio-polymer is a solution in
  water and can be applied by a machine. Acetic
  acid (as a natural product) is used to start the
  polymerization.
• Manufacturing small pots for seeding the
  advantage over those made with polystyrene is
  that they can be put in the soil because they are
  degradable (preparing moulds)

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CONCLUSIONS

• Artemisia Annua is showing a high potential
  exploitation
• of this potential can contribute to
• Reduce the costs of waste disposal
• Increase the return for farmers, thus stimulating
  their interest in the cultivation of AA
• Maintain stability of artemisinin price
• To awaken public opinion to malaria (trough
  advertising beauty products and possibly
  textiles)
• As a consequence of all that, the price of
  artemisinin could be reduced