Chemical Diversity and Biological Activities of the Artemisia L. Genus Beyond Antimalarial Effects

Abstract The genus Artemisia L. constitutes one of the largest and most widely distributed groups within the Asteraceae family, renowned for its pharmacological significance. Used in traditional medicine for over two millennia, Artemisia species have been employed to treat a broad spectrum of ailments, with modern pharmacological studies increasingly validating these traditional uses. Interest in the genus surged following the groundbreaking discovery of the antimalarial sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. Beyond antimalarial activity, Artemisia species exhibit diverse pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties, largely attributed to secondary metabolites such as sesquiterpene lactones, furofuran lignans, polyacetylenes, and methylated flavonoids. This present study covers the bioactivities of extracts, essential oils, and isolated compounds from Artemisia genus reported between 1998 and 2025. Representative compounds from the most characteristic classes of Artemisia secondary metabolites are linked to biological activities, incorporating in vitro and in vivo studies, pharmacokinetics, clinical data, and toxicity profiles, while for each compound species-specific origin is reported.