In‐vivo activity of dihydroartemisinin against Schistosoma japonicum

Schistosomiasis japonica, caused by Schistosoma japonicum, is still a major public-health concern in China, afflicting thousands of people (Zhou et al., 2007; Li et al., 2009). Since 1992, when the World Bank Loan Project for Schistosomiasis Control was initiated in China, praziquantel-based chemotherapy has been used to control the disease (Chen, 2005). Unfortunately, in the long term, repeated praziquantel treatment may lead to resistance to the drug in some Schistosoma species (Fallon et al., 1995; Ismail et al., 1996; Wang et al., 2010), and the development of new schistosomicidal drugs, as alternatives to praziquantel, is therefore a priority.