A monocarboxylic acid that is prop-2-enoic acid which is substituted at position 2 by a 4,7-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,8a-octahydronaphthalen-1-yl group (the 1S,4R,4aS,8aR diastereoisomer). It is a sesquiterpenoid precursor of artemisinin, obtained from sweet wormwood, Artemisia annua.

Artemisinic acid, is the immediate precursor of the semi-synthesis artemisinin, could be a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, high-quality and reliable source of artemisinin;and artemisinin is highly effective against multi-drug-resistant Plasmodium spp. [1]
Artemisinic acid was studied as a novel elicitor to enhance the yield of terpenoid indole alkaloids, artemisinic acid can up-regulate the transcriptions of tryptophan decarboxylase, geraniol 10-hydroxylase, tabersonine 16-hydroxylase and deacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase.[2]
Artemisinic acid is a regulator of adipocyte differentiation and C/EBP δ expression, it can inhibit adipogenic differentiation of hAMSCs by occurs primarily through reduced expression of δ, which is mediated by the inhibition of and suggest that artemisinic acid may be used as a complementary treatment option for associated with metabolic syndrome.[3]

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[1] Ro DK; Paradise EM, Ouellet M; Fisher KJ, Newman KL, et al . Nature, 2006, 440(440):940-3.
[2] Liu J, Zhu J, Tang L, et al. World J Microb Biot, 2013, 30(1):175-80.
[3] Lee J, Kim M, Lee J, et al. J Cell Biochem,  2012, 113(7):2488-99.
[4] Sun J C, Zeng J L, Zhao B, et al. Nat Prod Res Develop, 2010, 22(5):845-6.