Production of artemisinin and related sesquiterpenes in Japanese Artemisia annua during a vegetation period

Seeds of Artemisia annua L. originating from a wild population in Japan were cultivated in the garden planters of our Institute in 1995, and the seasonal and positional variations in content of artemisinin, artemisinic acid, arteannuin B and artemisitene, were measured. The content of artemisinic acid in leaves was high [max, 1.0 % (dry wt basis)], as compared with other cultivars previously reported. This is the first report on a Japanese strain of Artemisia annua.