Artemisinin inhibits cation currents in malaria-infected human erythrocytes

Because artemisinin reportedly inhibits the asexual parasite amplification with much higher potency, the antimalarial action of the drug cannot be attributed to the artemisinin effect on the cation currents. However, artemisinin may be used as a pharmacologic tool to dissect different current fractions in P falciparum-infected erythrocytes.