Ancient herb put to the test against hidden malaria
NCT ID NCT07819825
First seen Sep 15, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers in Gabon are testing whether a tea made from dried Artemisia annua leaves can clear malaria parasites in adults who carry the infection without feeling sick. The trial enrolls 20 semi-immune adults aged 18 to 45 who have low levels of Plasmodium falciparum in their blood. Participants drink the infusion daily for seven days, while a comparison group receives an herbal infusion with no known antimalarial effect. The team tracks whether parasites disappear and monitors for side effects over several weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Artemisia annua leaf infusion
- What this could lead to
- If the infusion clears parasites, it could offer a low-cost, plant-based treatment option for people who carry malaria without symptoms. That could help reduce the pool of infection in communities where the disease is common.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small Phase 1 trial with only 20 participants, so results may not hold in larger groups. The infusion may not clear all parasites, and some people could experience side effects or see the infection return.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 45 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age: 18 to 45 years * Absence of fever (body temperature \<37.5ºC axillary or \<38.0°C oral, rectal or tympanic temperature) * Asymptomatic P. falciparum infection with parasitemia between 500 and 2,000 asexual P. falciparum parasites per μl of blood * Have been living in an endemic area for at least 5 years. * Written informed consent from the participant * Residence in the vicinity of the study centre * Willingness to comply with the follow-up schedule Exclusion Criteria: * History of fever over the last 72 hours * Non-Plasmodium falciparum infection * Intake of any antimalarial drug or antibiotic with antimalarial activity within the previous 28 days and/or after half-life time * Presence of signs and symptoms related by the medical doctor to malaria * Known history or evidence of clinically significant medical disorders * Severe malnutrition * Haemoglobin concentration \<7 g/dL * Known hypersensitivity and contraindications to any study medication * Pregnancy or lactation * Participation in other interventional studies
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné
Lambaréné, Gabon, BP: 242, Gabon