STUDY ON THE ELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIORS OF ARTEMISININ AND ITS DERIVATIVES .1. REDUCTION OF ARTEMISININ AT HG ELECTRODE

Artemisinin and its derivatives represent an important new class antim alarial drug. The peroxide moiety of artemisinin is indispensable for its antimalarial activity. By various electroanalytical methods, the r eduction of the peroxide-group of artemisinin at Hg electrode was inve stigated. The irreversible reduction of artemisinin took place at appr oximately 0.0V(vs. Ag/AgCl) by a two-electron transfer, half wave pote ntial E-1/2 = 0.012mV, the charge transfer coefficient alpha = 0.66,ap parent standard rate constant k(s)' = 6.34 x 10(-6)cm/s,diffusion coef ficient D = 4.3 x 10(-6)cm(2)/s,the reduced product could be adsorbed on electrode surface. The mechanism of reduction was suggested.