artesunate

noun

ar·tes·u·nate | \ är-ˈte-zə-ˌnāt

Medical Definition of artesunate

: an antimalarial drug C₁₉H₂₈O₈ that is a semisynthetic, water-soluble, derivative of artemisinin taken orally or administered by intramuscular or intravenous injection Artemisinin is made from the leaves of the Chinese wormwood shrub, and the drugs artesunate and artemether are derivatives known to kill the parasites that cause malaria.— Janet Raloff, Science News, 16 June 2007

Note: When used orally, artesunate is typically combined with another antimalarial drug, such as mefloquine or amodiaquine.

— compare artemether