NSTK · 01.2026Independent supplement reference
NutriStack
Edition 1.0Updated August 1, 2026

Supplement × Supplement·Evidence index

Artemisinin and Iron: what the published research says

PubMed indexes 6 records that name Artemisinin and Iron together, either in the title or in an interaction, co-administration, or pharmacokinetic context. Each one is listed below with its study design and, where the abstract states one, the authors’ own conclusion, quoted and linked. This page reports that literature. It does not tell you whether to combine them.

Read this first

An evidence index, not guidance.

Every statement below is attributed to a named, dated, linked source.

This page lists published research relevant to Artemisinin and Iron. It deliberately does not state whether the combination is safe, whether it interacts, in which direction, at what dose, or how far apart to take them.

The research

6 studies naming Artemisinin and Iron.

Strongest relevance first: papers naming both substances in the title, then human trials and systematic reviews.

The osteoprotective effects of artemisinin compounds and the possible mechanisms associated with intracellular iron: A review of in vivo and in vitro studies.

Environmental toxicology and pharmacology · 2020 · PMID 32143118

ReviewHuman subjects

“Considering the characteristic of high levels of intracellular iron in osteoclasts, ARS compounds may inhibit osteoclast differentiation via mechanisms associated with intracellular iron, including the cleavage of endoperoxide bridge, oxidative damage and ferroptosis. The anti-resorptive effects of ARS compounds need to be further investigated in bone loss models caused by different factors, and to be under clinical development.”

Zhang · From the abstract

Names both Artemisinin and Iron in its title.

Artemisinin compounds sensitize cancer cells to ferroptosis by regulating iron homeostasis.

Cell death and differentiation · 2020 · PMID 31114026

Research Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralHuman subjects

“Collectively, artemisinin compounds can sensitize cells to ferroptosis by regulating cellular iron homeostasis. Our findings can be exploited clinically to enhance the effect of future ferroptosis-inducing cancer therapies.”

Chen et al. · From the abstract

Names both Artemisinin and Iron in its title.

Targeted treatment of cancer with artemisinin and artemisinin-tagged iron-carrying compounds.

Expert opinion on therapeutic targets · 2005 · PMID 16185154

ReviewHuman subjects

“The authors have found that artemisinin-tagged transferrin is highly selective and potent in killing cancer cells. Thus, artemisinin and artemisinin-tagged iron-carrying compounds could be developed into powerful anticancer drugs.”

Lai et al. · From the abstract

Names both Artemisinin and Iron in its title.

Iron-dependent free radical generation from the antimalarial agent artemisinin (qinghaosu).

Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 1993 · PMID 8517699

Animal study

“The combination of artemisinin and hemin also decreases erythrocyte deformability. Iron probably catalyzes the generation of free radicals from artemisinin since alpha-tocopherol antagonizes the thiol-oxidizing activity of artemisinin and since a spin-trapped free radical signal can be seen by electron paramagnetic resonance only when artemisinin is incubated in the presence of iron.”

Meshnick et al. · From the abstract

Names both Artemisinin and Iron in its title.

Limitations

What this evidence cannot tell you.

Search-based evidence indexes have real limits, and it is worth being explicit about them:

NutriStack

Track what you actually take.

NutriStack is a free iPhone app for organising a supplement routine: what you take, when, and what the published record says about it. Its exploratory interaction checker covers Artemisinin, Iron, and several hundred other substances.

The checker is a research and organisation tool, not a clinical decision aid, and its per-pair assessments are excluded from search until they pass claim-level review.

NutriStack is an informational and organizational tool, not a medical service, and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication.