There are over 500 species of the genus Artemisia in the Asteraceae family distributed over the globe, with varying potentials to treat different ailments. Following the isolation of artemisinin (a potent anti-malarial compound with a sesquiterpene backbone) from Artemisia annua, the phytochemical composition of this species has been of interest over recent decades. Additionally, the number of phytochemical investigations of other species, including those of Artemisia afra in a search for new molecules with pharmacological potentials, has increased in recent years. This has led to the isolation of several compounds from both species, including a majority of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and polyphenols with varying pharmacological activities. This review aims to discuss the most important compounds present in both plant species with anti-malarial properties, anti-inflammatory potentials, and immunomodulating properties, with an emphasis on their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties. Additionally, the toxicity of both plants and their anti-malaria properties, including those of other species in the genus Artemisia, is discussed. As such, data were collected via a thorough literature search in web databases, such as ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, Google scholar, PubMed, Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical databases, up to 2022. A distinction was made between compounds involved in a direct anti-plasmodial activity and those expressing anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating activities or anti-fever properties. For pharmacokinetics activities, a distinction was made between compounds influencing bioavailability (CYP effect or P-Glycoprotein effect) and those affecting the stability of pharmacodynamic active components.

Research for bioactive molecules and not resistant to infectious agents remains topical for science. The total polyphenols (TPP) and total flavonoids (TFv) of the hydroethanolic extracts and fractions obtained were quantified according to the spectrophotometric method described in the literature using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the colorless solutions of sodium nitrite 2.5% and aluminum chloride 10% respectively. The characterization of chemical compounds was made by coupling liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectroscopy (MS). Thus, 15 chemical compounds were characterized, seven from Gnetum africanum (EBa) and eight from Gnetum buchholzianum (EBb). The majority of which were stilbens, such as Gnetupendin D, Dimethoxygnetulin, Methoxyparvifolol D, Isorhaponcitin from Eba and Gnetuhaidin P, Gnetupendin D, Gnetuhainin C, phenols (Alcohol Homovanillyl, Alcohol Erythro guaiacylglycerol-β-O-4'-coniferyl, and Alcohol Homovanillyl from EBb. The minority were flavonoids such as Dimethoxydihydropyraneriodictyol,