青蒿琥酯（artesunate）为一种对恶性疟有快速治疗效果的抗疟药，既能口服、又可经直肠和胃肠外给药，因此，成为治疗严重疟疾，包括脑型疟的理想药物。至今没有明显的证据说明青蒿琥酯治疗的脑型疟病人的死亡率比标准奎宁疗法要高。联合用药与单用青蒿琥酯治疗一样起效快、耐受性好，但联合用药能减少复发率。至今的临床观察没有发现使用青蒿琥酯后有任何类型的抗药性产生。但鉴于其它抗疟药抗药性产生的历史，青蒿琥酯应限于在多重抗药性恶性疟发生地区使用。 Artesunate, an anti-malarial drug that has a rapid therapeutic effect against falciparum malaria, is both orally and rectally and parenterally and therefore is ideal for the treatment of severe malaria, including cerebral malaria drug. To date, there is no clear evidence that artesunate-treated patients with cerebral malaria have a higher mortality rate than standard quinine therapy. Combination therapy with artesunate alone as fast onset, well tolerated, but the combination can reduce the recurrence rate. To date, clinical observations have not found any type of drug resistance after artesunate is used. Given the history of other antimalarial drug resistance, however, artesunate should be limited to areas where multiple drug-resistant falciparum malaria occurs.