@article{Cao2026, 
author = {Junfeng Cao and Wangshu Liu and Ning Yan and Han Zheng and Zhiwen Chen and Shuang Zhang and Luyao Wang and Yongyan Zhao and Peiran Wang and Yaojie Zhang and Saeed ur Rahman and Yunqi Liu and Ayat Taheri and Chengfang Zhan and Tong Si and Kexuan Tang},
title = {Hydrogen-mediated alleviation effects of cadmium toxicity for sustainable artemisinin production in Artemisia annua},
year = {2026},
journal = {Horticultural Plant Journal},
volume = {12},
number = {9},
pages = {2166-2178},
keywords = {Artemisinin, Biomass, Cadmium, Hydrogen, Glandular-secreting trichome, Photosynthesis},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.08.020},
doi = {10.1016/j.hpj.2025.08.020},
abstract = {Artemisia annua, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, is renowned for producing artemisinin, a potent antimalarial drug. However, cadmium pollution in the soil significantly inhibits the growth and metabolic processes of A. annua, jeopardizing safe and high-yield artemisinin production. Here, we explore the effects of hydrogen on the physiological responses of 40-day-old A. annua under 80 mg·L−1 cadmium stress, utilizing the hydrogen storage material MgH2. Our findings reveal that MgH2 treatment alone has a limited impact on the growth and development of A. annua. However, when combined with cadmium stress, MgH2 treatment restores approximately 10% of the biomass lost due to cadmium stress. MgH2 treatment also significantly increases endogenous hydrogen in seedlings, reducing the expression of cadmium uptake and transport genes induced by heavy metal, leading to lower cadmium absorption and accumulation. Additionally, MgH2 mitigates the adverse effects on leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll content, restoring about 15% of photosynthetic capacity compromised by cadmium exposure. Notably, MgH2 also modifies the soil microbial community structure and enhances carbon cycling, suggesting its beneficial role in remediating cadmium damage in soil. Finally, our results demonstrate that MgH2 can fully restore glandular-secreting trichome (GST) density and artemisinin production at 80 mg·L−1 cadmium concentrations in A. annua. Given the primary use of A. annua for compound extraction, our findings provide a new safe and sustainable strategy for cultivation and production of traditional Chinese medicinal plants.}
}