.BETA.-ARTESUNATE is enantiomer of artesunate -- a medication used to treat malaria. β-ARTESUNATE is a prodrug that is rapidly converted to its active form dihydroartemisinin. This process involves hydrolysis of the 4-carbon ester group via plasma esterase enzyme. It is hypothesized that the cleavage of endoperoxide bridge in the pharmacophore of DHA generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which increases oxidative stress and causes malarial protein damage via alkylation. .BETA.-ARTESUNATE have potential application as anticancer agent.