European Mistletoe Health Benefits and Side Effects

European Mistletoe
Health Benefits and Side Effects

This fact sheet provides basic information about the herb
European mistletoe [mistletoe, Viscum album]-- uses,
potential side effects, and resources for more information.
European mistletoe is a semiparasitic plant that grows on
several types of trees in temperate regions worldwide.
Where the term "mistletoe" is used in this fact sheet, it
refers to European mistletoe. (European mistletoe is
different from American mistletoe, which is used as a holiday
decoration.) [1]

Mistletoe has been used for centuries in traditional medicine
to treat seizures, headaches, and other conditions. In
Europe, mistletoe is believed to benefit people suffered from
cancers. The leafy shoots and berries of mistletoe are used
to make extracts that can be taken by mouth. In Europe,
mistletoe extracts are prescription drugs that are given by
injection. [1]

Health Benefits of European Mistletoe

Extracts and preparations from the parasitic plant mistletoe
(Viscum album L.) have been used in the treatment of cancer
for decades. Steiner and Wegman introduced mistletoe as a
treatment for cancer in 1920. Today, mistletoe extracts are
the most frequently prescribed unconventional cancer
therapies in Germany, as in some other European countries.
[2] Most foundamental studies suggest that lectins are the
key ingredients for the cytotoxic and immunostimulating
effects of the European mistletoe. [3]
Laboratory studies have found that mistletoe kills cancer
cells and stimulates the immune system. The use of
mistletoe to treat cancer has been studied in Europe in more
than 30 clinical trials. Although improvements in survival or
quality of life have been reported, almost all of the trials had
major weaknesses in their design that raise doubts about
the findings. For example, many of the studies had a small
number of participants or did not have a control group. [1]

Japanese researchers have demonstrated that both
Japanese and Euporean mistletoe extracts had blood
pressure lowering effects in a study of cats. [4]

Side Effects and Cautions of European Mistletoe

Raw, unprocessed mistletoe is poisonous. Eating raw,
unprocessed European mistletoe or American mistletoe can
cause vomiting, seizures, a slowing of the heart rate, and
even death. American mistletoe is unsafe for medicinal use.[1]

In countries where commercial mistletoe is available by
injection, such as Germany, those extracts are considered to
be generally safe when used according to product directions
and under the supervision of a health care provider. [1]

Injected mistletoe extract may cause itching or redness in
the area of the injection. Less commonly, side effects may
include more extensive skin reactions, low-grade fevers, or
flu-like symptoms. There have been very rare reports of
more serious allergic reactions, such as difficulty breathing.
[1]

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2006 ZHION.
Reference [1] National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Accessed June 30, 2005. [2] Bar-Sela G, et al, Mistletoe (Viscum album)
preparations: an optional drug for cancer patients?] Harefuah. 2006
Jan;145(1):42-6, 77. [3] Bruseth S, Enge A. Mistletoe in the treatment of
cancerTidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 1993 Mar 30;113(9):1058-60. [4] Fukunaga
T, et al, Studies on pharmacological activity of the Japanese and European
mistletoeYakugaku Zasshi. 1989 Aug;109(8):600-5.
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