European Mistletoe – Not The One To Kiss Under
European mistletoe is a plant that grows on several different trees. The berries, leaf, and stem of European mistletoe are used to make medicine. The well-known Mistletoe is an evergreen parasitic plant, growing on the branches of trees, where it forms pendent bushes, 2 to 5 feet in diameter. It will grow and has been found on almost any deciduous tree, preferring those with soft bark, and being, perhaps, commonest on old Apple trees, though it is frequently found on the Ash, Hawthorn, Lime and other trees. On the Oak, it grows very seldom. It has been found on the Cedar of Lebanon and on the Larch, but very rarely on the Pear tree.
Interest in mistletoe for cancer has grown in North America, ever since Suzanne Somers announced on Larry King Live that she is using it to treat her breast cancer. While the American press had a field day condemning Suzanne Somers’ use of mistletoe, they ignored a major study published by sociologist Dr. Ronald Grossarth-Maticek. He followed 35,000 people in Germany for 27 years reaching the conclusion that use of mistletoe, and Iscador in particular, could prolong life by 40%. European mistletoe injections are used for cancer and for failing joints. European mistletoe has been used for treating cancer since the 1920s, especially in Europe. So far these products are not readily available in North America. There is no proof they work for breast or other cancers. Avoid these products and stick with proven cancer treatments. It is important to note that mistletoe as a cancer treatment is often used in conjunction with modern medical treatments –perhaps the best of both worlds. Mistletoe has a quality to help the patient bolster his or her immune system in such a way that whatever else is being used, these other, often highly toxic or aggressive treatments, can be better tolerated.
In folk medicine, it has been used for its cardiovascular properties. Clinical efficacy has not been established. Injectable mistletoe extract is widely used in Europe but is not licensed for use in the United States. European mistletoe is also used for heart and blood vessel conditions including high blood pressure, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), internal bleeding, and hemorrhoids; epilepsy and infantile convulsions; gout; psychiatric conditions such as depression; sleep disorders; headache; absence of menstrual periods; symptoms of menopause; and for “blood purifying.” Some people use European mistletoe for treating mental and physical exhaustion; to reduce side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy; as a tranquilizer; and for treating whooping cough, asthma, dizziness, diarrhea, chorea, and liver and gallbladder conditions.
Crude mistletoe fruit or herb is used to make a tea to treat hypertension at a dosage of 10 g/day. There are a number of proprietary extracts containing low levels of mistletoe lectin-Ι (ML-Ι) used as adjuvant cancer therapies. These extracts usually are given by intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous injection at dosages of 0.1 to 30 mg several times per week. Local reactions following injection include redness, itching, inflammation, and induration at the injection site. Systemic reactions include mild fever or flu-like symptoms. Anaphylaxis has been reported.
Category: HERBS
