MISTLETOE –Viscum
Album, Viscum Articulatum, Viscum Coloratum, Taxillus Parasiticus, Loranthus Amplexifolius,
Viscum Capense, Phoradendron Leucarpum, etc.
Also
known as: Bian Zhi Hu Ji Sheng,
Mulberry Mistletoe, Birdlime Mistletoe, Golden Bough, All Heal, Devil’s Fugue,
American Mistletoe, European Mistletoe, etc.
Parts
used: bark, leaves, twigs
Systems/organs
affected: immune, female reproductive, nervous, cardiac
Properties: antiviral, anticarcingogenic, nervine,
antispasmodic, diuretic, emmenogogue, tonic, emetic, narcotic, sedative,
anodyne, emollient
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant
that derives all of its nutrients from the live trees it is found growing
upon. It has symmetrically branched
stems with narrow yellowish green leaves that grow in pairs. In the spring small yellow flowers appear
followed by globe shaped, sticky, white berries that can get up to ½ inch
across. Mistletoe hails from a few
different families-Loranthaceae and Viscaceae.
There are about 900-1000 species of mistletoe found all over the world but
the European variety (viscum album) is the most used and preferred for medicine. Mistletoe is most commonly found on maple,
ash, apple, hawthorn, oak and other fruit bearing trees.
This plant has quite an
interesting history steeped in several cultures. The first mention of it would be with the
Druids actually. Records of Posidonius
the Apamean, a Greek mathematician, speak of them interacting with the
Romans. Pliny the Elder describes some
Druid rituals in ‘Natural History’- a work he penned in 77 AD. In it he tells of how the Druids would gather
mistletoe from oak trees (they considered oak to be the most sacred tree). They believed that mistletoe was given to
them by God because it grew upon their most holy tree. White robed priests would climb the oak trees
and harvest the mistletoe with golden sickles and catch it in white cloth so
that it would never touch the earth. It
was thought that if it touched the soil that all of its magical healing
properties would be lost. Two white
bulls were also sacrificed during the ‘sixth
day of the moon ’ or the time of fertility.
The mistletoe was then given to animals that had problems conceiving to
increase their fertility. The Druids
were not the only people to use it for reproductive issues. The Chinese used it to stop uterine bleeding
as a topical agent , to ease fetal restlessness and to treat threatened
abortions. It was also used in South
Africa to ease painful menstruation, irregular and excessive menses and
endometriosis. The Cherokee Indians used
it as an abortifacient. A paper was
published in ‘Fertility and Sterility ‘ in 2002 that spoke of using
injections of mistletoe extract to decrease the pain associated with
endometriosis with measurable success.
(With so many women suffering with this condition today this should be
looked into as an alternative option by the medical establishment..)
Mistletoes was also used by the
Druids to ward off evil spirits and to celebrate winter solstice. The idea of kissing under mistletoes actually
came from the Scandanavians who believed that the Norse God of Peace known as
Balder, was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe. The arrow was given to the Goddess of Love
who restored his life and decreed that mistletoe should henceforth be known as
a plant of love and that those who passed under it should receive a kiss. The tradition has carried through the
centuries.
Mistletoe has a number of
applications that few know about. There
have been a number of studies conducted on this plant due to its past use by
the Druids and also by the Greek and Roman cultures as well as the Asians. Mistletoe contains lectins-at least three
kinds that they know of at this time. It
is believed that these lectins are partially responsible for its success in
herbal remedies. The University Hospital
of Hamburg found that mistletoe had a strong effect on the immune system. They were able to obtain the DNA sequence of
one of the lectins and create a recombinant lectin that would mimic the effects
of natural mistletoe. They thought this
would make it easier to produce vaccines for injection but the synthetic
lectins proved to be too toxic and were never used. (You all know how I feel about the medical
industry stealing components from plants to make synthesized versions that
don’t work near as well as the natural plant form.) The natural lectins in mistletoe were found
to increase the natural killer cells in the blood (T cells). One case study on a patient with
adenocarcinoma of the pancreas was given injections of a commercial mistletoe
extract over 5 weeks. It was made from
mistletoe that had been grown on oak.
After the third injection the patient had an increase in phagocytic
cells around the carcinoma. (Meaning the
cancer killing cells increased around the cancer itself). A few other similar studies had the same
results and it was concluded that mistletoe has the ability to stimulate the
body’s natural immune responses. This
let the German E Commission to declare it as a non-specific immune system
stimulator. This has led to its used by
AIDS and HIV patients around the globe.
Studies conducted on some of its lectins found that it does indeed have
the ability to inhibit HIV replication. One study in particular found that it
could inhibit HIV replication by as much as 68%.
In Korea, mistletoe is used to
alleviate colds. In India it has been
used for consumption and in Taiwan it is used for tuberculosis. In Indo-China it is used to treat fevers in
children. In Bulgaria it is mixed with
other herbs for bronchitis and the flu.
Perhaps the most interesting use of mistletoe though has been with
cancer. One in vitro study was found to
kill three different kinds of colon cancer cell lines, one of which was known
to be resistant to a multitude of pharmaceutical drugs. These lectins within mistletoe were found to
have an even higher activity against the resistant cancer than against the
regular one which makes one think that perhaps mistletoe can tell which cancers
are more aggressive and target them.
Hmmmm. (‘Toxicology ‘ 2002; 171(2-3):187-199)
The Roman naturalist, Celsus,
wrote ‘De Medicina ‘ and spoke of using mistletoe for growths and
suppurations (pus producing tumors).
Celsus described its use as an emollient and applied topically to soothe
wounds and produce heat. (Cancer was referred to as an inflammation of black
bile and considered a ‘cold-humor’ so
it makes sense they would use heat producing agents to treat it). One such emollient was called the Composition
of Apollophanes. It was actually a
combination of ingredients that included mistletoe juice, frankincense soot,
iris root, turpentine resin and more. It
was used to soften hard areas. Similarly
the emollient of Andreas was used to draw out the pus and soften the chest when
hard and swollen. Celsus also mentioned
that another emollient using mistletoes juice was found to be quite successful
for scrofulous tumors (lymphatic).
Dioscorides said that mistletoe could soften and draw out tumors and
other lesions.
Modern studies confirm its use
for cancer. In 1920, Rudolf Steiner, a
well known German philosopher, made an extract of mistletoe called Iscador, for
cancer. Today that extract is still sold
under the same name and is used as a complementary therapy to be used with
conventional treatments. In fact, mistletoe
therapy is used by 60% of all cancer patients in Germany. (Obviously a nod to
how well it works). There are several
extracts of mistletoe now available in European countries (Eurixor, Vysorel,
Helixor, etc). These extracts differ in
how they are made, the trees they are grown on and the time of year in which
they are harvested so each have their strengths. (This is another reason why it is important
to pay attention to harvesting details).
Mistletoe extract was also found to be effective for cancer of the
larynx and lungs. More studies should be
conducted to see just how far its benefits go in regards to cancer in
particular.
Mistletoe has also long been used
for nervous system disorders. The Greek
and Roman cultures used it for epilepsy.
Pliny was one of the first to mention its use for that condition. In 1720, Sir John Colbatch actually used it
for epilepsy but also for St. Vitus’ Dance (uncontrollable movements believed
to be similar to Parkinson’s). Colbatch
penned a paper entitled ‘A Dissertation Concerning Mistletoe: A Most
Wonderful Specifick Remedy for the Cure of Convulsive Distempers ‘ in
which he recounts using mistletoe for his patients suffering from those
conditions. He experimented with several
forms of the plant all with varied success, including healing a young boy of
convulsive asthma and another of epileptic fits
Dr. Edward Sieveking also spoke
of using it successfully for epilepsy and convulsions. A. Dawes, author of ‘Ellingwood’s Therapeutist’, stated
that mistletoe was the best therapy for epilepsy as it could tone the nervous
system at the same time it was easing the seizures. The South Africans still use it for asthma
and epilepsy. It is also used to treat
asthma in India. In Asia they use it for
neuralgia, low back pain and weakness.
Part of its ability to calm epilepsy is believed to be due to its
ability to block GABA receptors. GABA is
a neurotransmitter that can over-excite the nerves and has been implicated in
some forms of epilepsy. (GABA is also a very good thing for people but in this
case it isn’t).
Other uses of
mistletoe have been for menopause, hypertension, diabetes, respiratory issues,
arthritis, snoring, leucorrhea, gout, sciatica, dizziness, headaches,
irritability, anxiety, loss of energy, as a sleep aid, a heart tonic and for
typhoid fever.
The European
variety is used most as American mistletoe is considered toxic and unsafe. Mistletoe berries should never be consumed as
they are poisonous, nor should they be used in preparations of any kind. There is no doubt that mistletoe is an
amazing plant with a lot of possibilities but it should be used with extreme
caution by those that are familiar with its effects. DO NOT USE if pregnant or nursing (obviously
because of it ability to contract the pelvic muscles), are scheduled for
surgery or are on blood pressure, blood sugar, immune or epileptic medications
as it may interfere with their use.
Unfortunately the United States currently does not offer mistletoe
therapy injections like other countries do so it is perhaps best utilized here
in tincture and/or tea form. Always consult
with a qualified physician before starting any herbal regimen or program.
As is customary for my posts I am including some links herein for your benefit. Enjoy and use wisely! Stay strong and healthy!
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