THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF EUROPEAN MISTLETOE (Viscum album) EXTRACTS AND THEIR PHARMACEUTICAL IMPACT

Abstract

Extracts of Viscum album (mistletoe) are widely used as complementary cancer therapies in Europe. The mistletoe lectins and viscotoxins have been identified as the main principle of mistletoe extracts that participating in biological activity of V. album. These compounds were isolated and studied in vitro and in vivo for their biological activity and mechanism of action. A comparison of the results to those using whole extracts indicated that lectins and viscotoxins are not the only bioactive compounds present in the mistletoe. In this paper, we review the recent studies regarding with cytotoxic activity on tumor cells of mistletoe extracts, as well as, the role of this semiparasitic plant in diabetics and hypertension illness.