The genus Viscum includes many species that are mainly distributed in Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Australia. Viscum extracts or their various preparations are widely used as complementary and alternative medicines in the treatment of various ailments. In the present review, articles related to the phytochemical composition of mistletoe were selected, depending on the host tree on which it grows, as well as articles in which its beneficial effects were highlighted. Viscum contains different active ingredients, including lectins, viscotoxins along with phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides. Based on its composition, mistletoe extract is associated with multiple bioactivities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular disease, attenuating the side effects of chemotherapy and enhancing immunity. The purpose of this review was to highlight the link between the host tree and the bioactive components of mistletoe such as lectin and viscotoxin, with a focus on phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. The potential therapeutic effects of mistletoe are summarized by subspecies and host trees. Numerous mistletoe-based patents with various applications have been developed and presented in this review. Mistletoe is a medicinal plant with great biological potential that is worth exploring for various targeted treatments.

Viscum album L. subsp. album is a hemiparasitic plant that is recognized as a medicinal plant due to its beneficial effects, including anti-tumor activity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxic, hypoglycemic, and antimicrobial properties as well as for lowering blood pressure. On the other hand, mistletoe is a biotic stressor for both deciduous trees and conifers. Our main aim was to evidence the influence of mistletoe on the content of chlorophylls, proline, total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity of leaves from tree host trees (Malus domestica, Prunus domestica, and Populus alba) that grow on the northwest of Romania. In addition, HPLC-DAD-MS-ESI+ was used to analyze the phenolic acid and flavonoid profiles of V. album L. subsp. album leaves according to their parasitized hosts. A significant decrease in chlorophyll a level of approximately 32% was detected in poplars infested with mistletoe, followed by infested apples and plums with pigment reductions of 29.25% and 9.65%, respectively. The content of total phenols and flavonoids in the parasitized trees was higher compared to the non-parasitized ones. In the case of poplar, which presented the highest incidence of mistletoe infestation (70.37%), the content of total phenols in the leaves was two times higher compared to non-infested leaves. Based on HPLC chromatographic analysis, leaves of mistletoe growing on apple (VAM) had the highest content of phenolic acids (7.833 mg/g dw), followed by mistletoe leaves on poplar (VAO) and plum (VAP) (7.033 mg/g dw and, respectively, 5.559 mg/g dw). Among the flavonols, the predominant component was Rhamnazin glucosides in the amount of 1.025 ± 0.08 mg/g dw in VAO, followed by VAP and VAM (0.514 ± 0.04 and 0.478 ± 0.04 mg/g dw, respectively). Although our results show that mistletoe negatively influences the host trees, it is still a valuable plant that must be exploited to bring benefits to human health.

Infections with Candida species represent a large percentage of the total number of fungal infections in the vaginal mucosa. Conventional treatments with antifungal medicinal substances have proven to be low in efficiency, so we are currently looking for alternative products based on plant extracts (these being more effective according to existing studies but also non-toxic). Our study aimed to obtain the oil of Origanum vulgare L. and its characterization from the point of view of antimicrobial activity, known for its rich composition in active principles such as carvacrol (a compound with proven antifungal activity). Also, the plant Origanum vulgare L. was characterized from a macro-and microscopic point of view. The oregano oil obtained was included in the liposomal formula and characterized from the point of view of appearance, surface electric charge, and size, respectively. The liposomal oil was also included in the formula for the preparation of vaginal suppositories. These were characterized organoleptically and from the point of view of the release of active principles. The future perspectives are to test the formulated pharmaceutical forms in vitro and then in vivo.

No abstract