Immunomodulatory Effects of Iscador: A &lt;i&gt;Viscum album&lt;/i&gt; Preparation

Hajtò, Tibor

doi:10.1159/000226420

Cited by 74 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Their cytotoxic potential [12][13][14][15][16][17] and immunomodulatory properties [1,2,13,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] have repeatedly been demonstrated in experimental and clinical studies, and are believed to play a major role in the postulated defence against tumours. However, the therapeutic effect can vary greatly and the genetic disposition of the patient and individual immunological response must both be taken into account.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-lectin component in a fermented extract from Viscum album L. grown on pines induces proliferation of lymphocytes from healthy and allergic individuals in vitro

Stein

Berg

1994

Eur J Clin Pharmacol

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Mistletoe preparations have been shown to express immunomodulatory properties. In order to evaluate the stimulatory potency of different mistletoe extracts, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy and allergic/atopic individuals were exposed to aqueous or fermented extracts derived from Viscum album L. grown on apple trees (Mali-extracts) or on pines (Pini-extracts). None of them had received any mistletoe treatment. Iscador Pini was the only extract which strongly induced proliferation of PBMC in contrast to the other five preparations. On testing these extracts by Western blotting with anti-mistletoe lectin-1 (ML-1) antibody positive sera from mistletoe-treated patients, it became evident that Iscador Pini was almost devoid of lectins. The stimulatory potency of Iscador Pini for PBMC from three different groups was examined: PBMC from 35 normal controls (Group I), 23 patients with drug-induced adverse effects (Group II) and 16 individuals with allergic manifestations (Group III). Cells were exposed in 7-day cultures to the extract at concentrations between 1 and 10,000 micrograms/ml. PBMC from 63% of Group III individuals showed strong stimulation (SI varying from 6 to 97) in contrast to only 9% from Group I and 22% from Group II individuals. Anti-ML-1 antibodies were detected in 5% and anti-IP antibodies in 11% of subjects in the three groups. They were either of the IgA or IgM type but not of the IgG type. Our findings strongly imply that a non-lectin associated antigen from Iscador Pini is able to activate PBMC from healthy and allergic/atopic individuals, thereby demonstrating sensitization to probably highly conserved plant antigens.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-lectin component in a fermented extract from Viscum album L. grown on pines induces proliferation of lymphocytes from healthy and allergic individuals in vitro

Stein

Berg

1994

Eur J Clin Pharmacol

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“…Rhamnogalacturonan samples from commercially available extracts of mistletoe grown on different host trees (apple tree, oak, pine) demonstrated a dose-dependent enhancement of cytotoxicity to NK, lymphocyte activated killer (LAK) and activated CD3 + T cells. The most prominent properties of mistletoe extracts are their immunomodulatory [19,31] and cytotoxic effects [23] in cultured cells and animals studies. Studies with the isolated components of mistletoe extracts are useful in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of the therapeutic preparation, however they do not take into account the positive or negative additive effect of different components in the final preparation, e.g.…”

Section: Aspects Of Preclinical Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy and Safety of Mistletoe Preparations (Viscum album) for Patients with Cancer Diseases

Melzer¹,

Iten²,

Hostanska³

et al. 2009

Complement Med Res

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Background: Mistletoe is often used as a complementary approach in oncology. Despite experimental anti-tumour effects and several reviews there remains controversy about its clinical role. Patients and Methods: Potentially relevant trials were identified to perform a systematic review (databases: e.g. EMBASE, MEDLINE; hand search: e.g. bibliographies; search terms: e.g. mistletoe). To be included, randomised or comparative clinical trials at least had to examine mistletoe preparations standardized according to manufacturing process and to describe interventions explicitly. Additionally, cohort studies were included for reasons of external validity. Results were summarised in tables. Results: 18 clinical trials (>6,800 participants) were included. Their internal quality was mostly low. Due to heterogeneity between trials a meta-analysis was impossible. Regarding efficacy, findings were inconsistent regarding life expectancy, relation to tumour entity, dosing and treatment duration. Yet, studies indicate that quality of life (QoL) is improved. As these findings do not seem to be limited to one of the different parenteral mistletoe preparations reviewed the treatment may be summarised under the umbrella term ‘mistletoe therapy’. Regarding safety, 1 serious adverse event (AE) related to mistletoe was described; non-serious AEs were local reactions at injection site. Allergic reactions were rare. Conclusion: Supportive ‘mistletoe therapy’ seems safe and beneficial for QoL in adult patients with solid tumours. But there is an urgent need to confirm its efficacy in patient-centred care in a complex oncological setting. This has to be evaluated systematically in prospective observational trials with validated, multidimensional patient-rated QoL questionnaires and comparisons of different preparations and dosages.

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“…It exerts immunostimulatory and DNA-stabilizing effects at low concentrations and cytotoxic activity at higher concentrations (Büssing et al, 1995;Thies et al, 2005). Mistletoe preparations and some of their components activate NK-cells, monocytes/macrophages, granulocytes, T-helper cells, induce cytokine release and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo (Hajto, 1986;Van Huyen et al, 2006;Gardin, 2008). It also exerts strong antiviral, hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect dependent on the host tree (Karagöz et al, 2003;Orhan et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytotoxic effect of mistletoe (Viscum album L.) extract on Jurkat cells and its interaction with doxorubicin

Sabová

Pilátová

Szilagyi

et al. 2009

Phytotherapy Research

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Mistletoe preparations are frequently used by cancer patients because of their ability to stimulate the immunity and to improve the quality of life. Moreover mistletoe and its active substances (especially lectins) possess cytotoxic effect on various cancer cell lines. However, only little is known about its interaction with anticancer drugs. Therefore the cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects of aqueous mistletoe extract (VA) and its interaction with doxorubicin (DOXO) were investigated in Jurkat cells. The results show that VA extract as well as DOXO exert cytotoxic effects on Jurkat cells in a dose-dependent manner. Cytotoxicity of DOXO was much stronger (LC(50) = 11.68 ng/mL) than that of VA extract (LC(50) = 35.67 microg/mL). Their combination led to synergism only at those concentrations that were highly cytotoxic alone. Both substances (alone and in combination) induced DNA fragmentation in Jurkat cells. In conclusion, an aqueous extract prepared from mistletoe tops exerted cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects on Jurkat cells alone as well as in combination with DOXO.

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Immunomodulatory Effects of Iscador: A <i>Viscum album</i> Preparation

Cited by 74 publications

References 9 publications

Non-lectin component in a fermented extract from Viscum album L. grown on pines induces proliferation of lymphocytes from healthy and allergic individuals in vitro

Non-lectin component in a fermented extract from Viscum album L. grown on pines induces proliferation of lymphocytes from healthy and allergic individuals in vitro

Efficacy and Safety of Mistletoe Preparations (Viscum album) for Patients with Cancer Diseases

Cytotoxic effect of mistletoe (Viscum album L.) extract on Jurkat cells and its interaction with doxorubicin

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