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Picture of
Mistletoe
Mistletoe growing on a tree
IS787-073 Image Source Royalty Free Photograph
Couple kissing under the mistletoe
000967BS Creatas Royalty Free Photograph
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Bankoro, Noni, Immune System Builder |
Mistletoe - European Mistletoe
is a
semiparasitic plant that grows on several types of trees in temperate regions
worldwide. Where the term "mistletoe" is used in this fact sheet, it refers to
European mistletoe. (European mistletoe is different from American mistletoe,
which is used as a holiday decoration.)
Tradition: Kissing under the mistletoe.
Common Names--European mistletoe,
mistletoe
Latin Name--Viscum album L
- What Mistletoe Is Used For
- Mistletoe has been used for
centuries in traditional medicine to treat seizures, headaches, and other
conditions.
- Mistletoe is used mainly in Europe
as a treatment for cancer.
- Try our Herbal Remedy and Herbal
Medicine:
- How Mistletoe Is Used
- The leafy shoots and berries of
mistletoe are used to make extracts that can be taken by mouth.
- In Europe, mistletoe extracts are
prescription drugs that are given by injection. In the United States,
mistletoe by injection is available only in clinical trials.
- What the Science Says about
Mistletoe
- Laboratory studies have found that
mistletoe kills cancer cells and stimulates the immune system.
- The use of mistletoe to treat
cancer has been studied in Europe in more than 30 clinical trials. Although
improvements in survival or quality of life have been reported, almost all
of the trials had major weaknesses in their design that raise doubts about
the findings. For example, many of the studies had a small number of
participants or did not have a control group.
- NCCAM is sponsoring a clinical
trial of mistletoe, given in combination with the drug gemcitabine, for
cancer. The study will look at toxicity, safety, and immune system effects
of mistletoe extract when combined with this chemotherapy drug.
- Side Effects and Cautions of
Mistletoe
- Raw, unprocessed mistletoe is
poisonous. Eating raw, unprocessed European mistletoe or American mistletoe
can cause vomiting, seizures, a slowing of the heart rate, and even death.
American mistletoe is unsafe for medicinal use.
- In countries where commercial
mistletoe is available by injection, such as Germany, those extracts are
considered to be generally safe when used according to product directions
and under the supervision of a health care provider.
- Injected mistletoe extract may
cause itching or redness in the area of the injection. Less commonly, side
effects may include more extensive skin reactions, low-grade fevers, or
flu-like symptoms. There have been very rare reports of more serious
allergic reactions, such as difficulty breathing.
- Because mistletoe has not yet been
proven to be a safe and effective cancer treatment, it should not be used
outside of clinical trials.
- It is important to inform your
health care providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using,
including mistletoe. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.
What's an Herb? An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential
therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and
roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
Dietary supplement is a
product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino
acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for
dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.
To use an herbal product as safely as
possible:
-
Consult your doctor first
-
Do not take a bigger dose than the label
recommends
-
Take it under the guidance of a trained
medical professional
-
Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or
nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your
health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however,
many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own
health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that
herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while
maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural
substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient
civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have
always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with
their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80
percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a
major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care
tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of
"herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets,
capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products
that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of
convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our
knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations
made over the past centuries.
Are herbs safe?
Plants that enjoy broad culinary and
therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any number
of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious cup of
peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing properties
of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an herbal
supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any number
of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for
a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual
concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety
profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On the
other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are
highly toxic, even deadly.
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