Mistletoe Therapy
Mistletoe treatment is an essential part of integrative cancer care. It is mostly used to improve quality of life, increase the tolerability of chemotherapy, and exert a possible benefit on tumor control and survival. Mistletoe extracts contain a variety of biologically active compounds such as lectins, viscotoxins, oligo- and polysaccharides, and triterpene acids. They are cytotoxic, have strong apoptosis-inducing effects, enhance the cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs, stimulate the immune system, possess DNA-stabilizing properties in mononuclear cells, and enhance endorphins in vivo.
Additional Resources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29426932
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29157828
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25142075
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23890767
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22221251
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19883529
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17185712
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14746858
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11836024
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/mistletoe-pdq
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/mistletoe-pdq