YOU ARE NOW CONNECTED TO THE TOXLINE (1981 FORWARD, NON-ROYALTY) FILE. ==MISTLETOE CANCER TREATMENT== 2 AUTHOR Beuth J AUTHOR Stoffel B AUTHOR Ko HL AUTHOR Buss G AUTHOR Pulverer G AUTHOR et al TITLE Immunostimulating activity of different dosages of mistletoe lectin-1 in patients with mammary carcinoma SOURCE Arzneim. Forsch.; VOL 45 ISS 4 1995, P505-507, (REF 15) ABSTRACT IPA COPYRIGHT: ASHP Cellular aspects of the immunomodulating activity of a proprietary mistletoe extract standardized for mistletoe lectin I (Eurixor) were investigated in 20 patients suffering from mammary carcinoma who received regular subcutaneous injections of 0.5 and 1 ng/kg twice weekly for 5 wk. Therapy resulted in statistically significant increases of defined peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets that are generally believed to be involved in antitumor activity and also enhanced expression of activation markers such as interleukin 2 receptors and HLA/DR-antigens on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes. It was concluded that the results suggest that the administration of mistletoe lectin I can efficiently stimulate the cellular immune system of cancer patients. 3 AUTHOR Schumacher U AUTHOR Stamouli A AUTHOR Adam E AUTHOR Peddie M AUTHOR Pfuller U TITLE Biochemical, histochemical and cell biological investigations on the actions of mistletoe lectins I, II and III with human breast cancer cell lines. SOURCE Glycoconj J; VOL 12, ISS 3, 1995, P250-7 ABSTRACT Cytotoxicity of the mistletoe lectins I, II and III towards six human breast cancer cell lines was assessed using the Mossman assay. In addition, binding of the three mistletoe lectins to the separated membrane glycoproteins of these cell lines, the binding and uptake of these lectins into the cells in tissue culture and the binding of the lectins to histological preparations of these cell lines were analysed. The results indicate that there are quantitative differences concerning the toxicity of these three lectins towards the different cell lines. Furthermore, the lectin binding pattern in the cell lines differed. In Western blots, several membrane glycoproteins were labelled by the lectins. Our results indicate subtle differences between the three lectins with regard to the parameters mentioned above; however, the toxicity of all three lectins from mistletoe is so similar that they all seem suitable for the construction of immunotoxins. 5 AUTHOR Bruseth S AUTHOR Enge A TITLE [Mistletoe in the treatment of cancer (see comments)] SOURCE Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen; VOL 113, ISS 9, 1993, P1058-60 (REF: 36) ABSTRACT Mistletoe (Viscum album) was introduced in the treatment of cancer in 1917. Today, extracts from the plant are used in adjuvant cancer therapy mainly as injections. The most important active agents are lectins, which have cytotoxic and immunostimulating effects. Mistletoe extracts have low toxicity. No fatal side effects have been reported. More than 40 clinical studies have been carried out, mainly at the Lukas Klinik in Switzerland and the Ludvig Boltzmann-Institute in Austria. Most of these studies claim that mistletoe has a positive effect, but were of poor methodological design. Therefore, in the light of our own positive experiences, we recommend a randomized multicentre study to evaluate the effect of mistletoe in cancer treatment. 9 AUTHOR Kast A AUTHOR Hauser SP TITLE [Helixor--mistletoe preparation for cancer therapy. Documentation No. 19] SOURCE Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax; VOL 79, ISS 10, 1990, P291-5 ABSTRACT Helixor is an aqueous cold extract from fresh mistletoe, obtained from fir, pine and apple trees. A number of components with different possible effects were isolated: lectins, viscotoxins, alkaloids, etc. "Oncological therapy" and "stimulation of the bone marrow" are given as the main fields of indication. Pregnancy, hyperthyroidism and intolerances are given as contraindications. Depending on the type and the stage of the tumour, treatment based on a specific rhythmic schedule should be carried out for a period ranging from five years to a lifetime. A 7-ampoule pack costs 37 to 44 DM. Local inflammatory reactions occur as side effects. Fever is desirable. Helixor was developed by the Section for Leukemia and Cancer Therapy of the Gemein-schaft Fischermuhle e. V. in Rosenfeld, FRG, and has been used since about 1968. It is produced and distributed by Helixor Heilmittel GmbH & Co. The origin of anticancer treatment with Helixor, a mistletoe preparation, is the anthroposophical medicine. In addition, Helixor supposedly bridges the dramatic gap between conventional and natural treatment of cancer in that it exerts both a selective cancerostatic and an immunostimulatory effect. Hardly any research has been done on the pharmacodynamics, the pharmacokinetics and the toxicity of the total extract Helixor. In vitro studies reveal a cytostatic effect on individual cell lines; animal experiments with freshly pressed juice are contradictory. Specific effects of Helixor on the immune system and its actual bearing on the tumour process have so far not been unequivocally elucidated. The three clinical-historical comparative studies contain methodological errors. They do not provide evidence of the clinical efficacy against tumours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) 10 AUTHOR Locock RA TITLE Herbal medicine: mistletoe SOURCE Can. Pharm. J.; VOL 119 ISS Mar 1986, P125-127, (REF 26) ABSTRACT IPA COPYRIGHT: ASHP The history of mistletoe (Viscum album) is presented along with a discussion on its medicinal uses, toxicity, and studies in cancer treatment. Mistletoes have many constituents and the particular pharmacologically active substances depend on the host plant as well as on the mistletoe species. 11 AUTHOR Holtskog R AUTHOR Sandvig K AUTHOR Olsnes S TITLE Characterization of a toxic lectin in Iscador, a mistletoe preparation with alleged cancerostatic properties. SOURCE Oncology; VOL 45, ISS 3, 1988, P172-9 ABSTRACT Iscador, a mistletoe preparation widely used in cancer chemotherapy, was found to contain a toxic component which is structurally and functionally closely related to viscumin. When antiviscumin was present in the medium, Vero cells were strongly, but not completely protected against Iscador. The main cytotoxic component in Iscador appears, like viscumin, to bind to terminal nonreducing galactose residues. Thus, addition to the medium of galactose, lactose or melibiose blocked the cytotoxic activity. The main cytotoxic protein in Iscador was retained on a desialylated fetuin column and on an antiviscumin column. This material was found to have a molecular weight close to, but not identical to, that of viscumin.