MISTLETOE

MISTLETOE

Castilian: mistletoe, league, ringworm, lily, visco.

English: Mistletoe, visga.

Used Part.

The leaves and shoots.

Active Principles.

Lectins (glycoproteins) Proteins, polypeptides: viscotoxinas. Fenilpropanos, lignans. Flavonoids: quercetol derivatives. Tyramine. Polysaccharides: galacturonanas, arabinogalactan. Saponósidos triterpenic. Phenol - carboxylic acids: acid caféico.

Drug Action.

It has a spasmolytic, glaucoma, for peripheral vasodilation and increased diuresis. Lipid. Anti - inflammatory.

It was found that different protein fractions of mistletoe have a marked anti - tumor activity (lectins, lignans, viscotoxina)

Indications.

Hypertension, prevention of arteriosclerosis, kidney stones, rheumatic disorders, pre - and postoperative treatment of malignant tumors. Externally: papillomas, condylomata. Some authors believe that the mistletoe oncostática it is active mainly in administration by injection, and oral are required several months before being effective.

Contraindications.

Heart disease, cardiac treatment (the mistletoe contains a cardiac glycoside with action, the viscoflavina) Kidney failure. Liver Diseases. Treatments with MAOIs (see precautions)

Pregnancy, infancy, children, hepatopathy, by the presence of alkaloids, especially viscalbina.

Do not prescribe dosage forms with alcoholic content for oral administration in children under two years or consultants in the process of alcohol addiction.

Caution / Poisoning.

Prescribing treatments in the form of discrete and progressive, starting with low doses. The active ingredients of the mistletoe are heat. Employing preferably forms galéncias stabilized.

The berries are highly toxic, because of its content in viscotoxina: ingestion of 15 of them cause intoxication in the form of nerve disorders and heart. 25 berries can cause death by depression of the centers bulbares breathing and heartbeat.

It has been described a case of hepatitis linked to the intake of preparations of mistletoe (D'Arcy, 1995: 201 - 2)

Caution: viscotoxina owns a local necrotizing action.

Its use in the presence of hypertension, heart disease or kidney failure moderate or severe, should be done only by prescription and under medical supervision.

For its content in tyramine, the mistletoe can trigger hypertensive crisis in patients who are undergoing treatment with antidepressant MAOI.

Take into account the alcohol content of the fluid extract and tincture.

Galenica forms / Dosage.

See contraindications, precautions)

Infusion: one teaspoon per cup of coffee, infuse 10 minutes. Two cups per day, after meals.

Dust: 1 to 1. 5 g per day, in capsules of 200 mg.

Fluid extract (1: 1) 20 to 30 drops, one to three times a day.

Tincture (1: 10) 30 drops three times daily.

Juice of fresh plant: 2 - 7, 5 ml, one to three times a day.

Bibliography.

Benigni, R; Capra, C; Cattorini, P. Piante Medicinali. Chimica, Pharmacology and Therapy. Milano: Inverni & Della Beffa, 1962, pp. 1760 - 82.

Bézanger - Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M. Dans la Plantes Les Thérapeutiques Moderne. 2. Paris: Maloine, 1986, pp. 442.

Bézanger - Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M; Trotin, F. Medicinal plants of temperate Regions. Paris: Maloine, 1980, p. 81.

Bruneton, J. Elements of Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy. Zaragoza: Acribia, 1991, p. 120.

D'Arcy, PF. Adverse reactions and interactions with herbal medicines. Part I. Adverse reactions. Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev, 1991; 10 (4) 189 - 208.

D'Arcy, PF. Adverse reactions and interactions with herbal medicines. Part II. Drug interactions. Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev 1993; 12 (3) 147 - 162.

Fernandez, M; Nieto, A. Medicinal Plants. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 1982, pp. 185; 236.

Lastra, JJ; Bachiller, LI. Medicinal Plants in Asturias, Cantabria and the cornice. Gijón: Ediciones Trea, 1997, pp. 270 - 2.

Paris, RR; Moyse, M. Summary of Matter Médicale. Take II. Paris: Masson, 1967, pp. 108 - 10.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Vanaclocha, B. Applied Fitoterapia. Valencia: M. I. Official College of Pharmacists, 1995, pp. 380 - 1.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Figuerola, R. Guide to Medicinal Plants of Valencia. Valencia: Las Provincias, 1996, p. 224.

Rivera, D; Obon, C. The Guide INCAFE of useful and Poisonous Plants of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearics. Madrid: INCAFE, 1991, pp. 648 - 50.

Samuelsson, G. Drugs of Natural Origin. A Textbook of Pharmacognosy. Stockholm: Swedish Pharmaceutical Press, 1992, p. 222.

Trease, GE, Evans, WCh. Pharmacognosy. Mexico City: Inter - MacGraw - Hill, 1991, pp. 182; 693.

Van Hellemont, J. Compendium of Phytothérapie. Bruxelles: Association Pharmaceutique Belge, 1986, pp. 428 - 30.

Villar, L; Palacín, JM; Calvo, C. Gomez, D; Montserrat, G. Medicinal Plants of the Aragonese Pyrenees and other tierrras Huesca. 2. Huesca: Provincial, 1992, p. 250.

WICHTL, M. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceutical. A Handbook for Practice on a scientific basis. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers, 1994, pp. 534 - 6.

Related Products