The quick answer is yes. The original mistletoe refers to the species Viscum album native to Europe while a second species called Viscum cruciatum is found in Spain, Portugal, North Africa, Asia and Australia.
Mistletoe has been used for centuries in traditional medicine for a variety of conditions including seizures, headaches, and arthritis. Today, mistletoe is used in Europe as a treatment for cancer in addition to chemotherapy.1
In Europe, mistletoe extracts that are given by injection are sold as prescription drugs while in the United States it is used in clinical trials.
Here are some facts about mistletoe that is used in European clinics
– Laboratory studies show it can kill cancer cells and stimulate immune cells such as Natural Killer cells
– The active ingredients are believed to be viscotoxins, polysaccharides and lectins
– Pharmaceutical preparations in Europe are most popular in German speaking countries
How many clinical trials have been published tested mistletoe extract?
Using the keyword “mistletoe” and limiting articles to “Clinical Trials” there are at least 66 peer reviewed publications available on PubMed.
What types of cancer have been tested with mistletoe extract?
Mistletoe extract has been used in patients with uterine, bladder, colon, breast, and pancreatic cancer.
What results have been published with Mistletoe extract?
Pancreatic cancer: In a clinical trial with pancreatic cancer patients treated with an injectable form of mistletoe extract had a survival rate of 6.6 months compared to placebo who survived for 3.2 months.2 Another clinical trial showed mistletoe to improve quality of life measures including pain, fatigue, appetite loss, and insomnia.3
Ovarian and Uterine: Studies have suggested that mistletoe extract may increase the survival rate of patients.4-5
Is Mistletoe approved in the United States as a drug?
No. The only way it can be administered is by I.V. (intravenous) is during a clinical trial approved by the FDA. This will require a special approval as an Investigational New Drug (IND). One possible reason for lack of mistletoe extract approval in the United States is because some scientists do not feel the clinical trials are rigorous enough to warrant approval. This could be because some of the studies have smaller patient populations or were ‘open label’.
Here are the results of more clinical trials with plant based medicine.
Was mistletoe extract used as a replacement for chemotherapy?
In the majority of the studies the purpose was to add mistletoe extract to current chemotherapies being used.
Are there any clinical trials active with mistletoe?
There are currently 18 clinical trials listed on www.clinicaltrials.gov with studies being performed in Sweden, Israel, South Korea, Germany and the United States. Studies in the United States are being performed at Johns Hopkins, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, the National Cancer Institute as well as other institutions.
Take away message
The results of several of these clinical trials are very interesting, however, more research will be helpful to determine if mistletoe extract can be helpful for cancer patients. Another important point is that the mistletoe extract used in the clinical trials was given by IV. It also important to note that the use of plant based medicines is more accepted in Europe compared to the United States. For example, it is not uncommon for physicians in Europe to be prescribing approved plant based medicine (i.e. phytotherapy) and for pharmacies to be dispensing plant based medicine.
References
- Mistletoe Extracts (PDQ®): Health Professional Version. Authors PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute (US); 2002-.2017 Nov 6.
- Viscum album [L.] extract therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer: a randomised clinical trial on overall survival. European Journal of Cancer. 2013; Volume 49 (Issue 18): Pages 3788-97.
- Quality of life of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer during treatment with mistletoe: a randomized controlled trial. Deutsches Arzteblatt International. 2014; Volume 111 (Issue 29-30): pages 493-502.
- Quality of life of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer during treatment with mistletoe: a randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Medical Research. 2008; Volume 13 (Issue 3): pages 107-20.
- Prospective controlled cohort studies on long-term therapy of ovarian cancer patients with mistletoe (Viscum album L.) extracts iscador. Arzneimittelforschung. 2007; Volume 57 (Issue 10): pages 665-78.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Ask the Pharmacist, Clinical Trials, Plant Extracts