Difference between revisions of "European Mistletoe"

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(The benefits of European Mistletoe are)
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Other names : All-Heal, Banda, Birdlime Mistletoe, Blandeau, Bois de Sainte-Croix, Bouchon, Devil's Fuge, Drudenfuss, Eurixor, Guérit-Tout, Gui, Gui Blanc, Gui Blanc d’Europe, Gui des Feuillus, Gui d’Europe, Gui Européen, Helixor, Herbe de Chèvre, Hexenbesen, Hurchu, Iscador, Isorel, Leimmistel, Mistlekraut, Mistletein, Mistletoe, Muérdago Europeo, Mystyldene, Nid de Sorcière, Pain de Biques, Rini, Verquet, Vert-Bois, Vert de Pommier, Visci, Visci Albi Folia, Visci Albi Fructus, Visci Albi Herba, Visci Albi Stipites, Vogelmistel, Vysorel, Viscum album.
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Other names : All-Heal, Banda, Birdlime Mistletoe, Blandeau, Bois de Sainte-Croix, Bouchon, Devil's Fuge, Drudenfuss, Eurixor, Guérit-Tout, Gui, Gui Blanc, Gui Blanc d’Europe, Gui des Feuillus, Gui d’Europe, Gui Européen, Helixor, Herbe de Chèvre, Hexenbesen, Hurchu, Iscador, Isorel, Leimmistel, Mistlekraut, Mistletein, Mistletoe, Muérdago Europeo, Mystyldene, Nid de Sorcière, Pain de Biques, Rini, Verquet, Vert-Bois, Vert de Pommier, Visci, Visci Albi Folia, Visci Albi Fructus, Visci Albi Herba, Visci Albi Stipites, Vogelmistel, Vysorel, Viscum album.<br>
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According to Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy, mistletoe is "insanely aristocratic," because it grows according to its own rhythms, "as if the Earth were not there." It grows in any direction, often forming a strange ball up in a tree, it flowers in the winter, and it has berries all year long.  He argued that mistletoe was the perfect remedy for cancer and developed it into a specially crafted medicine called Iscador, which is used in Europe (and which is not the same thing as an extract - mistletoe is poisonous).  Mistletoe is also known as Birdlime, Herbe de la Croix, Mystyldene, and Lignum Crucis. This is chopped mistletoe harvested in Europe from apple trees.
 
==Special Precautions of European Mistletoe==
 
==Special Precautions of European Mistletoe==
 
Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of mistletoe:
 
Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of mistletoe:
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*slow pulse
 
*slow pulse
 
*hallucinations
 
*hallucinations
Interactions
 
  
Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Don't use mistletoe while taking:
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*Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Don't use mistletoe while taking:alcohol and other drugs that slow the nervous system, such as cold and allergy drugs, sedatives, tranquilizers, narcotic pain relievers, barbiturates, seizure drugs, and muscle relaxants, drugs that lower blood pressure, drugs to relieve depression called MAO inhibitors (such as Marplan and Nardil). Mistletoe should not be used along with heart medicines; the combination creates an increased risk of cardiac slow-down.
 
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alcohol and other drugs that slow the nervous system, such as cold and allergy drugs, sedatives, tranquilizers, narcotic pain relievers, barbiturates, seizure drugs, and muscle relaxants
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drugs that lower blood pressure
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drugs to relieve depression called MAO inhibitors (such as Marplan and Nardil)
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Mistletoe should not be used along with heart medicines; the combination creates an increased risk of cardiac slow-down.
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Important points to remember
 
Important points to remember
 
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*Don't use mistletoe if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. The herb may stimulate the uterus.
Don't use mistletoe if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. The herb may stimulate the uterus.
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*Be aware that all plant parts are toxic.
Be aware that all plant parts are toxic.
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*Keep the mistletoe plant and all extracts and formulations made with it out of reach of children.
If you're considering taking mistletoe for cancer, know that medical experts recommend trying conventional treatments first.
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* Leukemia: Some test tube studies suggested European mistletoe might be effective against childhood leukemia. But benefits have not been shown in people. In fact, European mistletoe might make leukemia worse. If you have leukemia, don’t take European mistletoe.
Keep the mistletoe plant and all extracts and formulations made with it out of reach of children.
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What the research shows
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Despite mistletoe's known toxic effects, some people still use it as a natural remedy. Certain chemicals in mistletoe have shown antitumor activity, but more studies must be done to evaluate the herb's effectiveness and long-term safety. In the United States, intravenous mistletoe preparations aren't standardized, so researchers probably won't evaluate the herb as a tumor treatment in the near future.
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==The benefits of European Mistletoe are==
 
==The benefits of European Mistletoe are==
 
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Folk healers in Europe and particularly in Asia have long relied on mistletoe for treating everything from rapid heart rates and high blood pressure to epilepsy. But by far the most popular use of mistletoe today--particularly in Europe--is for treating cancer. Despite mistletoe's known toxic effects, some people still use it as a natural remedy. Certain chemicals in mistletoe have shown antitumor activity, but more studies must be done to evaluate the herb's effectiveness and long-term safety. In the United States, intravenous mistletoe preparations aren't standardized, so researchers probably won't evaluate the herb as a tumor treatment in the near future.
Mistletoe preparations come from the leaves, branches, and berries of European mistletoe, Viscum album, and the related species If. abietis and If. austriacum. These plants, which live as parasites on tree branches, are native to England, Europe, and Asia. North American mistletoes are used mainly as Christmas greens. Also parasitic, they grow on fruit trees, poplars, and oaks.
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Description
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The stem is yellowish and smooth, freely forked, separating when dead into bone-like joints. The leaves are tongue-shaped, broader towards the end, 1 to 3 inches long, very thick and leathery, of a dull yellow-green colour, arranged in pairs, with very short footstalks. The flowers, small and inconspicuous, are arranged in threes, in close short spikes or clusters in the forks of the branches, and are of two varieties, the male and female occurring on different plants. Neither male nor female flowers have a corolla, the parts of the fructification springing from the yellowish calyx. They open in May. The fruit is a globular, smooth, white berry, ripening in December.
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Common doses of mistletoe
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Mistletoe comes as dried leaves, capsules, an infusion, liquid extract, tablets, and tincture. Some experts recommend the following doses:
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As dried leaves, 2 to 6 grams orally three times daily.
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As liquid extract (1: 1 solution in 25% alcohol), 1 to 3 milliliters orally three times daily.
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As tincture (1:5 solution in 45% alcohol), 0.5 milliliter orally three times daily.
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Uses of mistletoe
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Folk healers in Europe and particularly in Asia have long relied on mistletoe for treating everything from rapid heart rates and high blood pressure to epilepsy. But by far the most popular use of mistletoe today--particularly in Europe--is for treating cancer. Specifically , mistletoe may help to:
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Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
 
Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)

Revision as of 10:46, 17 August 2012

Other names : All-Heal, Banda, Birdlime Mistletoe, Blandeau, Bois de Sainte-Croix, Bouchon, Devil's Fuge, Drudenfuss, Eurixor, Guérit-Tout, Gui, Gui Blanc, Gui Blanc d’Europe, Gui des Feuillus, Gui d’Europe, Gui Européen, Helixor, Herbe de Chèvre, Hexenbesen, Hurchu, Iscador, Isorel, Leimmistel, Mistlekraut, Mistletein, Mistletoe, Muérdago Europeo, Mystyldene, Nid de Sorcière, Pain de Biques, Rini, Verquet, Vert-Bois, Vert de Pommier, Visci, Visci Albi Folia, Visci Albi Fructus, Visci Albi Herba, Visci Albi Stipites, Vogelmistel, Vysorel, Viscum album.
According to Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy, mistletoe is "insanely aristocratic," because it grows according to its own rhythms, "as if the Earth were not there." It grows in any direction, often forming a strange ball up in a tree, it flowers in the winter, and it has berries all year long. He argued that mistletoe was the perfect remedy for cancer and developed it into a specially crafted medicine called Iscador, which is used in Europe (and which is not the same thing as an extract - mistletoe is poisonous). Mistletoe is also known as Birdlime, Herbe de la Croix, Mystyldene, and Lignum Crucis. This is chopped mistletoe harvested in Europe from apple trees.

Special Precautions of European Mistletoe

Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of mistletoe:

  • change in pupil size
  • mild fever
  • dehydration
  • fever
  • nausea
  • delirium
  • seizures
  • diarrhea
  • slow pulse
  • hallucinations
  • Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Don't use mistletoe while taking:alcohol and other drugs that slow the nervous system, such as cold and allergy drugs, sedatives, tranquilizers, narcotic pain relievers, barbiturates, seizure drugs, and muscle relaxants, drugs that lower blood pressure, drugs to relieve depression called MAO inhibitors (such as Marplan and Nardil). Mistletoe should not be used along with heart medicines; the combination creates an increased risk of cardiac slow-down.

Important points to remember

  • Don't use mistletoe if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. The herb may stimulate the uterus.
  • Be aware that all plant parts are toxic.
  • Keep the mistletoe plant and all extracts and formulations made with it out of reach of children.
  • Leukemia: Some test tube studies suggested European mistletoe might be effective against childhood leukemia. But benefits have not been shown in people. In fact, European mistletoe might make leukemia worse. If you have leukemia, don’t take European mistletoe.

The benefits of European Mistletoe are

Folk healers in Europe and particularly in Asia have long relied on mistletoe for treating everything from rapid heart rates and high blood pressure to epilepsy. But by far the most popular use of mistletoe today--particularly in Europe--is for treating cancer. Despite mistletoe's known toxic effects, some people still use it as a natural remedy. Certain chemicals in mistletoe have shown antitumor activity, but more studies must be done to evaluate the herb's effectiveness and long-term safety. In the United States, intravenous mistletoe preparations aren't standardized, so researchers probably won't evaluate the herb as a tumor treatment in the near future.

Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)

  • Cancer of the breast, colon, and stomach. Early research suggests that a specific European mistletoe extract (Iscador, Weleda, Germany) given by injection might improve survival in patients with solid tumors of the breast, colon, or stomach. But these results have been questioned because the study wasn’t designed well. So far, there isn't enough reliable evidence to support using European mistletoe for any type of cancer. Stick to proven treatments.
  • Bladder cancer. Some evidence suggests that administering a specific European mistletoe extract placed into the bladder for 6 weeks might reduce bladder cancer recurrence rates in certain patients.
  • Hepatitis C. Injecting a water-based extract of European mistletoe may help to fight the viral infection that causes hepatitis C and improve quality of life in some people.

Reducing the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

  • High blood pressure.
  • Internal bleeding.
  • Hemorrhoids.
  • Seizures.
  • High cholesterol.
  • Gout.
  • Depression.
  • Sleep disorders.
  • Headache.
  • Menstrual disorders.
  • Epilepsy
  • Headache
  • High blood pressure
  • Insomnia
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Bervousness
  • Sterility
  • Tension
  • Ulcers
  • Urinary disorders