Mistletoe therapy and Cancer – an Overview 2014

Mistletoe extracts (Viscum album L., VAE) are among the most widely used integrative cancer care treatments, particularly in Europe [1-5]. They are an old herbal remedy [6,7] and were introduced as cancer treatment in 1920 by Rudolf Steiner and Ita Wegman, founders of Anthroposophic Medicine [8]. Viscum album is a hemiparasitic shrub, growing on different host trees. Different preparations are available for the treatment of cancer (currently Abnobaviscum ® , Helixor ® , Iscador ® , Iscucin ® and Lektinol ® ). They are available from different host trees such as oak, apple, pine and many others. They are applied parenteral, particularly subcutaneous, but also intravenous, intratumoural, intrapleural, intraperitoneal and other sites. Read more…