Immunological response to mistletoe (Viscum album L.) in cancer patients: a four‐case series

European mistletoe (Viscum album) has been used in complementary cancer treatment, but little is known concerning its effects on immunological parameters, although there is evidence that Viscum may stimulate the immune system. In this study, a trial was conducted with cancer patients to determine whether Viscum album extracts could improve the results of immune tests. These were: white blood cell count (leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes), CD4+ and CD8+ T‐lymphocytes, intradermal tests of delayed hypersensitivity (candidin, trichophytin, purified protein derivative‐PPD), complement C3 and C4, and immunoglobulin A, G and M. Four patients received seven doses of subcutaneous Viscum album 20 mg, twice weekly. Immunological tests were carried out before and after treatment, and an increase in several parameters of humoral and cellular immunity were shown. Apart from reactions around the injection sites, treatment was well tolerated and all patients benefited from it. These results suggest that Viscum album can enhance humoral and cellular immune responses in cancer patients, but further studies attesting to the possible clinical impact of these immunological effects are necessary. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parasitic loranthus from Loranthaceae rather than Viscaceae potently inhibits fatty acid synthase and reduces body weight in mice

AIM OF THE STUDY: Our previous results have shown one species of parasitic loranthus (Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Dancer) exhibits potent inhibition on fatty acid synthase (FAS) that is proposed to be a potential therapeutic target for treatment of obesity. However, the medicinal parasitic loranthus come from tens of plants of two families, the Loranthaceae and the Viscaceae. This study was carried out to figure out whether these parasitic loranthus from the two families have similar inhibitory ability on FAS, and whether the parasitic loranthus with potent inhibitory ability on FAS significantly reduce body weight of animal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CD-1 mice were used to test the effects of samples on their body weight and food intake in 20 days. The reversible and irreversible inhibition on FAS was assayed to study the inhibitory ability of sixteen different medicinal plants from these two families, which were collected in nature. RESULTS: The reversible inhibitory ability of the extracts from the Loranthaceae was nearly 400-fold stronger than that from the Viscaceae. The species from the genus Taxillus Tieghem showed the best effect on FAS in both reversible and irreversible inhibition. Moreover, the difference in host plants did not affect markedly on the inhibitory ability of parasitic loranthus. The medicinal herb with high inhibitory ability on FAS significantly reduced the body weight and food intake of mice by oral administration. CONCLUSIONS: The medicinal herbs from the family Loranthaceae, rather than those from the family Viscaceae, should be suitable to apply as botanical sources of parasitic loranthus for weight control. The herbs from genus Taxillus Tieghem are the best.     

山龙眼科至蓼科法定药用植物基源考证

目的 厘清由于分类系统和种分类等级的变化、种鉴定等原因引起的药材标准中法定药用植物基源混乱的情况。方法 查询我国国家和各省市自治区的相关药材标准及权威分类学著作，对植物基源存疑的种，从植物系统分类、分类群等级和种鉴定等各方面进行考证。结果 我国国家和地方标准收载的法定药用植物中，来源于恩格勒系统山龙眼科至蓼科的共有105种，其中基源鉴定清晰，分类无问题，中文名和拉丁学名无混淆的63种，基源存疑有5个科共42种，其中由于属名的异名充作正名而引起拉丁名混乱的1种，属分类系统变化而造成种混淆的5种，种等级分类群的鉴定、归并不同而造成混淆的11种，中文名混淆的25种，并对有混淆的种进行考订纠正。结论 檀香科、桑寄生科、马兜铃科、蛇菰科及蓼科法定药用植物基源有一定问题，经过研究考订，这些问题得以厘清解决。     

微波消解-ICP-MS法测定桑寄生中6种有害元素含量

目的 测定中药饮片桑寄生中有害元素铅、铬、汞、砷、铜、镉的含量.方法 采用微波消解技术进行前处理,采用电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术同时测定桑寄生中6种有害元素的含量.结果 本实验中15批次桑寄生样品种6种元素的平均含量符合铜>砷>铅>汞>铬>镉.结论 微波消解-ICP-MS法能够同时测定桑寄生中6种有害元素的含量,具有高效快速、稳定准确的特点,对中药桑寄生的质量控制有一定的指导意义.     

中国桑寄生科Loranthaceae药用植物资源学研究进展

本文对我国桑寄生科药用植物资源从本草学、分类学以及药用植物的生物学特征、地理分布、化学成分、药理与临床应用和目前的使用状况等进行综述,为桑寄生科药用植物资源的开发和科学合理使用提供参考。     

中国桑寄生科Loranthaceae药用植物资源学研究进展

本文对我国桑寄生科药用植物资源从本草学、分类学以及药用植物的生物学特征、地理分布、化学成分、药理与临床应用和目前的使用状况等进行综述,为桑寄生科药用植物资源的开发和科学合理使用提供参考。     

桑寄生植物叶片维生素C含量的比较分析

目的 分析桂西北地区桑寄生植物叶片维生素C的含量,为药用植物资源的开发利用提供理论依据.方法 分别采集各种不同寄主的离瓣桑寄生、鞘花和广寄生的叶片,用2,4-二硝基苯肼法对其总维生素C含量进行测定,并根据寄生植物叶片维生素C含量的差异对寄主树种进行聚类分析.结果 桑寄生植物叶片总维生素C含量为33.37～311.98 mg/100gFW,离瓣桑寄生、鞘花和广寄生叶片维生素C含量最高的寄主分别为:桃树、夹竹桃和夹竹桃.结论 寄生植物叶片维生素C含量的差异,不仅与寄主及其树龄有关,而且与其自身的生物学特性有关系;桑寄生叶片维生素C含量很高,极具开发潜力.     

广西桑寄生科药用植物资源的开发与应用研究

目的调查广西桑寄生科药用植物的种类、地理分布、药效功能及民间使用情况,为广西桑寄生科药用植物开发与应用提供依据。方法野外调查、市场调查、收集标本、查看资料,进行分类学对照。结果作为药材的桑寄生科药用植物共有9个属共28个种（含变种）,占广西桑寄生科植物种数的84．85％。桑寄生科药用植物全区各地均有分布,种属与寄主不同其寄生功效各异。结论广西桑寄生科药用植物具有极大的开发价值。     

African Mistletoes (Loranthaceae); Ethnopharmacology,Chemistry and Medicinal Values: An Update

Mistletoes of the Loranthaceae and Viscaceae are hemiparasitic plants and their preparations in the form of injectable extracts, infusions, tinctures, fluid extracts or tea bags are widely used in various cultures in almost every continent to treat or manage various health problems including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory conditions, irregular menstruations, menopause, epilepsy, arthritis, cancer, etc. The medicinal values of some species of Mistletoes (Loranthaceae) growing in the West African sub-region have been reviewed along with some considerations of their chemistries and local uses. These have been compared with Mistletoes (Loranthaceae and Viscaceae) growing elsewhere in Europe and Asia. This review has attempted to update our knowledge on the values of these hemi-parasites which belong to the genera - Globimetula, Phragmanthera, Agelanthus and Tapinanthus, and which have, for years, been seen as only devastating and notorious plants. They are also seen as epiphyting economic, ornamental and medicinal plants. The hemi-parasitic plants (Mistletoes) are not well understood as very little is known about their biology (taxonomy, host/plant relationship, ecology, toxicology, physiological characteristics, etc.) and chemistry (chemical constituents'' profile). Some pharmacological studies carried out on the various crude alcoholic extracts and purified fractions have, however, revealed that mistletoes showed hypotensive, hypoglycaemic, antilipidaemic, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, etc. effects and were non-toxic in experimental animals at the doses used. The findings showed that mistletoes can be very useful as medicinal agents in ameliorating health problems such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, arthritis, pain, cancer and a host of other ailments if properly studied and developed.     

四川寄生的化学成分研究

从寄生于梨树的四川寄生Taxillus sutchuenenisis(Lecomte)Danser中分离并鉴定了9个化合物,分别为:槲皮素(quercetin,Ⅰ),槲皮素3-O-β-D-半乳糖苷(quercetin 3-O-β-D-galactoside,Ⅱ),异槲皮苷(isoquercitrin,Ⅲ),槲皮苷(quercitrin,Ⅳ),芦丁(rutin,Ⅴ),没食子酸(gallic acid,Ⅵ),阿魏酸(ferulic acid,Ⅶ),β-谷甾醇(β-sitosterol,Ⅷ),胡萝卜苷(daucosterol,Ⅸ)。化合物Ⅲ~Ⅸ为首次从该植物中分得。