The healing powers of the mistletoe

Look Out Above

Can you guess what medicinal herb has been used to treat headaches, lung diseases, epilepsy, internal bleeding, nervous conditions and tumors?

I’ll give you a hint: The ancient druids of Europe called it “all heal.”

Need another hint? Okay: If you stand under a sprig of it at Christmastime, you just might get a smooch.

Now you’ve got it. The mistletoe kissing tradition is a tame version of pagan rituals in which special altars were festooned with mistletoe. And let’s just say that a lot more than kissing went on at those altars. But when the party was over, pagan healers put this botanical to use in a variety of healthy ways.

Those ancient healers are long gone, but some practitioners still use mistletoe extract, even as a somewhat controversial cancer treatment.

International herb

In the early 20th century, a naturalist named Rudolf Steiner developed extracts of mistletoe for injection, paving the way for studies that explored the use of mistletoe in the treatment of cancer. Over the years, some of those studies have demonstrated that mistletoe may kill various types of cancer cells while also stimulating the immune system.

Injectable forms of mistletoe are currently illegal in the U.S. (pending FDA approval), but European doctors have been using the botanical for some time now. Most notably, mistletoe appears to improve cancer survival rates while easing the harsh side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. A National Institutes of Health study is currently underway to test the effectiveness and safety of mistletoe injections when given with chemotherapy.

All of the healing benefits of mistletoe come from varieties of the plant grown in northern Europe, Korea and China. Those sprigs hung over doorways at this time of year are almost certainly the American species of mistletoe, which has far less medicinal potency. And while some U.S. naturopathic doctors and herbalists use mistletoe extracts to stimulate insulin production and improve blood sugar levels for diabetics, this botanical can be quite toxic, so it should only be used under the care of a knowledgeable professional.

But it’s still quite safe for coaxing a holiday kiss.

Sources:
“Iscador/Mistletoe” Cancer Cure Foundation” cancure.org