Mistletoe

History:

European Mistletoe (not to be confused with American Mistletoe, an entirely different plant that is seldom used medicinally) is a woody perennial that is native to Europe and Asia and continues to grow throughout Europe, as well as northwest Africa, parts of Asia and elsewhere. One of its most notable features is the white berry that ripens during the winter months. This European species of Mistletoe (Viscum album) can be found in the United States, because it was purposely imported in the early 1900s by horticulturist, Luther Burbank, to California as an ornamental from Eurasia. Mistletoe is an evergreen shrub with branches that may extend ten feet across with feathery leaves, yellow flowers and sticky white berries. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant and grows on young branches of deciduous host trees, such as firs, ash, apple, hawthorne and oak. As a true parasite, it assumes the varied nutrients acquired from the host plant; at no time does it receive its nourishment from the soil. The plant is propagated in seeds carried by birds and cannot be cultivated from the soil. Mistletoe has been used therapeutically since ancient times. Both Dioscorides and Galen sang its praises for a variety of uses, including an external preparation made from a glutinous extract, and Hippocrates prescribed the herb internally. One of the earliest writers to discuss the use of Mistletoe in medicine was the Roman naturalist Celsus (53 B.C.- 7 A.D.)  in his work, De Medicina, which is one part of a six-part encyclopediæ and considered a comprehensive look at medicine during ancient Roman times. Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar, described one of the Druids’ most important rituals in his Natural History, written in 77 A.D. Since oak was the most sacred of trees to the Druids, the Mistletoe that grew on this tree was the most sacred of plants because it was believed to have come directly from God. The Druids went forth in white robes to collect it (particularly revering the oak-grown plant) and cutting it with great ceremony, using a golden sickle. The mysterious Druids believed that Mistletoe protected its possessor from all evils, especially regarding Mistletoe from the oak trees to be superior and providing them with many wonderful therapies.The Druids were among many to use Mistletoe in fertility rites, perhaps because of the plant's growth outside of the typical harvest season of other fruiting plants. There are many legends surrounding Mistletoe, and it became embedded in European rituals, folklore and folk medicine. European Mistletoe was an important herb associated with welcoming the New Year and was cut from oak trees at a particular phase of the moon, also using the golden sickle. "Kissing under the Mistletoe" originated in Scandinavian lore. Baldur, the god of peace and light, was killed by an arrow made of Mistletoe, then resurrected by other deities, and the plant was subsequently entrusted to the goddess of love, who established it as a symbol of love, with the custom that anyone passing beneath it should receive a kiss. It is a pungent, bittersweet, warming herb, and the stems and leaves are used in herbal preparations. In 1917, Mistletoe was even introduced as an oncology support in Europe, but there are no conclusive studies in the United States to confirm these applications. The constituents in European Mistletoe vary according to the host tree upon which it grows, but some common properties include glycoproteins, lectins I, II and III (high molecular weight polypeptides and the most active biological components of this plant), alkaloids, polysaccharides, acids (oleic, palmitic, anisic, caffeic, para-coumaric, quinic and vanillic), saponins, viscin (the active resin), potash, quercetin, terpenoids (beta-amyrin, resin acids, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, sterol A), mannitol, inositol, fructose, glucose, starch, syringin, phosphoric acid, mucilage, lignins, tannin, amines (acetycholine, choline, histamine and tyramine) and vitamin C.

Recommended Dosage:
Take one (1) capsule, one (1) to two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
Great caution is advised when taking European Mistletoe Herbal Supplement; it is a very powerful herb, and we recommend its use under the direction of a qualified health care practitioner. Pregnant and nursing women should not use Mistletoe, nor should people with heart problems,Parkinson's diseaseor or those who take MAO inhibitors. All parts of the natural plant are highly poisonous if eaten. Do not take Mistletoe if you have tuberculosis, hyperthyroidism, an inflammatory disease or brain or spinal cord tumors. Those with AIDS must use only under doctor's supervision. Call doctor right away if you have any of the following side effects: low or high blood pressure, fainting, seizures, change in eyesight, hallucinations, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. There have been reports of chills, fever, headache and allergy, and thus if there is itching, rash, tightness in your throat or chest pain, stop taking Mistletoe. There may be interactions with Mistletoe and prescription antihypertensives (an additive hypotensive effect), antiarrhythmics (i.e., Digoxin), due to its negative inotropic property.

Capsule Information:
Our Mistletoe supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules.(click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs.

Special Note:
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Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.