• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.204.2-204.2
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• 2003

The aqueous extract of European mistletoe (Viscum album, L.) has been used in cancer therapy. The purified mistletoe lectins, main components of mistletoe, have demonstrated cytotoxic and immune-system-stimulating activities. Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. coloratum), a subspecies of European mistletoe, has also been reported to possess anticancer and immunological activities. A galactose- and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine- specific lectin (Viscum album L. coloratum agglutinin, VCA) with Mr 60 kDa was isolated from Korean mistletoe. (omitted)

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.155-161
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• 2002

The mistletoe lectins are major active components in the extract of European mistletoe (Viscum album L) that have been widely used in adjuvant chemotherapy of cancer. This study was performed to investigate the antitumor activity of extract of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) modified with Korean mistletoe lectin (Viscum album var. coloratum agglutinin, VCA). Compared with the results of VCA, survival rate was increased and experimental lung metastasis was reduced by treatment of modified extract (VCM). In addition, the treatment of VCM reduced angiogenesis and VCA-induced toxicity measured by a CAM assay. And VCM inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro in tumor cells originated from tissues which are possible to apply topically without surgery. Taken together, the antitumor activities of VCM-treated group outperformed the activities of the VCA-treated group.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.118-126
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• 2004

The aqueous extract of European mistletoe (Viscum album, L.) has been used in cancer therapy. The purified mistletoe lectins, main components of mistletoe, have demonstrated cytotoxic and immune-system-stimulating activities. Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. coloratum), a subspecies of European mistletoe, has also been reported to possess anticancer and immunological activities. A galactose- and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-specific lectin (Viscum album L. coloratum agglutinin, VCA) with Mr 60 kDa was isolated from Korean mistletoe. Mistletoe preparations have been given subcutaneously due to the low stability of lectin in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of alginate/chitosan microcapsules as a tool for oral delivery of mistletoe lectin. In addition, our strategy has been to develop a system composed of stabilizing cores (granules), which contain mistletoe lectin, extract or powder, coated by a biodegradable polymer wall. Our results indicated that successful incorporation of VCA into alginate/chitosan microcapsules has been achieved and that the alginate/chitosan microcapsule protected the VCA from degradation at acidic pH values. And coating the VCA with polyacrylic polymers, Eudragit, produced outstanding results with ideal release profiles and only minimal losses of cytotoxicity after manufacturing step. The granules prepared with extract or whole plant produced the best results due to the stability in the extract or whole plant during manufacturing process.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.152-154
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• 2002

The methanol extract of Viscum album var. coloratum, Korean mistletoe, showed potent prolongation effects on the bleeding time in rats in vivo, and whole blood clotting time and plasma recalcification time in rats ex vivo. The prolongation effect on the bleeding time of Korean mistletoe is comparable to that of Viscum album L., European mistletoe, 185.6% and 176.5%, respectively. However, the water extracts of the both plants did not show any prolongation effects. Platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor binding assay was carried out to elucidate the action mechanisms of the extracts, and both of the methanol extracts did not show any inhibitory activity. The $LD_{50}$ of the methanol extracts of both mistletoes are more than 2 g/kg. These results suggest that the mehtanol extract of Korean mistletoe might be a potential candidate to develop new drug to improve microcirculation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.592-598
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• 2000

A lectin (agglutinin, VCA) from Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. coloratum) was isolated by affinity chromatograpy on a asialofetuin-Sepharose 4B. The molecular weights of A- and B-chains of VCA were different from those of VAAS. The VCA recognized the antibody of VAAs in the Western blot analysis and ELLA system. We also investigated the synergistic effects of the components in mistletoe by dividing the extract into different molecular weight fractions.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated whether Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. var. coloratum) has anti-inflammatory effects that play key roles in the regulation of pathological mechanism of atopic dermatitis (AD). Four kinds of fractions, hexane (HX), ethyl acetate (EA), butanol (BU), and methylene chloride (MC), were used and RAW264.7 mouse macrophages and RBL-2H3 rat basophils were used to measure various inflammatory markers. EA significantly decreased mRNA expression and protein secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-4 but HX did not affect these markers. In addition, BU decreased mRNA expressions of IL-4 and IL-6 whereas MC decreased IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expressions. As a result, Korean mistletoe can show anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the secretion of cytokines related to AD, so it is thought that it will be possible to develop functional cosmetics related to this.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2002

The extract of European mistletoe ( Viscum album, L) has been used in adjuvant chemotherapy of cancer and mistletoe lectins are considered to be major active components. The present work was performed to investigate the effects of Korean mistletoe lectin (Viscum album L. coleratum agglutinin, VCA) on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatoma cells as well as the underlying mechamisns for these effects. We showed that VCA induced atoptosis in both SK-Hep-1 and Hep 3B (p53-negative) cells through p53- and p21 -independent pathways. VCA induced apoptosis by down-regulation of Bcl-2 and by up-regulation of Bax functioning upstream of caspase-3 in both cell lines. In addition, we observed down-regulation of telomerase activity in both VCA-treated cells. Our results provide direct evidence of the anti-tumor potential of this biological response which comes from inhibition of telomerase and consequent inducing apoptosis. VCA-induced apoptosis is regulated by mitochondria controlled pathway independently of p53. These findings are important for the therapy with preparation of mistletoe because they show that telomerase-dependent mechanism can be targeted by VCA in human hepatocarcinoma. Taken together, our results suggest that the VCA, considered as a telomerase-inhibitor, can be envisaged as a candidate for enhancing sensitivity of conventional anticancer drugs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.662-670
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• 2006

It is well documented that an extract of European mistletoe has a variety of biological effects, such as the stimulation of cytokine production from immune cells, and additional immunoadjuvant activities. While the European mistletoe has been studied intensively, we know less about Korean mistletoe as a therapeutic plant, especially as a possible immunomodulating drug. This study will investigated the effects of Korean mistletoe lectin (Viscum album L. var. coloratum agglutinin, VCA) on murine splenocytes to investigate whether VCA acts as an immunomodulator, which could lead to improved immune responses in these cells. The results showed that VCA inhibited cell proliferation at higher concentrations (at 1-8 ng/ml) and enhanced cell proliferation at lower concentrations (at 4-32 pg/ml). Further studies were carried out to determine if the pro-proliferative or anti-proliferative activity exhibited by VCA was correlated with cytokine secretion. Consequently, interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$ secretion was decreased in concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated murine splenocytes by VCA (4-64 ng/ml), but there was no change in IL-4 levels. This suggests that VCA has the ability to modulate murine splenocyte proliferation and can possibly act on the balance of Th1/Th2 cellular immune responses.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.919-924
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the antimicrobial activities and antioxidant activities of the Korean mistletoe extract and its solvent fractions (e.g. n-hexane, ethyl ether, ethyl acetate, butanol). Ethyl ether fraction against Bacillus cereus showed stronger activities than benzoic acid (2.5 mg/mL). The MIC of korean mistletoe extract and slovent fractions were in the range of 6.25-25 mg/mL. The MIC (6.25 mg/mL) of ethyl acetate fraction onto Staphylocossus aureus was the lowest among them. Ethyl ether fraction which showed the strongest antioxidant activities by DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power) methods had the highest total phenolic contents. It is suggested that Korean mistletoe could be utilized as natural preservative material through the study of the active compounds from ethyl ether fraction.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.650-657
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• 2016

Research has found that the management of the host plant is essential to mistletoe cultivation. A Trunk injection test on the host plant that contained a mixture of indole-3-butryc acid (IBA) and liquid fertilizer was conducted with respect to the improvement of the one year survival rate of mistletoe. As a result, the trunk injection experiments showed the effect of the IBA and liquid fertilizer mixture in all treatments. This mixture was effective to increase the survival rate of mistletoe by 20% with the IBA at 100 mg/L and Hyponex at 100 mg/L. The examination proved that the host plant fertilizer effect was the most effective treatment for organic fertilizer with 60% added NPK (4-2-1). Its effects were higher compared to the control at the length and diameter of one-years-old branches in the host plant, even when the parasitic mistletoe improved its growth in length, diameter, and number of branches. Comparing the control and host plant fertilizer, the latter was the most effective way to process 20 kg per a treatment effect in the experimental site and to process at any time after the inoculation. This treatment is effective to improve the growth of mistletoe by watering the host plant three times per week. Therefore, the management of the host plant is an essential element in the successful cultivation of mistletoe, not only to supply fertilizer and plant hormones to the host plant in the initial inoculation time but also to provide organic fertilizer and irrigation for the host plant.