• 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.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate plant growth characteristics and anatomical studies of Korean mistel (Viscum album var. coloratum (Kom.) Ohwi). Parasite position was upper part that has a plenty of sunshine area 5 to 10m apart from the ground, regardless host tree. Stem developed two branch stems from the each basal stem, leaf was grown from the end stems as opposite. Fruit has a light yellow color and berry size was 7 to 8 mm long diameter and it contains seed. Floral bud differentiation initiated with forming rounded dome and arch-shaped floral apex at the beginning stage, and produced heart-shaped sepal following the differentiation of leaf primordia. Floral bud formation processed centeral part first and following bilateral sides were developed in order. Leaf was thick and stoma and guard cell were observed from the two or three inner layers from the epidermis. Mistletoe penetrated cork cambium of host plant and was growing by rooting on xylem. Korean mistel connected to host plant through parasitic organ, haustorium structurally and physiologically.

• 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.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2008

Effects of growth regulators and culture conditions on seed germination, haustorium development, and callus formation of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum (Kom.) Ohwi) were described. Histological examination showed that seed of V. album contained one or two zygotic embryos with rod shape, and actively dividing cells were mainly distributed in radicle region rather than cotyledon of zygotic embryo. The most significant factor for seed germination and haustorium development of V. album was the requirement of the light. Various growth regulators examined in this study failed to substitute the effect of the light on seed germination. The frequency of callus formation was highest at 27.3% when flower buds were cultured onto B5 medium containing $0.1\;mgl^{-1}$ IAA. Explants from other organs were recalcitrant in forming calluses. Culture conditions described in this study could be applied for production of useful metabolites and multiplication of V. album in future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.441-448
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to clarify the distribution, host preference and habitat characterstics of the endangered mistletoe species, Loranthus tanakae in Korea. Seven sites were selected for sampling in Gangwon Province, located in middle of Korea. Parameters including DBH, attached height, twig death, and the number of L. tanakae and Viscum album var. coloratum per tree for all infected individuals were investigated. One thousand, two hundred and seventy L. tanakae plants were found on the 420 host trees with 665 V. album var. coloratum on 227 of the trees. The infested host trees belonged to eight species and one variety species from six genera and five families. The highest percentage (86.9%) of individuals of L. tanakae were growing on Fagaceae. The infected trees occurred between altitudes of 420 m and 1,250 m above the sea level, but most of them were between 600 m and 900 m. The mean DBH and heights of parasitism were 38.6 cm and 13.0 m, respectively. Twig death was also observed on 300 host trees (71.4%) and 1.5 twig per tree. Most of the populations and the distribution of L. tanakae were highly affected by DBH out of some individual tree characteristics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.411-419
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• 2010

Korean mistletoe has a variety of biological effects, such as immunoadjuvant activities. This study investigates the effects of Korean mistletoe lectin (Viscum album L. var. coloratum agglutinin, VCA) on human T lymphocytes to determine whether VCA acts as an immunomodulator. Purified human T-lymphocytes were cultured with VCA and RNA from each point was analyzed using Affymetrix human genome chips containing 22,500 probe sets which represents more than 18,000 transcripts derived from 14,500 human genes. As a result, there was a striking upregulation of genes coding for chemokines. Seventeen genes out of 50 coding for proteins with chemokine activity were upregulated including CXCL9 and IL-8 which are related to the treatment of cancer. In addition, 28 cytokine genes were upregulated including IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-$\gamma$, and TNF-$\alpha$. Taken together, the data suggest that Korean mistletoe lectin, in parallel with European mistletoe, has an ability to modulate human T cell function.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.148.2-149
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• 2003

The inhibitory effect of the lectins (KML-C) isolated from Korean mistletoe (KM; Viscum album coloratum), on tumor metastases produced by highly metastatic murine tumor cells, B 16-BL6 melanoma, colon 26-M3.1 carcinoma and L5178Y-ML25 lymphoma cells, was investigated in syngeneic mice. (omitted)

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.3
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• pp.461-468
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• 2012

This study was conducted to study the seasonal changes of relative water relations parameters by pressure-volume curves of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) leaves for understanding ecological characteristics. In growing season, the osmotic potentials at full turgor (${\Psi}_o^{sat}$) and at incipient plasmolysis (${\Psi}_o^{tlp}$) decreased, while increased the maximum bulk elastic modulus of the cell wall ($E_{max}$) and relavive water content ($RWC^{tlp}$). Korean mistletoe in Quercus variabilis and Korean mistletoe in Quercus mongolica in November showed best maximum perssure potential (${\Psi}_{P,\;max}$). Pressure potential (${\Psi}_P$) and water potential (${\Psi}_L$) in Korean mistletoe in Quercus variabilis were rapidly decreased with decreasing of relative water content. The values of $RWC^{tlp}$ in November were all above 84% showing that the function of osmoregulation is somewhat better, and symplastic water content (Vo/DW) and maximum water content (Vt/DW) were variable seasonally. Thus, responses to water relations of Korean mistletoe in Quercus variabilis and Korean mistletoe in Quercus mongolica such as ${\Psi}_o^{sat},\;{\Psi}_o^{tlp},\;E_{max},\;{\Psi}_{P,\;max},\;RWC^{tlp}$ showed increaing drought tolerance with increasing of leaf aging.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.861-867
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• 2003

Inhibitory effect of the lectins (KML-C) isolated from Korean mistletoe (KM; Viscum album coloratum) on tumor metastases produced by murine tumor cells (B16-BL6 melanoma, colon 26M3.1 carcinoma and L5178Y-ML25 lymphoma cells) was investigated in syngeneic mice. An intravenous (i.v.) administration of KML-C (20-50 ng/mouse) 2 days before tumor inoculation significantly inhibited lung metastases of both B16-BL6 and colon 26-M3.1 cells. The prophylactic effect of 50 ng/mouse of KML-C on lung metastasis was almost the same with that of 100 $\mu$ g/mouse of KM. Treatment with KML-C 1 day after tumor inoculation induced a significant inhibition of not only the experimental lung metastasis induced by B16-BL6 and colon 26M3.1 cells but also the liver and spleen metastasis of L5178Y-ML25 cells. Furthermore, multiple administration of KML-C given at 3 day-intervals after tumor inoculation led to a significant reduction of lung metastasis and suppression of the growth of B16-BL6 melanoma cells in a spontaneous metastasis model. In an assay for natural killer (NK) cell activity. i.v. administration of KML-C (50 ng/mouse) significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity against Yac-1 tumor cells 2 days after KML-C treatment. In addition, treatment with KML-C (50 ng/mouse) induced tumoricidal activity of peritoneal macrophages against B16-BL6 and 3LL cells. These results suggest that KML-C has an immunomodulating activity to enhance the host defense system against tumors, and that its prophylactic and therapeutic effect on tumor metastasis is associated with the activation of NK cells and macrophages.