Dosage

Intervention: 5 to 10 drops per day.
Treatment: 10-15 drops, 3 times per day max.

Directions for use

Shake before using. Take directly on the tongue or in a half glass of water or tea, 15 to 30 minutes
before meals. For long-term treatment, use 6 days out of 7.

Mode of Action

Has a great reputation for curing the 'falling sickness' epilepsy - and other convulsive nervous disorders. It has also been employed in checking internal hemorrhage.
The physiological effect of the plant is to lessen and temporarily benumb such nervous action as is reflected to distant organs of the body from some central organ which is the actual seat of trouble. In this way the spasms of epilepsy and of other convulsive distemper are allayed. Large doses of the plant, or of its berries, would, on the contrary, aggravate these convulsive disorders. Young children have been attacked with convulsions after eating freely of the berries.

The tincture has been recommended as a heart tonic in typhoid fever in place of Foxglove. It lessens reflex irritability and strengthens the heart's beat, whilst raising the frequency of a slow pulse.

Mistletoe is classed as “hypotensive”, meaning it can lower blood pressure. According to David Hoffman, author of “Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices of Herbal Medicine”, “Mistletoe opens up circulation to areas that have been cut off from adequate blood supply by tension. It reduces cardiovascular tension and blood pressure, while bringing in new blood, blood sugar, and healing to areas long cut off, tensed up, weakened, or damaged.”

Its ability to lower blood pressure helps to prevent pressure on the cardiovascular system which in turn prevents the chances of shrinkage of the arteries which can induce atherosclerosis. This action can help to prevent coronary heart disease and strokes.

Mistletoe has also been found to upregulate the nitric oxide pathway. A lack of nitric oxide to the heart can lead to heart failure and other dangerous heart conditions.

A 2012 study published in “Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine” found that Mistletoe extracts from plants grown on lime, locust and hedge-maple trees, significantly protected against nuclear DNA damage. Methanolic extracts were shown to prevent oxidative DNA damage, although its activity is dependant on the host tree.¹

There are many published studies that show the bioactive phenolic compounds in all strains of Mistletoe are powerfully antioxidant, protecting the cells of the body from oxidative stress and free radical damage

Steiner's intuition that mistletoe might help treat cancer is based on the fact that, like cancer, mistletoe is a parasitic growth that eventually kills its host. Inspired by Hahnemann's “like cures like” principle, he believed that an extract of mistletoe would cure cancer. Despite the implausibility of this idea, about 1000 in vitro studies have shown that mistletoe or its main constituents (alkaloids, lectins, and viscotoxins) do have anticancer activity.

Helpful Associations

Ethnobotany
 

Mistletoe contains β-phenylethylamine, tyramine, and structurally related compounds such as iscador. Nervine, antispasmodic, tonic and narcotic. For anxiety, Mistletoe acts to lower the stress hormone cortisol, bringing the nerves down to a more manageable level.

History

Mistletoe was held in great reverence by the Druids. They went forth clad in white robes to search for the sacred plant, and when it was discovered, one of the Druids ascended the tree and gathered it with great ceremony, separating it from the Oak with a golden knife. The Mistletoe was always cut at a particular age of the moon, at the beginning of the year, and it was only sought for when the Druids declared they had visions directing them to seek it. When a great length of time elapsed without this happening, or if the Mistletoe chanced to fall to the ground, it was considered as an omen that some misfortune would befall the nation. The Druids held that the Mistletoe protected its possessor from all evil, and that the oaks on which it was seen growing were to be respected because of the wonderful cures which the priests were able to effect with it. They sent round their attendant youth with branches of the Mistletoe to announce the entrance of the new year. It is probable that the custom of including it in the decoration of our homes at Christmas, giving it a special place of honour, is a survival of this old custom.
The curious basket of garland with which 'Jack-in-the-Green' is even now occasionally invested on May-day is said to be a relic of a similar garb assumed by the Druids for the ceremony of the Mistletoe. When they had found it they danced round the oak to the tune of 'Hey derry down, down, down derry!' which literally signified, 'In a circle move we round the oak. ' Some oakwoods in Herefordshire are still called 'the derry'; and the following line from Ovid refers to the Druids' songs beneath the oak: '---Ad viscum Druidce cantare solebant---.'
Shakespeare calls it 'the baleful Mistletoe,' an allusion to the Scandinavian legend that Balder, the god of Peace, was slain with an arrow made of Mistletoe. He was restored to life at the request of the other gods and goddesses, and Mistletoe was afterwards given into the keeping of the goddess of Love, and it was ordained that everyone who passed under it should receive a kiss, to show that the branch had become an emblem of love, and not of hate.

Contra-Indications

Not to be given to children or pregnant women. Do not take if using MAO inhibitor medication, such as some anti-depressants. Please consult your health practitioner if you are taking any prescription medication before using Mistletoe.

Interactions

Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with EUROPEAN MISTLETOE.

European mistletoe might lower blood pressure.

Taking European mistletoe along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.