Description:
An evergreen Shrub growing to 1m by 1m.
The stem is yellowish and smooth, freely forked, separating
when dead into bone-like joints. The leaves are tongue-shaped,
broader towards the end, 1 to 3 inches long, very thick and
leathery, of a dull yellow-green colour, arranged in pairs,
with very short footstalks. The flowers, small and inconspicuous,
are arranged in threes, in close short spikes or clusters in
the forks of the branches, and are of two varieties, the male
and female occurring on different plants. Neither male nor
female flowers have a corolla, the parts of the fructification
springing from the yellowish calyx. They open in May. The fruit
is a globular, smooth, white berry, ripening in December.
Distribution and habitat:
Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge.
Viscum album is a species of mistletoe, the species originally
so-named, and also known as European Mistletoe or Common Mistletoe
to distinguish it from other related species. It is native
to Europe, and western and southern Asia.
Hystory:
The Latin name of the genus, Viscum, signifying sticky, was
assigned to it from the glutinous juice of its berries.
The English name is said to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon
Misteltan, tan signifying twig, and mistel from mist, which in
old Dutch meant birdlime; thus, according to Professor Skeat,
Mistletoe means 'birdlime twig,' a reference to the fact that
the berries have been used for making birdlime. Dr. Prior, however
derives the word from tan, a twig, and mistl, meaning different,
from its being unlike the tree it grows on. In the fourteenth
century it was termed 'Mystyldene' and also Lignum crucis, an
allusion to the legend just mentioned. In Brittany,
where the Mistletoe grows so abundantly, the plant is called
Herbe de la Croix, because, according to an old legend, the
Cross was made from its wood, on account of which it was degraded
to be a parasite.
It has always attracted interest and has been surrounded
by a number of myths and legends. In some countries it plays
a part in Christmas festivities. It also features in the
popular Asterix comic books, where mistletoe collected from
oaks was considered to have special qualities.
Romans, celtics and Germans believed that Mistletoe is a
key to the supernatural. Mistletoe stood for sex and fertility.
Hence our current tradition of exchanging kisses under a
sprig of mistletoe.
Parts used:
Leaves and young twigs, berries.
Constituens:
Mistletoe contains mucilage, sugar, a fixed oil, resin, an
odorous principle, some
Tannin and various salts. The active
part of the plant is the resin, Viscin, which by fermentation
becomes a yellowish, sticky, resinous mass, which can be used
with success as a birdlime.
The preparations ordinarily used are a fluid extract and the
powdered leaves. A homoeopathic tincture is prepared with spirit
from equal quantities of the leaves and ripe berries, but is
difficult of manufacture, owing to the viscidity of the sap.
Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Fruit.
The ripe fruit is edible. Some caution is advised, see notes
above on toxicity.
Medicinal Uses:
Antispasmodic;
Cardiac;
Cytostatic;
Diuretic;
Hypotensive;
Narcotic;
Nervine;
Stimulant;
Tonic;
Vasodilator.
Mistletoe is chiefly used to lower blood pressure and heart
rate, ease anxiety and promote sleep. In low doses it can also
relieve panic attacks and headaches, and also improves the
ability to concentrate. The plant's efficacy as an anticancer treatment
has been subject to a significant amount of research - there
is no doubt that certain constituents of the plant , especially
the viscotoxins, exhibit an anticancer activity
but the value of the whole plant in cancer treatment
is not fully accepted. It is said that the constituents of
mistletoe vary according to the host plant it is growing on
- that found on oak trees is said to be superior. Because of
the potential side effects, this plant should only be used
internally under the guidance of a skilled practitioner. Using
the plant internally can provoke intolerant reactions to certain
substances. The leaves and young twigs contain several medically
active compounds. They are
antispasmodic,
cardiac,
cytostatic,
diuretic,
hypotensive,
narcotic,
nervine,
stimulant,
tonic and
vasodilator.
They are harvested just before the berries form and are dried
for later use. Mistletoe has a reputation for curing epilepsy
and other convulsive nervous disorders. The effect of the correct
dosage is to lessen and temporarily benumb the nervous activity
that causes the spasms, but larger doses can produce the problem.
Mistletoe has also been employed in checking internal haemorrhages,
in treating high blood pressure and in treating cancer of
the stomach, lungs and ovaries. Externally, the plant has been
used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, chilblains, leg ulcers
and varicose veins. A homeopathic remedy is made from equal
quantities of the berries and leaves. It is difficult to make
because of the viscidity of the sap.
Others Uses:
None known
Dosage:
Prepare an infusion of the leaves and young branches (diced),
using 1 tsp. of herb to 1 pint of water. It is unnecessary
to allow it to steep more than 30 minutes. The dosage is
1 tbsp. daily, increasing to 3 if no improvement is shown.
Not recommended for children. The juice from mistletoe berries dabbed on obstinate pimples will
cause them to disappear. And it will also loosen stiff
joints when massaged into the skin.
Cold Extract:
1. soak 1 tsp. young twigs in 1 cup of cold water for 24
hours. Take 1 cup per day, in 3 equal parts morning, noon,
and night.
2. soak 6 tsp. leaves in 1 1/2 cups cold water for 6 to
8 hours. Take 1 1/2 cups in the course of a day, a mouthful
at a time.
Juice: Wet the leaves and young twigs.
When the water has been absorbed, press to extract the juice.
Take 2 to 4 tsp. per day.
Safety:
All parts of the plant are poisonous though the toxicity level
is very slight.
