The impact of extract of mistletoe on tumour cells and hemostasis of human plasma

Abstract

Background: The plant Viscum album (Mistletoe) is a known source of biologically active substances, used in traditional medicine in Europe and Asia.

Aim: The goal was to study cytotoxic/cytostatic effect of mistletoe extract on tumour and normal cells and its influences on certain proteins of the blood coagulation system.

Setting: Mistletoe was collected in Ukraine in November 2020.

Methods: Water extract of V. album, both leaves and stems, was obtained and fractionated; it was characterised using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry and tested on cancer cells and blood plasma.

Results: Extract demonstrated the presence of viscotoxins and carbohydrates and thermolabile compounds that enhance the activity of thrombin and factor X in plasma in the presence of calcium ions and increased the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) by 2.7 times. The cytotoxic/cytostatic action of the mistletoe fractions, the total extract and the fraction <10 000 Da were higher in relation to Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells than with Vero cells. The IC50 of total extract for LLC cells was 35% (p < 0.05) lower than that for Vero cells (1.12 ± 0.2 and 1.71 ± 0.15 mg/ml). Thus, the IC50 of the fraction <10 000 Da for LLC cells was more than by 44% (p < 0.05) lower than that for Vero cells (2.07 ± 0.26 and 3.67 ± 0.41 mg/ml).

Conclusion: It was shown that both extracts exhibited a cytotoxic/cytostatic effect, more pronounced against tumour cells than normal cells and enhanced the clotting of blood plasma by thermolabile compounds by facilitating plasma coagulation.

Contribution: This research makes it possible to study mistletoe as a light and cheap anticancer therapy plant and cure blood coagulopathy or construct antibleeding bandages.