title: Prolonged cytotoxic effect of aqueous extracts from dried viscum album on bladder cancer cells.
abstract: Aqueous extracts from whole dried mistletoe (Viscum album L., Iscucin) are often used in anti-cancer treatment. We studied the effect of extracts obtained from mistletoe bushes that grew on different host trees on bladder cancer cells by means of MTT-colorimetric cell proliferation/survival assays. The extracts possessed concentration-dependent cytotoxic properties whose extent varied with the host tree, but did not always correlate with the corresponding mistletoe lectin content. A 2-hours treatment of bladder cancer cells triggered a later, strong cytotoxic effect. This prolonged effect suggests that instillation with Iscucin has therapeutic potential for bladder cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hunziker-Basler
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Zuzak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eggenschwiler
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rist
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Simões-Wüst
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viviani
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D028181:Viscum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue