title: Comparison of Viscum album QuFrF extract with vincristine in an in vitro model of human B cell lymphoma WSU-1.
abstract: Viscum album L. extract (Iscador) with different preparations is used either alone or in combination with chemo/radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with various tumours.Vincristine (CAS 57-22-7) as a chemotherapeutic agent is used mainly in combination with other chemotherapeutic substances in the therapy of B cell lymphoma. In this study, the effects of Viscum album (VA) QuFrF extract and vincristine were compared on B cell lymphoma cell line WSU-1 in an in vitro model. As parameters were measured: proliferation, viability, apoptosis/necrosis, IL-6 production, DNA synthesis and the cell cycle phases of the lymphoma cells at various time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cytostatic (inhibition of proliferation) effects ofVAQuFrF and vincristine at 10 microg/10(5) cells were the same at 48 h and 72 h. This means that the anti-proliferative effect of 2 ng lectin (in 10 microg extract) is equivalent to 10 microg of vincristine. There was a relationship between the cytostatic and cytocidal (killing of viable cells) effects for both substances. This means that both substances first inhibit the proliferation of the tumour cells, and then the cells die by apoptosis or necrosis. VAQuFrF and vincristine reduced the DNA synthesis markedly and arrested the G2/M cell cycle phase. Both substances led to a clearly dose-dependent apoptosis at 12 h and 24 h. Neither VAQuFrF nor vincristine led to IL-6 production of the lymphoma cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of VAQuFrF on the B cell lymphoma cell line WSU-1 were comparable to those of vincristine in all parameters. The effective dose range lay between 50 and 100 microg/10(6) cells for VAQuFrF, for vincristine it was somewhat lower.
authors.affiliation: Society of Cancer Research, Arlesheim, Switzerland. evakovacsbenke@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Toffol-Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028182:Viscum album / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D016207:Cytokines; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014750:Vincristine; C077177:viscum album peptide