title: Evaluation of Preclinical Assays to Investigate an Anthroposophic Pharmaceutical Process Applied to Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) Extracts.
abstract: Extracts from European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) developed in anthroposophic medicine are based on specific pharmaceutical procedures to enhance remedy efficacy. One such anthroposophic pharmaceutical process was evaluated regarding effects on cancer cell toxicity in vitro and on colchicine tumor formation in Lepidium sativum. Anthroposophically processed Viscum album extract (APVAE) was produced by mixing winter and summer mistletoe extracts in the edge of a high-speed rotating disk and was compared with manually mixed Viscum album extract (VAE). The antiproliferative effect of VAE/APVAE was determined in five cell lines (NCI-H460, DU-145, HCC1143, MV3, and PA-TU-8902) by WST-1 assay in vitro; no difference was found between VAE and APVAE in any cell line tested (P > 0.14). Incidence of colchicine tumor formation was assessed by measurement of the root/shoot-ratio of seedlings of Lepidium sativum treated with colchicine as well as VAE, APVAE, or water. Colchicine tumor formation decreased after application of VAE (-5.4% compared to water, P < 0.001) and was even stronger by APVAE (-8.8% compared to water, P < 0.001). The high-speed mistletoe extract mixing process investigated thus did not influence toxicity against cancer cells but seemed to sustain morphostasis and to enhance resistance against external noxious influences leading to phenomenological malformations.
authors.affiliation: Hiscia Institute, Society for Cancer Research, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland ; Institute of Integrative Medicine, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus, University of Witten-Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313 Herdecke, Germany ; Institute of Complementary Medicine, Inselspital, University of Bern, Imhoof-Pavillon, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7945-6403
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: Hiscia Institute, Society for Cancer Research, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flückiger
authors.affiliation: Hiscia Institute, Society for Cancer Research, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8834-9140
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.affiliation: Hiscia Institute, Society for Cancer Research, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1154-0195
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scherr
authors.affiliation: Hiscia Institute, Society for Cancer Research, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6715-3579
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Urech