These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: In vitro investigation into the potential of a mistletoe extract to alleviate adverse effects of cyclophosphamide.
    Author: Burkhart J, Wälchli C, Heusser P, Weissenstein U, Baumgartner S, Andres AC.
    Journal: Altern Ther Health Med; 2010; 16(3):40-8. PubMed ID: 20486623.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: Mistletoe extracts have been shown to provide deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-stabilizing effects in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro. We investigated the effect of a mistletoe extract on PBMC with and without concomitant treatment with cyclophosphamide and compared mitochondrial activity and replication of normal PBMC with that of a T-cell leukemia cell line. DESIGN: The experiments were performed with PBMC of healthy blood donors and the T-cell leukemia Jurkat cell line. Cells were pre-incubated with mistletoe extract for 60 to 65 hours. 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-hpc, precursor of 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide) was added for 2 hours, after which mitochondrial activity and replication were measured. All experiments were randomized and blinded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cell mitochondrial activity and replication were assessed with spectrophotometric analysis of WST-1 reduction and BrdU incorporation. RESULTS: The application of 4-hpc consistently reduced mitochondrial activity and replication of PBMC and Jurkat cells. Mistletoe extract strongly enhanced PBMC mitochondrial activity and replication (with or without 4-hpc) and partially inhibited Jurkat cell replication (with 4-hpc only). Compared to mistletoe untreated cells, enhancement ofPBMC mitochondrial activity by mistletoe extract was independent of treatment with 4-hpc, but enhancement of PBMC replication by mistletoe extract was stronger when treated with 4-hpc. CONCLUSIONS: Mistletoe extract strongly stimulated healthy PBMC but not malignant Jurkat cells. In addition, mistletoe extract seemed to partially protect healthy PBMC-but not malignant Jurkat cells-from the cytostatic effect of 4-hpc. The results motivate further preclinical and clinical investigations of mistletoe extracts as an adjuvant medication in cancer therapy to alleviate side effects of conventional therapy.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]