Department of Natural Medicinal Products and Dietary Supplements, National Medicines Institute, Chełmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland.
Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, United States.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Mar 1;231:241-252. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.11.025. Epub 2018 Nov 17.
Viscum album L., commonly known as mistletoe, has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various neurological diseases, including epilepsy, hysteria, nervousness, hysterical psychosis, dizziness and headaches.
The aim of this review is to summarize existing evidence confirming the influence of mistletoe on the central nervous system and to investigate the compounds that may be responsible for this activity.
Available information from studies of various species of the Viscum L. genus was collected from scientific journals, books, and reports via a library and an electronic data search (Elsevier, Google Scholar, PubMed, Springer, Science Direct, ResearchGate, and ACS).
The main chemical constituents of Viscum L. species are viscotoxins, lectins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, sterols, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids. Various extracts of Viscum album L. showed central nervous system activity, including antiepileptic, sedative, antipsychotic, anxiolytic, antidepressant and antinociceptive effects in mice and rats. Additionally, the extracts increased the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, prevented apoptotic neuronal death induced by amyloid β and weakly inhibited cholinesterase activity.
Numerous historical references describe the use of mistletoe for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. In recent years, studies have started to confirm the antiepileptic, antipsychotic, sedative and antinociceptive effects of mistletoe. Additionally, mistletoe can be used as a complementary treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The therapeutic effect of mistletoe might be a result of the synergistic interactions of various secondary metabolites, including mistletoe-specific lectins. Further studies of the chemical composition and CNS activity of mistletoe are required. The mechanisms of action, target sites, pharmacokinetics, metabolic mechanisms, adverse effects and interactions of mistletoe with other drugs must also be investigated, as well.
槲寄生，俗称槲寄生，在传统医学中已被使用了数个世纪，用于治疗各种神经系统疾病，包括癫痫、歇斯底里、神经质、歇斯底里性精神病、头晕和头痛。
本综述的目的是总结现有的证据，证实槲寄生对中枢神经系统的影响，并研究可能负责这种活性的化合物。
通过图书馆和电子数据搜索（Elsevier、Google Scholar、PubMed、Springer、Science Direct、ResearchGate 和 ACS），从各种槲寄生属种的研究中收集了关于该属种的可用信息。
槲寄生属种的主要化学成分是 viscotoxins、凝集素、类黄酮、酚酸、萜类、甾醇、苯丙素类和生物碱。各种槲寄生提取物在小鼠和大鼠中表现出中枢神经系统活性，包括抗癫痫、镇静、抗精神病、抗焦虑、抗抑郁和镇痛作用。此外，提取物还增加了脑源性神经营养因子的水平，防止淀粉样β诱导的神经元凋亡，并轻度抑制乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性。
许多历史文献都描述了槲寄生用于治疗中枢神经系统疾病。近年来，研究开始证实槲寄生的抗癫痫、抗精神病、镇静和镇痛作用。此外，槲寄生还可以用作阿尔茨海默病的辅助治疗。槲寄生的治疗效果可能是由于各种次生代谢物的协同相互作用，包括槲寄生特异性凝集素。需要进一步研究槲寄生的化学成分和 CNS 活性。还必须研究槲寄生的作用机制、靶位、药代动力学、代谢机制、不良反应以及与其他药物的相互作用。
