Stimulation of neutropoiesis by a special standardized mistletoe preparation after cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in mice.

Lektinol, is a special mistletoe preparation (SMP) with immunostimulatory activity, standardized with respect to bioactive mistletoe lectin, one of the most active components of mistletoe. In the present study, stimulation of leukopoiesis by SMP was investigated in mice after induction of myelosuppression by the cytostatic agent cyclophosphamide (CP). Under the experimental conditions described, CP induced severe leukopenia followed by a recovery phase where leukopoiesis was distinctly enhanced in mice treated additionally with SMP at daily intravenous doses in a range of 30 to 5000 microliters/kg body weight. This phenomenon was mainly due to a stimulation of granulopoiesis resulting in a stronger increase of metamyelocyte and mature neutrophil counts in the peripheral blood.