European Mistletoe from Energique®

About Energique’s European Mistletoe Formulation

Mistletoe (Viscum album) is among the oldest and most versatile plants used in traditional herbalism.  It’s rich in both ancient lore and research-supported benefits. To the Romans, it was the Golden Bough of Aeneas, allowing him to safely traverse the underworld. The Druids considered it a panacea, and had elaborate rituals for its gathering meant to honor its sacred relationship to vigor and fertility.  These included gathering it only from sacred oak trees, during a waxing moon, cutting it with a golden sickle so it would never touch iron and catching it with a white cloth so it would not touch the ground. It was considered a gift from heaven and used not only as a healing herb, but as a symbol for immortality.  The most famous modern uses of mistletoe preparations have their origin in alchemy, being gleaned through the Doctrine of Signatures. Its pattern of growth has been likened to angiogenesis, and the parasitic relationship with its host tree is what inspired Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophic medicine, to introduce one of its modern applications.

While the traditional uses of mistletoe are almost too manifold to list, several of its most important applications have been researched to the extent that the responsible active constituents have been identified. Unique fats, proteins, and even carbohydrates found in mistletoe have each been determined to contribute separately to its vitalizing, anti-aging and cellular-protective effects, making the herb as a whole an ideal health and longevity tonic:

Cellular Integrity: these benefits are jointly mediated by two classes of molecules: unique oligosaccharides (carbohydrates), which have been shown to enhance the activity of natural killer (NK) immune cells, and proteins known as viscotoxins which promote the normal apoptosis of damaged cells.

Cardiovascular Function: mistletoe supports nitric oxide synthesis, vasodilation, and even healthy renal function, via the activity of its lipid-based triterpenoids, including the fatty acids oleanolic and betulinic acid.

Healthy Blood Sugar: water-soluble proteins found specifically in aqueous extracts of mistletoe have been shown to support healthy blood sugar levels.

Additionally, water-soluble lectins have been shown to support both relaxation and nerve health.

The Challenge of Extracting Mistletoe

The diversity of mistletoe’s active constituents, which in addition to flavonoids and phenolic compounds include carbohydrate, protein and fatty-acid based molecules, makes this herb, for all its versatility, a particular challenge to extract. Typical extraction methods may focus on either the water-soluble or lipid-based fractions, but often fail to gather the fullest spectrum of the plant’s active constituents. This makes mistletoe an ideal candidate for Energique’s spagyric extraction process, which besides honoring the plant’s esoteric tradition results in a more complete tincture with enhanced bioavailability.

Ingredients: European Mistletoe Aerial Parts (Viscum album) Extract 1.5ml
Other ingredients: Purified water, Ethanol (50%). Organic and wild-crafted herbs used when possible.
Directions for use: Take 10 to 30 drops, in water or juice, 3 times daily or as otherwise directed. Shake well before use.
Precautions: If pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a health professional before use. Consult a physician for use in children under 12 years of age. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if tamper evident seal is broken or missing. Store in a cool dry place.

REFERENCES

i B Tabiasco J, Pont F, Fournié JJ, Vercellone A. Mistletoe viscotoxins increase natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Eur J Biochem. 2002 May;269(10):2591-600. doi: 10.1046/j.1432-1033.2002.02932.x. PMID: 12027898.
ii Szurpnicka A, Kowalczuk A, Szterk A. Biological activity of mistletoe: in vitro and in vivo studies and mechanisms of action. Arch Pharm
Res. 2020 Jun;43(6):593-629. doi: 10.1007/s12272-020-01247-w. Epub 2020 Jul 3. PMID: 32621089; PMCID: PMC7340679.
iii Ibid.