The VISCUM ALBUM preparation Isorel inhibits the growth of melanoma B16F10 by influencing the tumour-host relationship

Journal/Book: Anti-Cancer-Drugs 8 (suppl.1), 17-22. 1997;

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse whether *Viscum* album (mistletoe;Isorel) modulates the tumour-host relationship and whether this might bea basic mechanism of the antitumorous activity of the drug. The effectsof a single intraperitoneal injection of the drug (100 mg/kg single'planta tota' dose) were analysed for mice-bearing melanoma B16F10growing in the hind limb. Injection of Isorel reduced the size of thetumour and caused abundant tumour necrosis with inflammatory response,oedema and destruction of the malignant tissue. Furthermore, thelymphocytes of saline-treated tumorous mice were not able to respond tothe mitogenic lectin concanavalin A in vitro, while those of mistletoeextract-treated mice showed high reactivity to the mitogen, but only ifcultured in the medium supplemented with the plasma of the mistletoeextract-treated mice. Moreover, melanoma cells exposed to the mistletoeextract were more sensitive to the cytotoxic activity of the lymphocytesthan the control tumour cells, particularly in the presence of theplasma of mistletoe extract-treated mice. The plasma itself, however,did not show any cytotoxic activity. These results indicate that theantitumour activity of the mistletoe drug is due to a modulation of thetumour-host relationship, mediated by direct cytotoxicity of the drug totumour cells and/or through a potentiation of immune response bycertain, as yet unidentified, growth modifying humoral factors of thehost.COPYRIGHT BY Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands END OF DOCUMENT

Keyword(s): Medical:melanoma-b16 /drug therapy

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