Mistletoe in immunology and the clinic (short review)

The recent meeting of the AGMIF; (Working Group for Mistletoe Therapy and I mmunological Research) held in Herdecke, Germany, on October 3(rd), 1997, c overed recent developments in the field of immunological and biological pro perties of Viscum album L., the European mistletoe, which is used for adjuv ant cancer treatment. So far, one extract component, the mistletoe lectin ( ML) -1, was propagated by some researchers to be the only relevant substanc e within the extracts. However, immunological activities of other extract c omponents such as polysaccharides, vesicles, chitin-binding lectin and thei r interactions discussed in the first part, underline the significance of t he other components as well. In the second part, clinical evidence for the beneficial effects of subcutaneous and intratumoral application of mistleto e therapy was presented by different working groups. However, further resea rch is of great importance to carefully analyse and characterize the involv ed molecules and exact mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects reporte d in this meeting.