Antitumor and antibacterial activities of <i>Viscum album</i> L. grown on different host trees

Abstract

AIM: The present study aims to investigate for the first time antitumor and antibacterial activities of Viscum album L. grown on different host trees. METHODS: Two different bioassays (antitumor and antibacterial) were performed to evaluate the biological activities of European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) plants collected from 13 different host trees (Crataegus tanacetifolia, Crataegus monogyna, Abies nordmanniana, Pinus sylvestris, Pyrus elaeagnifolia, Pyrus communis, Malus sylvestris, Prunus spinosa, Prunus divaricata, Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix alba, Populus nigra and Sorbus torminalis). For each mistletoe sample collected from different host trees, 2 different extracts (aqueous and ethanol) were prepared and totally 26 extracts were tested. Antitumor activity was evaluated with potato disc diffusion bioassay. The disc diffusion assay was used to screen for antibacterial activity. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae which are Gram-negative bacteria, and Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes which are Gram-positive bacteria were used. RESULTS: The aqueous extract of V. album collected from P. divaricata (87.3 % inhibition) revealed the best antitumor activity. Furthermore, aqueous extract of mistletoe hosted by P. elaeagnifolia (69.0 % inhibition) and ethanolic extract of mistletoe hosted by P. sylvestris (67.6 % inhibition) exhibited significant antitumor activity. All mistletoe extracts did not reveal any antibacterial activity against used bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed a significant effect of host tree on the antitumor activity of V. album.