Pharmaceutical Research
In contrast to other mistletoe preparations, the production of abnobaVISCUM is carried out by means of a patented pressing procedure. In the thus-performed production of the pressed sap, the complete spectrum of plant compounds are transferred to the extract. The plant extract contains 75% of the plant material used. The various concentrations of abnobaVISCUM are then prepared with using buffer solution.
Both plant material from the summer harvest and from a winter harvest are used. The two raw materials are separately processed to pressed sap and subsequently mixed in a flow process. This mixing process is meaningful because studies have shown that various pharmacologically active substances are differently distributed during the various seasons. Thus, there is, for example, an especially large quantity of polysaccharides present in the white mistletoe berries, which are only harvested with the winter harvest.
This special type of extraction of abnobaVISCUM has an influence on the formation of liposomes in abnobaVISCUM. Liposomes are cell-like structures, in which it is possible to enclose active substances. It has already been shown in oncology that it is possible to reduce the side effects of cytostatics with liposomes and in the process to increase the concentration in the tumour cells. In this context, liposomes enable a selective transport of the active substances to their target (drug targeting).
Such liposomes, which are also contained in abnobaVISCUM are, e.g., an object of our current research. In the process, the contained liposomes are to be more closely characterised and their influence on the action and tolerability of the preparation investigated.
In addition, investigations on the stability of the components of abnobaVISCUM are part of pharmacological development. In particular, the influences of different productions conditions are an object of our research in this context.
Winter mistletoe before extraction
Device for mixing the mistletoe’s “summer and winter saps”
Raw mistletoe sap
Electron microscopic image of a liposome in abnobaVISCUM