High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of a number of risk factors that may increase your chance of suffering a stroke or developing heart disease. If your systolic blood pressure is sustained at 140 or over and your diastolic blood pressure is 90 or above, your doctor will diagnose hypertension. Although the exact cause of high blood pressure is unknown, lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking alcohol are thought to be contributory factors. If you have hypertension, your doctor may ask you to adjust your lifestyle and may also give you medicines to lower your blood pressure. Mistletoe is an alternative remedy for high blood pressure, although there is little evidence to prove it works. Talk to your doctor before using it.
Characteristics
The European mistletoe plant is used to treat a variety of conditions, including cancer, hepatitis and hypertension, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes. Mistletoe is a semiparasitic plant that grows on a number of trees including maple, elm, birch and pine. It contains a number of active compounds including alkaloids and lectins, and according to the National Cancer Institute was regarded as a "cure all" by the Druids and the ancient Greeks.
Efficacy
Studies evaluating the effects of mistletoe on blood pressure are few and far between. However, the results of a study published in the December 2009 issue of the "Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine" show that both a single administration and a 14-day consecutive administration of mistletoe extract significantly reduced blood pressure. However, the study was carried out in an animal model, not in humans.
Use
The leafy shoots of the mistletoe plant are used to make herbal extracts that may be taken orally. However, in Europe, mistletoe extract is sometimes offered as a prescription drug given intravenously or subcutaneously, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicines notes. Talk to your doctor about the best dose and treatment approach for you.
Side Effects
Never consume raw mistletoe: It may cause seizures and even death, NCCAM notes. Injected mistletoe extract may cause itching and redness at the injection site. Other side effects may include flu-like symptoms and fever. In rare cases, it may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock. Only use this herb under the supervision of a doctor.
Contraindications
Do not use this herb if you are pregnant because it may cause the uterus to contract. Also avoid this herb if you have either a primary or secondary brain tumor, leukemia or malignant lymphoma, Drugs.com warns. Always talk to your doctor before using any herb to treat a medical condition.
References
- Patient UK: High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Mistletoe (European)
- National Cancer Institute: Mistletoe Extracts
- PubMed: Study on the Mechanism of Compound Mistletoe Fluid Extract in Relieving Hypertension
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: European Mistletoe
- Drugs.com: Mistletoe
