T4-P-14 Mistletoe (Viscum Album L.) as a source of valuable antioxidants

Abstract

Viscum album L. (Loranthaceae Juss.) is semi-parasitic evergreen shrub distributed in Europe, northwestern part of Africa and Anatolia. The species is hosted by different woody gymnosperm and angiosperm species and it is known that host preference usually reflects in differences in morphological traits and possibly in phytochemical composition. Therefore, there are different subspecies, out of three subspecies (V. album subsp. abietis (Wiesb.) Janchen, subsp. creticum N. Böhling & al. and subsp. austriacum (Wiesb.) Vollm.) occur most frequently on conifers while subsp. album is confined to deciduous host trees and shrubs. In addition to religious and mystical uses, the mistletoe is used in the folk medicine for circulatory and respiratory disorders and as an anticancer remedy.