Mistletoe As Medicine

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I was thinking about mistletoe and I wonder if it is even used at Christmastime anymore. Remember? It used to be hung in doorways and if you and someone of the opposite sex went under it gave reason for a kissing situation. I haven't heard of the stuff in years. But, in reading about it I have found some interesting facts about it: Mistletoe lives as a parasite. It grows in a slender projection from the base of certain trees such as Hawthorne, popular, and lime. It is native to Europe and western and southern Asia. Mistletoe is actually used for the treatment of cancer. Secondary and primary brain tumors, malignant lymphoma, and leukemia are types that mistletoe seems to have some effect on. Extracts are usually taken in intravenous dosages of 0.1 to 30 milligrams several times a week. It is also used for hypertension. There are a number of extracts owned by different companies that contain low levels of mistletoe lectin-I, or ML-I, used in cancer therapies. Image courtesy of dreamtime- free stock images.