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Natural Resources
Plants are the basis and the most important ingredient of our natural remedies. For us, it is essential to cultivate and harvest them carefully and sustainably in order to be able to extract their ingredients in the highest quality possible during the production process.
Our Plants
In addition to mistletoe, other plants are used to provide support in cancer treatment. We focus our research primarily on the following:
- White-berried European mistletoe (lat.Viscum album L.)
- Icelandic moss (lat. Cetraria islandica)
- Christmas rose (lat. Helleborus niger)
Local Resources
We focus on regionality and sustainability: Our plants grow in wild and cultivated areas in Switzerland, Germany and France. Climatically suitable locations with optimal soil conditions are important for them. Immediately after harvesting, we transport the plants to our headquarters in Arlesheim, Switzerland, for further processing.
Cultivation and Supply Security
Mistletoe grows very slowly: It is only ready to be harvested after about 12 to 15 years. Therefore, we have to plan ahead and recognize challenges at an early stage. Climatic changes and diseases influence nature, the trees, and thus also mistletoe.
This is the reason why we tend it carefully and support its natural spread, which takes place through certain bird species, with targeted cultivation. To do so, we spread mistletoe seeds on young branches in the tree crown, where they can develop into large mistletoe bushes until they are ready for harvesting.
The Biology of Mistletoe
Mistletoe was already valued in the ancient world as a medicinal plant for various diseases. For over 100 years it has been used in integrative cancer therapy.
Its botanical characteristics were the starting point and essential for the development of anthroposophical mistletoe pharmacy. Various studies prove the effects of this unique plant. According to research, two substances seem to be most important for the mistletoe’s use in cancer therapy: Viscotoxins and mistletoe lectins.
Mistletoe Host Trees
Mistletoe is a flowering plant without roots on the ground. It lives on trees or bushes and receives water and nutrients from its host plant. There exist over 1‘000 mistletoe species worldwide. Among them, the white-berried European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) has the widest range of potential host trees. Three subspecies can be found in Central Europe: hardwood mistletoe on various deciduous trees (such as apple tree, elm and oak), pine mistletoe and fir mistletoe.
