Treatment of clinically diagnosed equine sarcoid with a mistletoe extract (Viscum album austriacus).
Abstract: Equine sarcoids (ES) are common, difficult to treat, and have high recurrence rates. Viscum album extracts (VAE) are used in human cancer treatment. Objective: That therapy with VAE (Iscador P) is effective in the treatment of ES. Methods: Fifty-three horses (444 ES); 42 were treated with VAE or placebo as monotherapy; 11 were treated with VAE or placebo after selective excision of ES. Methods: Prospective, randomised, blinded, clinical trial. Horses were randomly assigned to treatment (VAE; n=32) or control group (Placebo; n=21). One milliliter of VAE (Iscador P) in increasing concentrations from 0.1 to 20 mg/mL or physiological NaCl solution was given SC 3 times a week over 105 days. Number, localization, and type of the ES were documented over 12 months. A subset of 163 clinically diagnosed equine sarcoid (CDES) lesions (95 VAE, 68 Placebo) was evaluated in detail, considering clinical findings and tumor volume. Results: No undesired adverse effects were observed except for mild edema at the injection site in 5 of 32 horses (16%). Complete or partial regression was observed in 13 horses of the VAE group (41%) and in 3 of the control horses (14%; P<.05). After VAE treatment, 48 of 95 CDES (67%) showed an improvement compared with 17 of 68 CDES in the control group (40%; P<.01). Twenty-seven CDES had disappeared completely in the VAE group (38%) compared with 9 CDES in the control group (13% NS). Conclusions: VAE (Iscador P) represents a safe and effective treatment for CDES.
Copyright © 2010 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Publication Date: 2010-10-12 PubMed ID: 21039860DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2010.0597.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research evaluates the effectiveness of a mistletoe extract (Viscum album austriacus) on treating horse sarcoids (ES). The study found that the extract, known as Iscador P, not only helped significantly reduce sarcoids, but did so without any severe adverse effects.
Research Objective and Methodology
- The main objective of the research was to evaluate the efficacy of a mistletoe extract, Iscador P, in treating equine sarcoids – a common and difficult to treat horse skin condition.
- There were 53 horses observed in the study, all of which were clinically diagnosed with ES. Of these, 42 were treated with either VAE (Viscum album extract) or a placebo. Another 11 horses were treated with either VAE or a placebo after selective excision of ES.
- The research was carried out as a prospective, randomised, blinded, clinical trial. Horses were randomly divided into two groups – 32 treated with VAE and 21 presented with a placebo. Treatments were administered three times a week for a period of 105 days.
- Throughout the study, each horse’s condition was documented over a period of 12 months, with researchers noting the number, type, and location of the ES. A subset of 163 clinically diagnosed equine sarcoid (CDES) lesions was evaluated in detail considering clinical findings and tumor volume.
Research Results
- The results of the study demonstrated that the use of VAE was not only safe but also effective. No significant adverse effects were observed other than minor edema at the injection site in 16% of treated horses.
- Complete or significant reduction of ES was seen in 41% of horses treated with VAE, compared to only 14% in the control group which received a placebo.
- Further, 67% (or 48 out of 95) of CDES showed improvement after treatment with VAE, compared to 40% (or 17 out of 68) in the control group.
- The study also found a total resolution of 27 CDES in the VAE group – which stands at 38% of this group’s cases, while only 13% (or 9 out of 68) of the control group experienced this outcome.
Conclusions
- Based on the results, the research concluded that Viscum album extract (Iscador P) is a safe and effective treatment for CDES.
Cite This Article
APA
Christen-Clottu O, Klocke P, Burger D, Straub R, Gerber V.
(2010).
Treatment of clinically diagnosed equine sarcoid with a mistletoe extract (Viscum album austriacus).
J Vet Intern Med, 24(6), 1483-1489.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2010.0597.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland. ophelie.christen@fibl.org
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use
- Double-Blind Method
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Plant Extracts / chemistry
- Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
- Prospective Studies
- Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
- Skin Neoplasms / veterinary
- Viscum album / chemistry
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Nicoletti M. The Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Viscum album. Plants (Basel) 2023 Mar 27;12(7).
- Valle ACV, Brunel HDSS, Dallago BSL, Rodrigues LS, Malard PF, da Costa RA, Rossetto R, de Andrade RV. In-Vitro Growth Kinetics of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cytotoxicity Tests Using Low-Diluted Viscum Album. Homeopathy 2023 Feb;112(1):40-49.
- Bonamin LV, de Carvalho AC, Waisse S. Viscum album (L.) in experimental animal tumors: A meta-analysis. Exp Ther Med 2017 Jun;13(6):2723-2740.
- Rothacker CC, Boyle AG, Levine DG. Autologous vaccination for the treatment of equine sarcoids: 18 cases (2009-2014). Can Vet J 2015 Jul;56(7):709-14.
- Saha C, Hegde P, Friboulet A, Bayry J, Kaveri SV. Viscum album-mediated COX-2 inhibition implicates destabilization of COX-2 mRNA. PLoS One 2015;10(2):e0114965.
- Wilford S, Woodward E, Dunkel B. Owners' perception of the efficacy of Newmarket bloodroot ointment in treating equine sarcoids. Can Vet J 2014 Jul;55(7):683-6.
- Hegde P, Maddur MS, Friboulet A, Bayry J, Kaveri SV. Viscum album exerts anti-inflammatory effect by selectively inhibiting cytokine-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2. PLoS One 2011;6(10):e26312.
- Kienle GS, Grugel R, Kiene H. Safety of higher dosages of Viscum album L. in animals and humans--systematic review of immune changes and safety parameters. BMC Complement Altern Med 2011 Aug 28;11:72.
- Beermann A, Hamza E, Reinhard S, Koch C, Oberhänsli T, Unger L. Selected microRNAs as biomarkers in sarcoid-affected horses under immunotherapy with a mistletoe extract. J Vet Diagn Invest 2026 Jan;38(1):33-40.
- Smith CH, Stewart HL, Stefanovski D, Levine DG. Outcomes following autologous tumor tissue implantation with or without concurrent antineoplastic therapies in the treatment of sarcoids in 50 equids. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1559519.
- Labens R, Saba C, Williams J, Hollis A, Ensink J, Jose-Cunilleras E, Jordana-Garcia M, Bergvall K, Ruppin M, Condon F, Spelta C, Elce Y, De Ridder T, Morton J, McGee C, Reddell P. Intratumoural tigilanol tiglate in the multicentre treatment of equine sarcoids and cutaneous melanomas. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):89-104.
- Beermann A, Clottu O, Reif M, Biegel U, Unger L, Koch C. A randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded study comparing oral and subcutaneous administration of mistletoe extract for the treatment of equine sarcoid disease. J Vet Intern Med 2024 May-Jun;38(3):1815-1824.
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