American mistletoe

Herbal medicine
An evergreen with sedative principals once used for hypertension, menstrual disorders, paralysis, seizures, strokes, tuberculosis, poisoning and as an abortifacient.

Toxicity
American mistletoes is listed by the FDA as an unsafe product.

A·mer·i·can mis·tle·toe

(ă-mer'i-kăn mis'ĕl-tō)

Phoradendron leucarpum, a plant most often encountered as a Christmas decoration; purported medicinal value in treating internal disorders and as an anticarcinogenic.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

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References in periodicals archive

American mistletoe and its leafy cousins seldom kill, but they do rob their hosts of moisture and some minerals, causing stress during drought and reducing crop production on fruit and nut trees.

The truth about mistletoe: there's more to this traditional holiday plant than love and kisses. (mother's nature)

But in the 500 hours that the scientists staked out the plant, no birds ate the South American mistletoe, Tristerix corymbosus.

Nightlife: Marsupial meets mistletoe

There are basically two types of mistletoe: European, which is thought to have medicinal properties and American Mistletoe, the one we associate with our kissing custom and which is known to be toxic.

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