[Detection and quantitative determination of lectins and viscotoxins in mistletoe preparations]

Mistletoe lectins and viscotoxins, which up to now have been isolated only from plant material, were detected and quantitatively determined in the mistletoe preparation Iscador and in a fermented mistletoe extract. Lectins were isolated by affinity chromatography and analyzed by isoelectric focussing. Thus, in Iscador and in the fermented mistletoe extract only the mistletoe lectins ML II/III were found whereas typical proteins of the ML I complex were missing. The lectin content of the preparation and the extract was determined by "single radial immunodiffusion" (SRID). For identification and quantitative determination of viscotoxins, a HPLC method was designed.