Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi” University of Targu Jiu, Engineering Series , No. 3/2016 ECOLOGY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MISTLETOE (VISCUM ALBUM L.) ACTION Popa Roxana-Gabriela, University Constantin Brâncuși of Târgu Jiu, Gorj, ROMÂNIA ABSTRACT: Mistletoe is a parasitic plant species,widespread in the hilly and mountainous regions, used as an ornamental plant, but also as a medicinal plant, it is used only for therapeutic action leaves because the fruits are toxic. Loodsucking species of hardwood and softwood, but also shrubs. Species that grow influence the chemical composition of mistletoe. Mistletoe is a plant atypical because linear logic does not adhere to the development of the plant, ignores heliotropism and geotropism, germinate only light, ignore rhythm and the laws seasons. Mistletoe has a diverse chemical composition and very active, plant body used in therapy being the leaves and young branches. KEY WORDS: mistletoe, ecology, composition, action 1. INTRODUCTION areas, in cities, along underground watercourses. Fix host by sucker primary, Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) belongs to the which develops suckers secondary, grows and family Loranthaceae and is a native species, develops very slowly, species of hardwood widespread in northern Europe, to northwest and softwood: poplar, willow, hornbeam, Africa and east Asia, to Japan. Popular name alder, beech, oak, flasks, elm, apple, apple is white mistletoe, stoletnic, pear mistletoe, tree, pear, mountain ash, plum, maple, cherry, mistletoe fir, but is known as the golden sour cherry, acacia, walnut, ash, birch, maple, bough, glue birds, grass or plant druid healing linden, hawthorn, spruce, fir, pine forests, in (fig. 1). the hills and mountains. Species that grows influence the chemical composition of mistletoe. Thus, the best host species are birch, fir, ash, apple and hair, and the most toxic maple, linden, willow, poplar. 2. MISTLETOE ECOLOGY Increasing mistletoe it is realizing when following conditions are met: Fig. 1. Mistletoe (Viscum Album L.) consumption of seeds by a bird (jay or mistletoe thrush) It is a species plant parasite, herbaceous, 30- germination and trening haustor light 60 cm high, evergreen, who lives about 70 conditions years. It is used as an ornamental plant, but the elimination of carbohydrate in also as a medicinal plant, being used for conducting vessels of the host tree therapeutic action only leaves, because the Developing mistletoe following steps: fruits are toxic. Mistletoe appears in polluted 156 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi” University of Targu Jiu, Engineering Series , No. 3/2016 phase main activity of mistletoe – help of photographs taken at short baking mucilaginous grain in winter, intervals, time lapse method, a film when the host tree has no leaves with accelerated playback, that within mistletoe seeds do not reach the 28 days, during a monthly cycle, each ground, not germinate after a period of branch starts to tilt movements slow rest on the ground, but only after they forming a ball-shaped bush. This form, are eaten by birds mistletoe keep for life, no longer inside pearls are more embryos green guided by the position of the sun and after a while spent in the stomach of the direction toward the center of the birds, they get in their droppings and earth. Center is within him and be tree branches (phage mistletoe does guided by its ambience, circular in all not grow ever, the oak rarely, showing directions. It forms a globular that mistletoe embryo coniferous can reaching up to 1-2 meters in diameter never grow a category tree foiaselor (fig. 2). and vice versa) when the light reaches the seeds, they sprout and there is a vine (suckers), which penetrate deep within the branch bark and form roots reaching wood vessels of the host tree mistletoe extract its not never only water and minerals from the soil, but through the tree, which donates a portion of gross sap taken from its Fig. 2. Growth and development of mistletoe roots and a part of the substances synthesized for him (there are male From the ecological point of view, it plants and female and both derive demonstrated that: their water and minerals the host tree mistletoe does not adhere to linear and produce carbohydrates through logic of plant development photosynthesis) ignore heliotropism (orientation to the in winter, when raw sap stream stops, sun) and geotropism (grow upside mistletoe eliminates carbohydrate down, sideways or in any direction) substances with antifreeze action in germinate only to light (as opposed to conductive vessels that supply the most plants require darkness to tree, forcing continue to circulate sap germinate) stream, while the vessels supplying ignore rhythm and laws seasons only tree they are at rest flower buds are formed in may, but do after the haustor and roots develop, not open until february; fruits ripen in mistletoe manufactures leaves, the middle of next winter; process identical in shape, it is similar from flower to fruit lasts 2 year cotyledons and the upper and lower (anglosaxons called this plant mistl face of the same limb, which makes tan tan = branch different because of this species to be unique its peculiariti) in the early years, plant stands, is ripe fruits, green fruits, flowers and regularly branching V-shaped, the immature leaves are open at the same shape of a small tree time on the same plant third year of life, appear first branches In 1961 year, laboratory studies have shown floriferous and form mistletoe total that, mistletoe, together with other change. Researchers Rolf and Thomas immunostimulating plants (eupatorium, Goebel Dorka demonstrated with the astragalus, echinacea, acanthopanax, 157 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi” University of Targu Jiu, Engineering Series , No. 3/2016 chamomile) inhibit tumors in mice. Mistletoe branches are distinguished by the host. The originated from oak, after fermentation, most valuable in terms of quality mistletoe is stimulates the activity of cancer cells and that parasitize apple, then the increased pear, produce a particularly strong effect on rats fir, birch, and ash rose, as demonstrated hematoma (liver cancer). Mistletoe consistent between the toxicity of mistletoe unfermented produce a powerful effect on bushes and tree on which it grows. Not human leukemia type molt-4 cells, and korean harvested mistletoe on maple, linden, willow, mistletoe (Viscum coloratum) is active in poplar, because it is very toxic. inhibiting the growth of leukemia L1210, The branches of mistletoe have the following when used fresh. chemical composition (fig. 4): The resources of mistletoe plant (fig. 3) are: triterpenoid saponins train - short, cylindrical, woody, viscina thick, branched, thickened at nodes, viscitoxina where they break easily, chestnur-gray amines (choline, acetylcholine, with color, greenish-yellow, rarely yellow - antiseptic) gray inositol (cyclohexane -1,2,3,4,5,6 - leaves - opposite edges entire, lacking HEXOL, a polyol chemical formula petioles, thick, oblong-oval, with C6H12O6 or (-CHOH-)6) rounded tip, wider at the top than at beta amyrin the bottom, brushless, 4-5 ribs visible oleanoic acid derivatives on the bottom, smooth, leathery to the (immunostimulatory) touch, green - yellowish, 2-4 cm long fatty substances extracted from oleic flowers - appear on the branches of a acid, linoleic acid, palmitic year, are small, greenish-yellow, free beta and alpha blizzard from defect, grouped two or three triterpenoid saponins (male and female flowers are arranged phenyl-ethyl-amine each on separate bushes) mucilage fruits - berries round, green on top and white translucent maturity, are amino acids grouped two or three viscous acid seeds - are number two in a sticky polysaccharide substance and mature in december glycoside (siringina) quercitina minerals vitamins C and E Fig. 3. The resources of mistletoe plant 3.CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHARMACODYNAMIC ACTION OF inositol MISTLETOE Mistletoe has a chemically diverse and very active. Body plant used for therapeutic purposes are the leaves and young branches (Herba viscera) harvested all year round, but especially during the winter when tree beta-amyrin oleic acid 158 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi” University of Targu Jiu, Engineering Series , No. 3/2016 asntispasmodice properties, antifungal and antitumour. Due saponosides and two alcohols, alpha and beta blizzard, choline and acetylcholine mistletoe has the ability to influence blood circulation, acting as a hypotensive. The plant has antispasmodic phenyl-ethyl-amine viscous acid action, soothes asthma, whooping cough, kidney disorders, cardiac depressant, acts on heart muscle and produce vasoconstriction. The therapy is used next plant protection preparations: C vitamin syrup infusion cold macerate powder wine E vitamin decoction Fig. 4. Chemical composition of mistletoe CONCLUSION Phoradendron species contains foratoxina (fig. 5), and the species Viscum contains Mistletoe is a parasitic plant species, alkaloid tyramine, thin highly toxic, used as an ornamental and medicinal producing death (fig. 6). plant. It is used only for therapeutic action leaves, because the fruits are toxic. Species that grow influence the chemical composition of mistletoe. Mistletoe is a atypical plant, because linear logic does not adhere to the development of the plant, ignores Fig. 5. Phoradendron species containing heliotropism and geotropism, foratoxina germinate only light, ignore rhythm and the laws seasons. Mistletoe