Abstract
Viscum album (VA), also known as Mistletoe, has various therapeutic properties, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. It has been used for treating different types of cancer, exhibiting proven efficacy against breast cancer, glioblastoma, carcinoma, and other advanced-stage tumor types. Besides promoting improvements in the clinical condition, VA also helps reduce the side effects caused by conventional treatment, thereby offering patients a better quality of life. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the effects of the homeopathic dilution of VA at the potency of D30 (1x10-30) (VA D30) on human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). The cells were grown in 75 cm² flasks until they reached approximately 80% confluence. Subsequently, they were trypsinized and plated in 96-well plates at 10,000 cells/well. After 24 hours of incubation in an oven, VA was added at 30 and 40 µL/mL concentrations. The cells were further incubated for an additional 48 hours. After the treatment, the cells underwent a cell viability test using MTT. The results indicated a decrease in HepG2 viability, while no damage to normal cells (MSCs) was detected. The findings suggest that VAD30 holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent in treating hepatocellular carcinoma due to its observed cytotoxicity towards HepG2 cells while exhibiting no adverse effects on mesenchymal stem cells at the equivalent concentration.