1. Who Is ABNOBA India?
ABNOBA India operates under the German parent company, Abnoba GmbH, a research-driven, non-profit pharmaceutical manufacturer based in Pforzheim, Germany. Abnoba GmbH solely reinvests its profits into cancer research and is a world leader in herbal medicinal products for oncology.
Locally, Tara Lohia Distributors (TLD) serves as the exclusive marketing representative of Abnoba across India and neighboring countries. Operating since 1981 out of Delhi, TLD has built expertise in handling sensitive medicines and maintains direct access to patients, hospitals, and healthcare facilities, all under valid Indian drug license regulations.
2. Mistletoe Therapy: What Is Abnoba’s Approach?
ABNOBA’s flagship product line—abnobaVISCUM®—comprises mistletoe extracts derived from carefully harvested mistletoe plants growing on host trees such as fir, maple, almond, birch, hawthorn, ash, apple, pine, and oak. These are processed using a patented method to retain up to 75% of the plant material in a pressed juice form, later blended (summer and winter harvests) and, if desired, homeopathically potentiated before being filled into sterile ampoules.
Mistletoe therapy is administered as a complementary cancer treatment—alongside surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy—with the goals of:
Enhancing immune system function
Improving patients’ quality of life (sleep, fatigue, appetite, resistance to infections)
Reducing side effects of conventional therapies
Potentially slowing tumor progression and occasionally promoting remissions
ABNOBA’s mistletoe extracts have been studied in over 90 controlled clinical trials. In Germany, they have become one of the most frequently prescribed herbal medicines in oncology.
3. The India Launch: A Groundbreaking Collaboration
In February 2023, Art of Healing Cancer—a premier cancer care center in Gurugram—partnered with Abnoba GmbH to introduce mistletoe therapy in India. The treatment is available on a patient-specific basis with a special drug license issued after medical evaluation.
Natural constituents like lectins and viscotoxins in the extract are credited with:
Stimulating immune response
Reducing adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation
Aiding recovery post-tumor surgery
Potentially enhancing the efficacy of standard treatments
Patients receive mistletoe as an adjunct therapy, and both organizations intend to gather clinical data in collaboration with bodies like ICMR and the Ministry of AYUSH.
ABNOBA India—represented locally by TLD—will provide ongoing technical and clinical support for its implementation.
4. How It Works: Administration & Clinical Use
Mistletoe extract is most commonly administered via subcutaneous injections, often more frequent at the therapy’s outset and tapered down over time. Treatment can span months or even years, with breaks permissible under medical supervision.
Notably, a slight feverish reaction after administration is expected early in treatment and should not be suppressed with antipyretics. Also, certain medications—like thymus preparations—require medical guidance when used concurrently.
5. Evidence & Research
While a 2004 phase II trial of Abnoba-viscum (Quercus-based mistletoe extract) found no objective tumor responses in colorectal cancer resistant to standard chemotherapy, 84% of patients achieved stable disease and some reported symptomatic relief—with mild toxicity limited to local inflammation.
Complementing this, independent studies (not specific to Abnoba) demonstrate anti-proliferative effects of mistletoe extracts like Fraxini in liver cancer models, even lowering c-Myc expression in Hep3B cells and reducing tumor sizes in mice.
6. Access & Logistics in India
Importation: Mistletoe (Abnoba viscum) can be procured in India with a doctor’s prescription. Once approved, it’s delivered directly to patients within approximately 7 days.
Distribution: Centralized through Tara Lohia Distributors, with a presence in Civil Lines, Delhi, ensuring proper cold chain and regulatory compliance.
7. Final Thoughts
ABNOBA India’s entry into the Indian oncology space—through the introduction of mistletoe therapy—marks a significant stride in integrative cancer care. Drawing on nearly a century of European practice and extensive research, this complementary treatment offers a holistic option for patients seeking to augment conventional therapies.
By working closely with Art of Healing Cancer and TLD, ABNOBA is laying a research-driven, patient-centric foundation—potentially contributing invaluable data to the broader Indian oncology landscape.
