Ligaria cuneifolia (R. et P.) Tiegh.

Ligaria cuneifolia (R. et P.) Tiegh. (Loranthaceae) is a hemiparasitic species that develops on different hosts. It has a wide geographic distribution ranging from Peru to central Argentina and southern Brazil. In Argentina it is popularly known as: “muerdago criollo”, “liga” or “liguilla”. This species is traditionally used as a hypotensive agent. Due to its morphological similarity, it constitutes the natural substitute for the European mistletoe (Viscum album L. -Santalaceae-). Like other species of the Loranthaceae family, L. cuneifolia is rich in flavonoids, especially flavonols that could be determinant of its pharmacological activity. Aqueous extracts proved to be inhibitors of the proliferation of LB tumor cells, alcoholic extracts have a high antioxidant activity, and infusions have the property of lowering plasma cholesterol in patients with a history of hypercholesterolemia. Considering this background information, and the difficulties experienced in its field cultivation, strategies are being developed to produce the metabolites responsible for its different biological activities in in vitro cultures.