Milk
Thistle - Protects the liver from chemical damage
Name: Common Name: Milk thistle, white antichoke variegated thistle
Botanical Name: Silybum marianum, L. Gaertner
Family: Asteraceae
(Compositae)
Parts Used:Seed, leaves, root
Sources
Milk thistle grows wild in Europe and
was first brought to the United States by European colonists. It
is now grown commercially on both coasts of the United States. Because
mature plants are covered with sharp spines, Milk thistle many times
planted as a barrier to keep out intruders. Silymarin, an extract
made from milk thistle contains three different flavonoid isomers:silybin,
silydianin and silychristin. Silychristin is the most active of
the three molecules. In the seed and root the concentrations of
Silychristin are the highest.
Chemical Component
Silymarin, a group of flavonolignans
containing the isomers silybin, silydianin, and silychristin.
Use Recommendations
Milk thistle is used to be a supportive
treatment to various destructive disorders of the liver, such as
alcoholic cirrhosis, hepatitis, toxic hepatitis.
1) In animal studies, silymarin protects liver cell membranes
against an assortment of toxins. This protective mechanism probably
is a result of inhibition of the membrane peroxidation.
2) In addition to being an antioxidant, the results of other
animal studies suggest that silymarin can decrease total cholesterol,
while, at the same time, increasing good cholesterol (HDL), protect
against DNA damage, and increase protein synthesis in liver cells.
Other clinical trials suggest that milk thistle extracts do help
prevent the liver from damage by external toxins, and speed recovery
after infection by hepatitis virus.
3) Some clinical reports from Mexico and South America suggest
that silymarin helps patients with mushroom poisoning to recover
more quickly.
Precautions
In rare cases Milk thistle extracts can
have a mild laxative effect.
Dosage
As for liver protectant, 175 mg per
day of a 30:1 seed extract standardized to contain 80% silymarin.
For therapeutic and restorative effects, up to 600 mg. Per day of
an 80% silymarin extract may be used.
Summary
The main component of Milk thistle
is silymarin that provides protective and therapeutic effect to
an injured liver. Hepatitis, whether due to viral infection or toxin,
Milk thistle are likely to benefit from using silymarin. No reports
of toxicity from using Milk thistle are existent.
Interesting Facts
The leaves of Milk thistle have white
veins. And it was believed that the vein carried the milk of Virgin
Mary in the Ages. Probably that what Milk thistle was named. At
that time the plant was used to cause uterus to contract, similar
to ergot. The ancient Greek used this herb for the snake bite, latter
on it was used for liver and gallbladder diseases. Till now, almost
18 centuries after, it still known as a remedy for chronic liver
problems.
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