Milk thistle, a flowering plant, has been known for nearly two millennia as a herb of therapeutic value. This plant belongs to the daisy and ragweed family and is a native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe. It is also referred to as St. Mary's thistle, Marian thistle, lady's thistle and holy thistle. An extract from the fruit of the milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been know for protecting the liver, the body’s largest internal organ, from damage by chemicals, alcohol, and other toxins. The liver-protecting functions are due to two main actions of Milk thistle: antioxidant and protein-restoring activities. The active constituent of Milk thistle is silymarin- a flavonoid, also an antioxidant ten times more powerful than vitamin E. It fights against oxidative stress and thus inhibits inflammation of liver cells. It prevents toxic and foreign substances from penetrating liver cells by stabilizing the outer membrane of liver cells. Silymarin displaces toxins by binding to proteins and receptors on the cell membrane. Silymarin also has the ability to repair and restore the liver as it stimulates protein synthesis due to which new liver cells are able to grow.
Extensive research over the past 30 years has shown Milk Thistle extract improves liver dysfunction in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis A, B and C. It helps a variety of liver disease such as gall bladder disease, cirrhosis, gall stones, cholestasis of pregnancy and fatty liver caused by chemical toxin damage. Silymarin has been shown repair liver damage due to indulgence in alcohol, drugs and exposure to toxic chemicals. As silymarin acts mainly on the liver and kidneys, it is an effective antidote against poisonous substances that accumulate in the liver. An interesting study done in 1983 on eighteen patients suffering from poisoning after eating deathcap mushrooms showed that silymarin, taken at a daily dose of 33 mg for every kilogram of body weight for 81.6 hours, prevented severe liver damage. Researchers concluded that silymarin is an effective remedy if administered within 48 hours after eating the mushrooms. Another study done in 1998 focused on thirty workers who had been exposed to toluene and/or xylene vapors on the job for five to twenty years. All the workers had low blood platelet counts and abnormal liver function tests. After taking silymarin for thirty days, researchers reported, the workers all showed a significant improvement in liver function tests and blood platelet counts, although dosages weren’t specified in the study’s translation.
Milk thistle also helps a variety of other disease other than liver aliments. It helps skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Medical research also suggests that milk thistle, combined with traditional treatment, can improve diabetes. Studies have shown a decrease in blood sugar levels and an improvement in cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers also have found that milk thistle improved insulin resistance, a key characteristic of type 2 diabetes. By lowering LDL "bad" cholesterol levels, milk thistle may help decrease the chance of developing heart disease. Milk thistle is also effective for less serious problems such as to improve digestion and liver function. It is also effective for digestive discomfort from overeating or eating unsettling food combinations.
In spite of a large body of evidence the U.S. Food and Drug Administration still neither recognizes nor approves of milk thistle as a food or medicine. But the German Government in 1986 approved the use of Milk thistle extract as a medicine for liver disease treatment and today it is used in large parts of Europe as the herb for liver ailments. Research today shows that milk thistle extracts appear to be safe and generally well-tolerated with negligible, if any, toxicity or adverse side effects. Milk thistle occasionally has a mild laxative effect due to increased bile flow and secretion. It may be taken long-term and may reduce the toxic side-effects of many prescription drugs. Allergic reactions are a concern as anyone with allergies to asters, daisies, artichokes, thistle or kiwi should avoid milk thistle and its constituents. Milk thistle is prepared as a concentrated extract of standardized dried herb (70% to 80%, or approximately 140 mg silymarin). Silymarin must be concentrated because it is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Recommended dosage ranges from 200 to 400 mg silymarin per day.
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