Also Known As:
Silymarin
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Variations:
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Related
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Type:
Herb |
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Milk Thistle - This herb, contains a host of active compounds and is most
well known for their hepato-protective effects (liver protection). It is
commonly used by anybody taking any substance that may be of harm to their liver
such as alchohol or steroids. These effects may be due to the antioxidant
benefits of milk thistle in the prevention of lipid peroxidation and the
protection against glutathione depletion. This herb also possesses numerous
other detoxifying effects. The botanical herbal name for milk thistle is Silybum
Marianum and Carduus Marianus. Milk Thistle is also known by the names of Holy
Thistle, Marythistle, St Mary's Thistle, Marian Thistle. Milk Thistle is a
member of the family Asteraceae and is a tall herb with prickly leaves and a
milky sap that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe. Milk thistle is
among the most ancient of all known herbal medicines, having been used as a
remedy for centuries for liver complaints.
Milk Thistle is found growing, very commonly, wild in a variety of settings,
including by roadsides. The dried fruit of Milk Thistle called Achenes are used
to produce the modern herbal extracts. There have been medical uses of Milk
Thistle that canbe traced back more than 2000 years. The well known 17th century
pharmacist, Nicholas Culpeper, cited its use for opening obstructions of the
liver and spleen and recommended it for the treatment of jaundice.
The dried fruit of milk thistle contains a flavonoid complex known as
silymarin. This constituent is responsible for the medical benefits of the
plant. Silymarin is made up of three parts: silibinin, silidianin, and
silicristin. Silibinin is the most active and is largely responsible for the
benefits attributed to silymarin.
Milk thistle extract may protect the cells of the liver by blocking the
entrance of harmful toxins and helping remove these toxins from the liver cells.
As with other bioflavonoids, silymarin is a powerful antioxidant. Silymarin has
also been shown to regenerate injured liver cells. Recent studies have shown
that silymarin has the ability to block fibrosis, a process that contributes to
the eventual development of cirrhosis in people with inflammatory liver
conditions secondary to diseases such as alchohol abuse or hepatitis.
Silymarin, the active constituent of Milk Thistle, makes up 1-3% of Milk
Thistle. Silymarin has been found to play a role in human regeneration of liver
cells after damage from alcohol and/or liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis); as
a treatment for promoting wound healing (for example, in burns); as an
anti-inflammatory agent; and as an anti-oxidant. It can also decrease elevated
liver enzymes induced by drug usage.
Silymarin is thought to alter the structure of the outer cell membrane of
liver cells, thus preventing penetration of liver toxins into the cell. In this
manner it may help protect your body against potential damage from substances
that are solely or partially metabolized in the liver. Further research points
to silymarin having the ability to increase the action of nucleolar polymerase
A, which in turn, promotes protein synthesis and the regeneration of liver
cells, while having anti-oxidant action.
Finally, the components of silymarin, chiefly silibinin and silichristin,
have been found to actually imitate steroid hormones by stimulating protein
synthesis via enhancing DNA activity in a non-select manner. This means that
silymarin may further potentiate your muscular growth while protecting your
liver.
Milk thistle extract is most commonly recommended to counteract the harmful
actions of alcohol on the liver. Double-blind trials indicate that it helps the
liver return to a healthy state once a person stops drinking. Some trials
suggest it may improve quality of life and even life expectancy in people with
liver cirrhosis.However, another trial found no effect in cirrhosis patients.
Milk thistle alters bile makeup, thereby potentially reducing risk of
gallstones. However, this needs to be verified by human clinical trials. Milk
thistle extract has been shown to protect the liver from the potentially
damaging effect of drugs used to treat schizophrenia and other forms of
psychosis. However, one trial found that it did not protect the liver from the
potentially harmful effects of the drug Cognex used to treat early-stage
Alzheimers disease.
Silymarin has been shown to reduce AST, ALT, bilirubin and even gamma-glutamyltransferase
(GGT), which is currently being used to differentiate between what may actually
be liver stress/damage or not in humans and animals.
For liver disease and impaired liver function, research suggests the use of
420-600 mg of silymarin per day from an herbal extract of milk thistle
standardized to 80% silymarin content. According to research and clinical
experience, improvement should be noted in about eight to twelve weeks. For
people with chronic liver disease, milk thistle extract may be considered a
long-term therapy. For most people when using Milk Thistle, look for brands that
contain at least 140 mg silymarin per serving. Research indicates that a dosage
of 200-400 mg silymarin per day is best (taken in two equal divided doses) for
obtaining a therapeutic and protective effect.
One can argue that the most vital organ to preserving health in the body is
the liver. The liver is responsible for "detoxifying" practically
every substance that we ingest via the oral route. Would you believe that the
liver is involved in over 500 metabolic functions? Without doubt, outside of the
heart and the brain, the liver is the organ that you most want to care for.
This large organ is responsible for converting T4 into T3 (active thyroid),
building amino acids into plasma proteins, storing glucose as glycogen,
regulating blood sugar, and conserving iron from old red blood cells, as well as
detoxifying substances such as alcohol and drugs. The major liver metabolic
functions are described as follows:
Carbohydrate Metabolism
• converts various types of sugars into glucose
• acts as a glucose buffer
• converts amino acids and glycerol to glucose when glycogen
stores are low
• converts glucose to fat for storage
Fat Metabolism
• is primary site of fat burning (beta-oxidation)
• stores fats
• forms lipoproteins for transporting fat to and from
tissues
• synthesizes cholesterol and bile salts.
Protein Metabolism
• deaminates amino acids for conversion into glucose and
cellular energy (ATP)
• forms urea, removing ammonia from the body
• forms plasma proteins to support the immune system,
promote anabolism, and bolster thyroid function
• converts amino acids from essential to non- essential
Vitamin/Mineral Storage
• stores vitamin A for 1-2 years
• stores 1-4 month supply of vitamin D and B12
• stores iron (as ferritin) and releases it into the blood
as needed.
Biotransformation Functions
• converts drugs from active to inactive substances via
synthetic reactions, yielding metabolic products which can be secreted by the
kidneys
• transforms drugs or substances via nonsynthetic reactions
from active substances to more active, active, or less-active substances
• process bilirubin, eventually yielding bile pigments
• metabolizes blood-borne hormones to forms that can be
excreted in urine
For those who prefer, 12-15 grams of milk thistle dried fruits can be ground
and eaten or made into a tea. This should not be considered therapeutic for
conditions of the liver, however.
Milk thistle extract is virtually devoid of any side effects and may be used
by most people, including pregnant and breast-feeding women. In fact, it has
been recommended as a treatment for itching due to poor gallbladder function
during pregnancy. Since silymarin stimulates liver and gallbladder activity, it
may have a mild, transient laxative effect in some people. This will usually
cease within two to three days.
Certain medicines may interact with milk thistle such as those listed here:
Chemotherpay
Cisplatin
Clofibrate
Fluorouracil
General Anesthetics
Haloperidol
Lovastatin
Methotrexate
Metronidazole
Nitrous Oxide
Paclitaxel
Paracetamol
Pravastatin
Tacrine
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