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Milk thistle, a plant used for food and medicine since ancient times, shows promise in repairing and preventing liver damage, particularly from chronic alcoholism or hepatitis. Its active component, silymarin, is a powerful antioxidant that helps the liver eliminate toxins and repair damaged cells. Milk thistle has also been used as an antidote to poisoning from the death cap fungus and may have anticancer effects. There are few known side effects, but it may reduce the effectiveness of certain AIDS/HIV medications. Consult a doctor before use.
Milk thistle is a common roadside plant characterized by spiny leaves and a flowering top. It is related to the artichoke and has been used for food throughout recorded history. Its use as a tonic for a variety of conditions dates back to at least the 4th century BCE. C. Pliny the Elder in the first century recommended the use of milk thistle to improve the flow of bile.
The efficacy of milk thistle against a variety of liver and intestinal disorders is currently being studied. It shows the most promise in repairing and preventing liver damage, such as the results of chronic alcoholism or hepatitis. Milk thistle is most effective in less severe forms of liver damage, while cirrhosis, characterized by irreversible scarring, does not improve with milk thistle use.
The liver works like a filter for the blood, processing and removing waste and toxins. A damaged liver can repair itself only to a certain extent, but some types of liver damage are irreversible. Milk thistle seeds contain the active component, silymarin, which is a powerful antioxidant. It helps the liver eliminate toxins and has been shown to repair damaged liver cells. Because the active ingredient in milk thistle is in the seeds, milk thistle teas will not be able to extract enough of the ingredient to have any effect.
Extracts made from milk thistle have been used as an antidote to poisoning from the death cap fungus, which contains toxins that attack the liver. In animal studies, milk thistle was completely effective against poison if taken almost immediately; the longer the delay between ingesting the poison and taking the antidote, the more damage the liver will eventually suffer.
The most promising use of milk thistle is its hitherto unproven anticancer effects. Milk thistle has been shown to slow the growth of certain forms of cancer grown in the laboratory; Animal and human tests have not yet shown results. But milk thistle has been used effectively against liver damage caused by certain chemotherapy drugs.
There are few known side effects from taking milk thistle, which has been used as a food for centuries, although very few people can be severely allergic to it. Check with your doctor to make sure it is safe for you. Milk thistle may also reduce the effectiveness of certain AIDS/HIV medications and should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor in these cases.
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