Milk Thistle

[Guest guest]

From http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/ (the numbered references not copied):

Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by

scientific studies): Medical use of milk thistle can be traced back

more than 2,000 years. Culpeper, the well-known 17th-century

pharmacist, cited its use for opening " obstructions " of the liver and

spleen and recommended it for the treatment of jaundice.

Active constituents: The dried fruit of milk thistle contain a

flavonoid complex known as silymarin. This constituent is responsible

for the medical benefits of the plant.1 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.2

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.3 4 As with other bioflavonoids, silymarin is a

powerful antioxidant.5 Silymarin has also been shown to regenerate

injured liver cells.6 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 alcohol abuse or hepatitis.7

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.8 9 Some trials suggest it may improve quality of life and

even life expectancy in people with liver cirrhosis.10 11 However,

another trial found no effect in cirrhosis patients.12 Milk thistle

alters bile makeup, thereby potentially reducing risk of

gallstones.13 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.14 However, one trial found that it did

not protect the liver from the potentially harmful effects of the

drug Cognex (tacrine hydrochloride) used to treat early-stage

Alzheimer's disease. 15

How much is usually taken? 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.16 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 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.

Are there any side effects or interactions? 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.17 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.

There is one case report of a 57-year-old Australian woman

experiencing several episodes of nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and

weakness after taking a milk thistle preparation.18 This case is so

atypical, however, that the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee

of Australia questioned whether the product taken might not have

contained other herbs or additives that could be responsible for the

adverse reaction.

Are there any drug interactions? Certain medications may interact

with milk thistle. Refer to the drug interactions safety check for a

list of those medications.

[Guest guest]

Dear Helge,

Interesting info on milk thistle.

I tried to go to the site and the page wouldnot open.

Is the address correct?

Suzanne

> From http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/ (the numbered references not

copied):

[Guest guest]

Suzanne,

It works fine for me. But try this one instead:

http://www.gnc.com/

or

http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/default.asp

>I tried to go to the site and the page wouldnot open.

>Is the address correct?

>Suzanne

> From <http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/>http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/