Milk Thistle

[Guest guest]

> Being new, i imagine this has been covered

> before, but i couldn't find it in the archives.

> (also, i have a really crappy rebuilt puter to

> deal with!). Anyway, what's the latest on milk

> thistle? jan

I copied the following from Medscape...I hope it

is helpful.

_____________________________________

Pharmacology of Silymarin

from Clinical Drug Investigation [TM]

Posted 02/19/2002

F. Fraschini, G. Demartini, D. Esposti,

Abstract and Introduction

Abstract

The flavonoid silymarin and one of its structural components,

silibinin, are substances with documented hepatoprotective properties. Their

mechanisms of action are still poorly understood. However, the data in the

literature indicate that silymarin and silibinin act in four different ways:

(i) as antioxidants, scavengers and regulators of the intracellular content

of glutathione; (ii) as cell membrane stabilisers and permeability

regulators that prevent hepatotoxic agents from entering hepatocytes; (iii)

as promoters of ribosomal RNAsynthesis, stimulating liver regeneration; and

(iv) as inhibitors of the transformation of stellate hepatocytes into

myofibroblasts, the process responsible for the deposition of collagen

fibres leading to cirrhosis. The key mechanism that ensures hepatoprotection

appears to be free radical scavenging. Anti-inflammatory and

anticarcinogenic properties have also been documented.

Silymarin is able to neutralise the hepatotoxicity of several agents,

including Amanita phalloides, ethanol, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and

carbon tetrachloride in animal models. The protection against A. phalloides

is inversely proportional to the time that has elapsed since administration

of the toxin. Silymarin protects against its toxic principle -amanitin by

preventing its uptake through hepatocyte membranes and inhibiting the

effects of tumour necrosis factor- , which exacerbates lipid peroxidation.

Clinical trials have shown that silymarin exerts hepatoprotective

effects in acute viral hepatitis, poisoning by A. phalloides, toxic

hepatitis produced by psychotropic agents and alcohol-related liver disease,

including cirrhosis, at daily doses ranging from 280 to 800mg, equivalent to

400 to 1140mg of standardised extract. Hepatoprotection has been documented

by improvement in liver function tests; moreover, treatment with silymarin

was associated with an increase in survival in a placebo-controlled clinical

trial in alcoholic liver disease.

Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that silymarin is absorbed by the

oral route and that it distributes into the alimentary tract (liver,

stomach, intestine, pancreas). It is mainly excreted as metabolites in the

bile, and is subject to enterohepatic circulation. Toxicity is very low, the

oral 50% lethal dose being 10 000 mg/kg in rats and the maximum tolerated

dose being 300 mg/kg in dogs. Moreover, silymarin is devoid of embryotoxic

potential.

In conclusion, silymarin is a well tolerated and effective antidote

for use in hepatotoxicity produced by a number of toxins, including A.

phalloides, ethanol and psychotropic drugs. Numerous experimental studies

suggest that it acts as a free radical scavenger, with other liver-specific

properties that make it a unique hepatoprotective agent.

Introduction

Flavonoids belong to the family of the benzo gamma-pyrones. More than

4000 different flavonoids are currently known; they are ubiquitous not only

in the plant kingdom, where they are particularly abundant in the

photosynthetic cells of higher plants, but also in the animal kingdom. For

centuries they have been attributed numerous therapeutic properties and many

have been used as popular therapeutic remedies. Compounds such as quercetin,

taxifolin and silymarin have been used as active ingredients, both alone and

as components of complex chemical preparations.

Silymarin is a flavonolignan that has been introduced fairly recently

as a hepatoprotective agent. It is the most well known compound of the

flavonoids, thanks to its well defined therapeutic properties. It is

extracted from the seeds and fruit of Silybum marianum (Compositae) and in

reality is a mixture of three structural components: silibinin, silydianine

and silychristine. The structure of the constituents of silymarin was

clarified in the 1960s (figure 1).[1,2]

The main chemical difference between silymarin and other flavonoids is

that its isomers are substituted by a coniferyl alcohol group. Of the three

isomers that constitute silymarin, silibinin is the most active.[3,4] From a

medical point of view, silymarin and silibinin have been found to provide

cytoprotection and, above all, hepatoprotection.[2,5]

Silymarin is used for the treatment of numerous liver disorders

characterised by degenerative necrosis and functional impairment.[3]

Furthermore, it is able to antagonise the toxin of Amanita phalloides[6,7]

and provides hepatoprotection against poisoning by phalloidin,[8]

galactosamine,[9] thioacetamide,[10] halothane[11] and carbon

tetrachloride.[12] The compound also protects hepatocytes from injury caused

by ischaemia, radiation, iron overload and viral hepatitis.[13]

Figure 1. (click image to zoom) The three structural components

of silymarin: silibinin, silydianine, and silychristine.

Silymarin is included in the pharmacopoeia of many countries under the

trademark LegalonTM or HepatronTM and is often used as supportive therapy in

food poisoning due to fungi and in chronic liver disorders, such as

steatosis[14] and alcohol-related liver disease.[15]

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Section 1 of 7

F. Fraschini, G. Demartini, Department of Pharmacology,

University of Milan, Milan, Italy; D. Esposti, Institute of Human Physiology

II, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

________________________________

http://www.mynsp.com/web/meydrech/products.jsp?stocknum=40719

L. Meydrech, CN

http://nutritionist.tripod.com/gallbladder.html

http://www.mynsp.com/meydrech

mailto:claudiameydrech@...

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[Guest guest]

thanks harold. i think i'd seen that somewhere else too.

bon/boys

>

> http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home

>

> There is a place at the above site where you can check interactions

of milk

> thistle with medications and many other herbals. I only checked it

for

> Methotrexate and there is no interaction. God bless.

>

>

>

> _____

>

> From: Rheumatoid Arthritis

> [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of

snowdrift52003

> Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 12:42 PM

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Subject: Re: milk thistle

>

>

>

> Hello,

> I have a bottle of milk thistle--bought it some time ago after

> reading about it--but when I asked my rheumy if it was safe to

take,

> she recommended that I didn't take it because she didn't know much

> about it or how it might interact with meds.

>

> Sierra

>

>

>

> _____

>