Guest guest Posted January 24, 2002 Report Share Posted January 24, 2002 From Hepatitis Neighborhood http://www.hepatitisneighborhood.com/ Milk Thistle: Miracle or Malarky? Herbs are selling like hotcakes these days; and why shouldn't they be? In an age of modern medicine, modern conveniences, and modern lifestyles, something inside all of us longs to find answers buried deep within ancestral secrets. Searching for the cure ourselves feels like a relentless and passionate pursuit...especially when " they " are telling us there is just no cure. The burning question for all of us remains: is milk thistle one such miracle herb, or just more hype from suppliers who are seeking consumer dollars? Milk Thistle: Miracle or Malarky? By Heidi Genarro, RD, Your Hepatitis Neighborhood Nutritionist ....Milk thistle is one such herbal remedy touted as a liver disease wonder drug. But is it really? In Germany they think so. In fact, the rather tall and prickly-leaf plant has been used for centuries to treat liver ailments up until about the twentieth century. According to Varro Tyler, PhD, noted American authority on herbal remedies, and author of The Honest Herbal and Herbs of Choice, it was German scientists who began an intensive study of the fruits of this plant just 25 years ago. What they discovered was a mixture of three different flavonolignans as the active ingredient, which they collectively named silymarin. Silymarin was found to exert potent liver protectant properties. One such property is liver cell membrane protection from the entry of toxic substances. In other words, silymarin acts like a potent antioxidant, preventing free radical and toxic damage to the liver (see Food Market nutrition article, Aisle 1). In fact, the silymarin in milk thistle is many times more potent than Vitamin E in terms of protective antioxidant activity! The second most exciting property of silymarin is the regeneration of new liver cells. What that means is that there is an increase in production of new liver cells to replace the old damaged ones. Today, because of this research, milk thistle is often prescribed by German doctors as a supportive treatment for hepatitis, usually along with interferon. As far as human study trials go, silymarin has demonstrated positive health effects in people suffering from chronic hepatitis, as well as cirrhosis, fatty liver infiltration, liver damage resulting from alcoholism of exposure to liver toxic chemicals, and bile duct inflammation. In fact, the only antidote for poisoning from the deadly mushroom called Amanita (death cap) is silymarin. Many of these studies were conducted by European scientists, and have passed the scrutiny of American scientists as well. According to Piscitelli, MD, despite a few study limitations, such as small sample sizes, " silymarin does appear to be more effective than placebo for viral hepatitis, as well as hepatitis caused by toxins and alcohol. " That's the good news. What is the downside to taking milk thistle? First, the assurance that what you buy from your local health food store, pharmacy, or grocery store really contains what it claims on the label. Unfortunately, because of loose government regulations, many are getting away with selling supplements that don't contain any or all of the ”marker compound " that makes the herb effective (in regard to milk thistle, it must contain 70% to 80% of silymarin). Some supplement brands have been tested in independent laboratories and found to contain none of the herb or marker compound! That's scary. Know what brands you can trust. According to a July 1999 article in Environmental Nutrition, their thorough research and discussion with experts allowed them to compile the following list for reputable herbal supplements: Celestial Seasonings; Eclectic Institute; Enzmymatic Therapy/Phyto Parmica; Gaia Herbs, Inc.; Herbalist & Alchemist; Herb Pharm; Indena; Lichtwer Pharma; Nature's Herbs (Twin Lab); Nature's Way; Pharmaton; Warner-Lambert; Whitehall-Robins (American Home Products). I highly recommend also that you check with www.consumerlab.com to find out the results of their independent laboratory tests on various herbs and supplements before you buy. Another downside is possible mild allergic reaction to milk thistle. According to Nurses Drug Alert, 23(7):51, 1999, M.J. Powers & Co. Publishers, a 57 year-old woman was found for two months to be suffering from weakness, watery diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain shortly after she would take her self-prescribed capsules of milk thistle. The symptoms stopped after she stopped taking the herb. Whether or not it was an allergic-type reaction, a contaminant in the supplement, or the side-effect of the herb itself is not known. No serious side effects of deaths have ever been reported with humans taking milk thistle. A few cases of intestinal upset with larger doses has also been reported. Can milk thistle interfere with other drugs? Unfortunately, that question remains unanswered. At this present time, no negative interactions have been reported. Other herbs such as St. 's Wort, willow bark, dandelion, ginseng, yohimbe, chamomile, gingko, ma haung, natural licorice, and more have reported drug-herb interactions with certain medications. As always, your best bet is to inform your physician of any and all herbs and dietary supplements you may betaking. What's the final fair wind on milk thistle? It's probably safe to take, and can likely work along with your primary treatment for hepatitis as a supportive treatment. Just be sure you purchase milk thistle from a reputable source. Above all, remember to avoid the temptation into " magical thinking”. Milk thistle is NOT a cure for hepatitis C. However, it does appear to be another good weapon in the fight. __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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