Milk Thistle Information

A member of the Asteraceae family, milk thistle, or Silybum marianum, has also been commonly referred to as St. Mary's thistle, Marian thistle, lady's thistle and holy thistle, according to the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Milk thistle is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe. It has been naturalized in California and eastern regions of the U.S. A biennial plant, milk thistle grows up to 5 feet tall and has spiky leaves with white veins. The leaves are fringed with yellow thorns. Mauve-colored flowers surrounded by spiky thorns top the stems.

History

Milk thistle is named for the white veins that mark its leaves. Synonyms for milk thistle, such as St. Mary's thistle, arose from folk legend that these markings were caused by drops of the Virgin Mary's milk that fell on the leaves while the infant Jesus was breastfeeding.
In Europe, the milk thistle plant has a long history as a food source as well as a folk remedy for treating jaundice. The English removed the spines from milk thistle leaves and used them as lettuce, and roasted the seed to create a coffee-like beverage.
As contemporary interest in its medicinal uses grew, German researchers in the 1960s isolated silymarin, the active constituent of milk thistle

Effects

According to the Mayo Clinic, preliminary research has shown milk thistle to be effective as a treatment for liver cirrhosis, chronic liver disease, liver damage from drugs or toxins, and high cholesterol. Mixed herbal medications containing milk thistle have also shown promise in the treatment of indigestion and menopausal symptoms. While these findings are encouraging, additional research is needed to verify whether or not milk thistle is clinically effective.

Types

Milk thistle is available in health food stores in capsules of dried herb as well as tinctures and extracts, though alcohol-based extracts should be avoided by anyone with liver diseases caused by alcoholism. Milk thistle is also sold as tea and in bulk form. Milk thistle is also available as silymarin phosphatidylcholine complex.The University of Maryland Medical Center states that silymarin combined with phosphatidylcholine attaches more easily to cell membranes and may be easier for the body to absorb.

Theories/Speculation

Speculation regarding the effectiveness of milk thistle as a cancer fighter continues to prompt scientific research. The Sloan Kettering Cancer Center states that "in vitro and animal studies suggest that flavonoids in milk thistle have antioxidant and anticancer effects." Researchers in the department of renal medicine at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Australia have pronounced silibinin, an active constituent found in silymarin, to be a "promising" treatment for cancer, in an article published in the March 2010 Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry journal.

Warning

The Mayo Clinic States that milk thistle is generally safe, though rare cases of negative gastrointestinal and skin reactions have been reported. Allergic reactions are a concern as well, and anyone with allergies to asters, daisies, artichokes, thistle or kiwi should avoid milk thistle and its constituents.