Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. This herb is primarily used for liver-related problems, and contains the flavonoid silymarin, which has protective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Milk thistle is typically taken in concentrated capsules of the dried herb, with each capsule containing up to 140 mg of silymarin, or in capsules of silymarin-phosphatidylcholine complex, which typically has a more effective action on liver cells.
Treating Cirrhosis of the Liver
Although nearly all clinical studies have been small or poorly-designed, medical researchers believe that milk thistle can improve liver function and increase survival rates in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and chronic alcoholic hepatitis, says the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Silymarin can be helpful as a complementary treatment for cirrhosis, hepatitis and cholangitis, a condition involving inflammation of the bile ducts, explains the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Silymarin can protect the liver from harmful toxins and inflammation.
Treating Viral Hepatitis
Some medical studies have found that milk thistle is helpful in improving liver function when treating viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, the UMMC notes. The UMMC concedes that some studies reported no change in liver function, however, and the UMHS points out that milk thistle doesn't have any direct effect on the hepatitis virus itself.
Antidote to Mushroom Poisoning
Silymarin's antioxidant action protects the body from cell-destroying substances, or free radicals, which is likely what makes milk thistle a powerful antidote to mushroom poisoning. Milk thistle is specifically effective "as an emergency antidote to poisoning by deathcap mushroom (Amanita phalloides)," the UMMC notes. The UMMC cites several animal studies that revealed milk thistle can completely block the mushroom's toxic effects when the herbal remedy is taken within 10 minutes of consuming the poisonous mushroom. When taken within 24 hours of consuming the deathcap mushroom, milk thistle greatly reduces the chances of liver damage and death, the UMMC says. The UMHS agrees that the silymarin contained in milk thistle "may reduce inflammation and block the effects of toxins that harm the liver."
Potential Cancer-Fighting Effects
Some preliminary laboratory studies have discovered that silymarin and other substances found in milk thistle may prevent cancer cells from dividing, the UMMC says. Although more studies outside of the limited test-tube environment are necessary, researches note that milk thistle seems to shorten the lifespan of cancer cells and reduce blood supplies to cancerous tumors.
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