In the 1st Century A.D., Pliny the Elder of Rome praised milk thistle for its effectiveness in "carrying off bile," according to "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies." Nearly 2,000 years later the medical community is still studying the herb's potential value in treating not only liver-related ailments but a host of other medical conditions, as well. The herb is available in various forms, including capsules of dried herb, liquid extract and tinctures.
Liver-Curative Properties
Hyla Cass, M.D., a specialist in integrative medicine and author of "User's Guide to Herbal Remedies," credits milk thistle's efficacy in treating liver ailments to the antioxidant properties of silymarin, one of the herb's most potent active ingredients. Environmental factors and the body's own metabolic processes produce potentially damaging toxins that give rise to free radicals that can cause damage to human cells, most notably in the liver. Cass writes that silymarin significantly increases the effectiveness of superoxide dismutase and glutathione, two of the antioxidants the body produces. She also cites a case in which an eight-week course of milk thistle treatment restored a hepatitis patient's elevated liver enzyme levels to normal. The restoration of normal liver enzyme levels cleared up the patient's symptoms of nausea, depression and fatigue. Although milk thistle has shown some effectiveness in treating liver ailments, don't embark on any form of self-treatment before consulting your doctor.
Strengthen Blood Vessels
Writing in the June 2007 issue of "Better Nutrition," naturopathic doctor Emily A. Kane reports that milk thistle helps to protect and strengthen weak blood vessels, making it helpful in the treatment of varicose veins. Kane reports that the active ingredient in milk thistle also shows promise in reducing the incidence of bleeding in people with abnormally thin gums or mucous membranes in their nasal passages. If you often experience bleeding gums while brushing your teeth, she suggests that you take milk thistle, along with supplementary doses of vitamin C, folic acid and CoQ10, to help remedy the problem.
Mushroom Poisoning
For centuries, folk healers have used milk thistle as an antidote to poisoning caused by the ingestion of the death-cap mushroom, or Amanita phalloides. The University of Maryland Medical Center's Complementary Medicine website reports that animal studies have shown that milk thistle extract neutralizes the toxin if taken within 10 minutes of ingesting the mushroom. However, the extract appears to significantly reduce the severity of symptoms if administered within 24 hours of eating the mushroom.
Adjunct to Chemotherapy
One of the unfortunate side effects of chemotherapy is damage to the liver. The American Cancer Society reported in December 2009 that a study published in the society's journal, Cancer, offered evidence that milk thistle could protect the liver from chemotherapy-related damage. The study examined the effects of milk thistle on liver toxicity among children receiving chemotherapy to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Elevated liver enzymes associated with the effects of chemotherapy declined sharply in children receiving milk thistle extract, compared with those who were given a placebo.
Not for Everyone
Despite the indications that milk thistle has some medicinal properties, it is not for everyone. The University of Maryland Medical Center points out that no studies have been done of its safety when given to children, suggesting strongly that a doctor be consulted before the herb is given to a child. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, as well as people with a history of hormone-related cancers, are also advised to steer clear of milk thistle.
References
- "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies"; Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon; 2000.
- "User's Guide to Herbal Remedies"; Hyla Cass; 2004.
- "Better Nutrition"; Marvel at Milk Thistle's Many Uses; Emily A. Kane; June 2007.
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Complementary Medicine: Milk Thistle
- American Cancer Society: Milk Thistle Protects Cancer Patients from Chemotherapy-Associated Liver Toxicity
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