Silybum marianum is nicknamed milk thistle because of the milky white fluid in its leaves. People have long used milk thistle as an herbal remedy, primarily for liver disorders. The liver-protective component of milk thistle is a group of flavonoids called silymarin. Most commercial milk thistle products are standardized to contain 70 to 80 percent silymarin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. For dried extract, the standard dose is 280 to 450mg per day in divided doses, so capsules containing 250mg could be taken once or twice per day. The UMMC recommends taking herbs only with the supervision of a health care practitioner.
Hepatitis
Because silymarin decreases inflammation, some health care providers use milk thistle for treating liver inflammation, technically called hepatitis. While milk thistle is widely recommended for treating viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, and for alcoholic hepatitis, the UMMC notes that research results are conflicting. Most research indicates milk thistle enhances liver function and increases survival in patients with chronic hepatitis, but not all the studies have been of high quality. Chronic hepatitis can lead to liver cirrhosis. A study sponsored by the U.S. National Institutes of Health called the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis study, or HALT, evaluated the effects of silymarin on hepatitis C patients. Silymarin usage was connected with fewer and milder symptoms of liver disease and better quality of life, although no change in virus activity or liver inflammation occurred.
Cirrhosis
In addition to chronic hepatitis, certain other health conditions such as iron overload, as well as excessive alcohol use can lead to cirrhosis. While most studies indicate that milk thistle improves liver function and increases survival in cirrhosis patients, the UMMC notes that problems with research quality are similar to those investigating the effects of milk thistle on hepatitis patients. A review of 19 studies published in the February 2008 issue of "Forschende Komplementärmedizin" found that total mortality for participants with liver cirrhosis taking a silymarin extract was about 16 percent compared with those taking placebo at 20.5 percent. Specific liver-related mortality was 10 percent for those taking silymarin compared with about 17 percent for those taking a placebo. The study authors conclude that taking a silymarin extract is a reasonable supportive therapy for cirrhosis patients.
Toxins
Research indicates that chemical compounds in milk thistle, particularly silymarin, have protective effects against toxins, according to the UMMC. This includes medications such as acetaminophen, known as Tylenol, that can cause liver injury when taken in large doses. A study published in the January 15, 2010 issue of "Cancer" notes that milk thistle is often used for treating liver toxicity connected with chemotherapy. When children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and liver issues due to chemotherapy took milk thistle for 28 days, they experienced reductions in liver toxicity.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Milk Thistle
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Milk Thistle
- Forschende Komplementärmedizin: An Updated Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis for the Clinical Evidence of Silymarin
- Cancer: A Study of Milk Thistle for the Treatment of Hepatotoxicity in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
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