Also known by its Latin name, Silybum marianum, milk thistle is a stout plant that grows in arid regions of Europe and the United States. It has a spiny stem, wide leaves with white streaks and a reddish-purple flower. Milk thistle has a 2,000-year history of medicinal use for disorders of the gallbladder and liver. Its bitter-tasting seeds, leaves and fruit are used to make medicine to treat a variety of liver diseases. Before taking milk thistle medicinally, consult a botanically trained health-care professional for proper dosage and safety considerations.
Viral Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by a virus. Several different viruses can lead to hepatitis -- some instances may be short-term with dramatic symptoms, while others may be long-term with minimal symptoms and significant complications. Potential indications of viral hepatitis include abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes, nausea, vomiting, fever and fatigue. If hepatitis is prolonged, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. Practitioners of botanical medicine employ milk thistle to treat hepatitis. According to Dr. Michael Murray, a naturopathic physician and author of "The Healing Power of Herbs," milk thistle's active constituent, silymarin, improves both viral and chronic hepatitis. Silymarin appears to alleviate symptoms, reverse liver damage and lower liver enzymes, which are otherwise dramatically elevated in viral hepatitis.
Cirrhosis
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) reports that cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death by disease, accounting for 27,000 deaths a year. Cirrhosis is a condition in which scar tissue replaces normal liver tissue and liver function is severely compromised. The liver becomes unable to perform the vital actions of controlling infections, filtering toxins from the blood and synthesizing and storing nutrients and hormones. The most common causes of cirrhosis are heavy alcohol consumption, chronic viral hepatitis and obesity. Murray states the silymarin improves immune function in individuals with cirrhosis by protecting the liver cells from further damage and stengthening the organ's function. Silymarin also seems to extend the life spans of people with severe cirrhosis.
Fatty Liver
Fatty liver is a condition in which excessive amounts of fat accumulate inside the liver cells. Fatty liver may result from excessive alcohol intake, poor diet, obesity, diabetes, pharmaceuticals, toxin exposure or viral hepatitis. According to Dr. Sharol Tilgner, a naturopathic physician and author of "Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth," milk thistle helps the liver regenerate after damage from toxin exposure. It also protects the liver cells from damage. Silymarin seems to work by entering liver cells and stimulating a chemical change that increases the cells' resistance to injury. Milk thistle's protective capabilities may also result from its antioxidant action, meaning it neutralizes damage-causing free radicals that form from toxin exposure and normal metabolic processes. Murray calls milk thistle "one of the most potent liver-protecting substances known."
References
- "The Healing Power of Herbs"; Michael T. Murray, N.D.; 1995
- "Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth"; Sharol Tilgner, N.D.; 1999
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Milk Thistle
- NDDIC: Viral Hepatitis: A through E and Beyond
- NDDIC: Cirrhosis
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: Fatty Liver
