Milk thistle, scientifically known as Silybum marianum, is a plant native to the Mediterranean, but is now commonly found in many parts of the United States. The plant provides a colorful flower and the leaves give a thick, white liquid when crushed. Many people use dried milk weed or milk weed extract for medicinal purposes, particularly for treating liver conditions. But milk weed may also offer some benefits toward preventing certain eye conditions.
Antioxidant Properties
One component of milk thistle is silymarin, an antioxidant that may help protect cells from damage caused by oxidation. This process results when unbalanced oxygen molecules, commonly called free radicals, attach to balanced molecules within a cell, causing some damage to the molecular structure of the cell. Antioxidants such as silymarin in milk thistle may help prevent or slow down cell damage from oxidation.
Eye Conditions
The oxidation process can promote the cell breakdown that occurs with certain eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration, and the antioxidants in milk thistle may offer some protection. Near the front of your eye sits a lens constructed mostly of water and protein. Over time, oxidation helps break down the cell, forcing the proteins to clump together, forming a cloudy cataract that an eye surgeon must remove in order restore vision. Macular degeneration results when the cells breakdown in the macula, an area on the tissue that lines the back, inside portion of your eye. This may lead to significant, permanent vision loss. Antioxidants may help protect your eyes from damage, or at least slow down the disease process.
Dosage
Your doctor will help you determine an appropriate dosage if she thinks milk thistle may provide protection or other benefits to the health of your eyes. On average, the dose for milk thistle may range from 280 to 450 mg, divided into multiple doses each day.
Considerations
Consult your doctor to discuss milk thistle prior to use. Researchers haven't determined whether milk thistle will have a significant effect on eye conditions. But foods and herbs with antioxidants theoretically offer some benefit toward healthy cells. Your doctor will help you evaluate the potential risks, such as drug interactions, to determine whether milk thistle is the appropriate supplement for you.
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