Milk thistle, a flowering herb native to the Mediterranean region, is an herbal remedy that helps protect the liver. This herb grows in many countries, including the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Milk thistle is rich in biologically active substances that may have anti-cancer effects. Many naturopaths and alternative medicine practitioners recommend milk thistle to treat liver cancer. If you want to use milk thistle or other herbal supplements, be sure to consult with your health-care practitioner first.
Antitumorigenic Effects
According to the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, milk thistle is one of the best herbs for treating liver cancer. Silymarin and its main biological ingredient, silybin, in milk thistle exert anti-proliferate effects by potentially stopping the growth of cancer cells. Milk thistle helps protect the liver from toxic chemicals, which can damage cells and possibly lead to cancer. Studies are also examining milk thistle for relieving some of the symptoms associated with cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy.
Liver Cancer Cells
Based on results from various in vitro studies at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, milk thistle seems to contain biologically active, non-nutritive compounds that slow down the growth of liver cancer cells. Silybin, a flavonol found in milk thistle, is under intensive pharmacological research to examine its antitumorigenic effects against liver cancer cells.
Advanced Liver Cancer
Researchers at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center are investigating the effect of milk thistle in the treatment of patients with advanced liver cancer. The analysis of this experiment suggests that milk thistle prevents liver cancer by blocking carcinogen-induced DNA damage. Despite clinical evidence that milk thistle can offer protection against liver cancer, the FDA has not approved this herb for any medical use.
Oxidative Damage
Silymarin and silybin, the main active ingredients in milk thistle, have antioxidant properties. They can protect liver cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and reduce cancer risk, according to Amanda Gryskewicz and colleagues at Wilkes University. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that can react with important cellular components, such as DNA protein and cell membranes, causing harmful cell mutations that may lead to cancer.
References
- University of Minnesota; Masonic Cancer Center: Milk Thistle; June 18, 2010
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center: Milk Thistle
- Columbia University Medical Center: Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center: Liver; Abby Siegel
- Wilkes University; Medical Attributes of Silybum Marianum - Milk Thistle; Amanda Gryskewicz, et al.; July 2007
- New York University Langone Medical Center; Milk Thistle; April 2011
