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Milk thistle
A large, robust, biennial plant, often exceeding 1 metre in height - Large glossy pale green leaves, pinnately lobed and rippled, with very sharp, yellow-tipped spines around the edges and with a multitude of white veins on the obverse, giving the impression that the leaf is stained with milk. The capitula are often single, or in groups, surrounded by large curved bracts, with sharp tips, each bract also edged with small spines - Tubular, purple to violet-coloured flowers with five lobes - Glossy black fruits (achenes), sometimes marbled with yellow, sit on top of a denticulated basal ring.
Latin name
Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.
Origin
Favours dry and sunny locations and acidic soil - Very common in the Mediterranean basin and almost absent north of the Loire (with the exception of the Atlantic coast). Never found above 700m altitude.
Used part
The seeds.
Active components
Lignans (Silymarin): responsible for the strong hepatoprotective action, regenerative effects on cells and the detoxifying effect.
Flavonoids: contribute to the antioxidant effect.
Usage
The spiny leaves can be cooked like spinach. Even the stems can be cooked similarly to rhubarb compote, after being soaked in water to remove the bitter taste. When pressed, the seeds provide an exquisite edible oil. Since the substances responsible for the protection of the liver are not hydrosoluble, it is unwise to use the seeds or other parts of the plants to make an infusion. When it comes to liver health, milk thistle is the number one plant to choose. First of all, it is a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells of the liver from oxidative stress. 1-7 By stimulating the production of bile, it acts as a detoxifying and digestive agent. 8
Bibliographical references
- Ameliorative effect of Silybum marianum extract against Avermectin induced toxicity in adult male rats
Sahar R Abed El-Hamid and Amel A Refaie
JASMR, 4 (1):25-31(2009)
The Arab Society for Medical Research: http://www.asmr.eg.net/pdf/1-2009/4.pdf - Antioxidant and protective effects of silymarin on ischemia and reperfusion injury in the kidney tissues of rats.
Turgut F, Bayrak O, Catal F, Bayrak R, Atmaca AF, Koc A, Akbas A, Akcay A, Unal D.
Int Urol Nephrol. 2008;40(2):453-60.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18368506 - Antioxidant activity of silybin in vivo during long-term iron overload in rats.
Pietrangelo A, Borella F, Casalgrandi G, Montosi G, Ceccarelli D, Gallesi D, Giovannini F, Gasparetto A, Masini A.
Gastroenterology. 1995 Dec;109(6):1941-9.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7498660 - Restoration of the cellular thiol status of peritoneal macrophages from CAPD patients by the flavonoids silibinin and silymarin.
Täger M, Dietzmann J, Thiel U, Hinrich Neumann K, Ansorge S.
Free Radic Res. 2001 Feb;34(2):137-51.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11264891 - [Effect of Silybum marianum oil and legalon on lipid peroxidation and liver antioxidant systems in rats intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride].
Batakov EA.
Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2001 Jul-Aug;64(4):53-5.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11589112 - Free radical scavenging reactions and antioxidant activities of silybin: mechanistic aspects and pulse radiolytic studies.
Fu H, Lin M, Muroya Y, Hata K, Katsumura Y, Yokoya A, Shikazono N, Hatano Y.
Free Radic Res. 2009 Sep;43(9):887-97.Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19685362 - Silybin dihemisuccinate protects against glutathione depletion and lipid peroxidation induced by acetaminophen on rat liver.
Campos R, Garrido A, Guerra R, Valenzuela A.
Planta Med. 1989 Oct;55(5):417-9.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2813577 - Silymarin as a new hepatoprotective agent in experimental cholestasis: new possibilities for an ancient medication.
Crocenzi FA, Roma MG.
Curr Med Chem. 2006;13(9):1055-74.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611084 - Advances in pharmacological studies of silymarin.
Rui YC.
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1991;86 Suppl 2:79-85.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1842018 - A randomized controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of silymarin on symptoms, signs and biomarkers of acute hepatitis.
El-Kamary SS, Shardell MD, Abdel-Hamid M, Ismail S, El-Ateek M, Metwally M, Mikhail N, Hashem M, Mousa A, Aboul-Fotouh A, El-Kassas M, Esmat G, Strickland GT.
Phytomedicine. 2009 May;16(5):391-400.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19303273 - An updated systematic review of the pharmacology of silymarin.
Saller R, Melzer J, Reichling J, Brignoli R, Meier R.
Forsch Komplementmed. 2007 Apr;14(2):70-80. Epub 2007 Apr 23.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17464157 - An updated systematic review with meta-analysis for the clinical evidence of silymarin.
Saller R, Brignoli R, Melzer J, Meier R.
Forsch Komplementmed. 2008 Feb;15(1):9-20.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18334810 - Effects of silymarin on the resolution of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats.
Tsai JH, Liu JY, Wu TT, Ho PC, Huang CY, Shyu JC, Hsieh YS, Tsai CC, Liu YC.
J Viral Hepat. 2008 Jul;15(7):508-14. Epub 2008 Apr 4.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18397225 - Silymarin suppresses TNF-induced activation of NF-kappa B, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and apoptosis.
Manna SK, Mukhopadhyay A, Van NT, Aggarwal BB.
J Immunol. 1999 Dec 15;163(12):6800-9.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10586080 - Inhibition of Kupffer cell functions as an explanation for the hepatoprotective properties of silibinin.
Dehmlow C, Erhard J, de Groot H.
Hepatology. 1996 Apr;23(4):749-54.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8666328 - Randomized controlled trial of silymarin treatment in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.
Ferenci P, Dragosics B, Dittrich H, Frank H, Benda L, Lochs H, Meryn S, Base W, Schneider B.
J Hepatol. 1989 Jul;9(1):105-13.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2671116 - [Liver-protective action of silymarin therapy in chronic alcoholic liver diseases].
[Article in Hungarian]
Fehér J, Deák G, Müzes G, Láng I, Niederland V, Nékám K, Kárteszi M.
Orv Hetil. 1989 Dec 17;130(51):2723-7.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2574842 - Protective effect of Legalon in workers exposed to organic solvents.
Szilárd S, Szentgyörgyi D, Demeter I.
Acta Med Hung. 1988;45(2):249-56.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3073356 - [Silibinin and acute poisoning with Amanita phalloides].
Carducci R, Armellino MF, Volpe C, Basile G, Caso N, Apicella A, Basile V.
Minerva Anestesiol. 1996 May;62(5):187-93.
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8937042
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The health claims that feature on our website in relation to the plants contained in our products are compliant with the list of health claims awaiting final assessment by the Community authorities (cf. website of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/nuhclaims/). However, they may be subject to modification following their assessment by the national competent authorities.
The health claims relating to other nutrients or substances contained in our products that feature on our site are compliant with Regulation No. 432/2012 of the Commission of 16 May 2012 which establishes a list of authorised health claims authorised in relation to food products, other than those in reference to the reduction of the risk of disease as well as community-based development and child health (cf. website of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/nuhclaims/).