Milk Thistle: What Eeyore Knows That You Do Not

So you’ve stocked up your pantry with all sorts of herbs, pills, roots and powders which address everything from headaches to heartburn. But look again, there’s still a spot in the far corner for one more jar of something special … Should we fill it with some more fish oil? Perhaps some apple cider vinegar? Boring! Let’s look at the potential benefits of something a little more ‘exotic’.

Milk thistle is certainly ‘exotic’ in the sense that, unlike something like caffeine, it is not a rampant ingredient in the bulk of major marketed supplements. However, that hasn’t stopped it from being used for over 2,000 years as a herbal remedy for various ailments related to liver, kidney and gall bladder problems. To give an indicator of the potency of this herb, several studies have suggested that the major constituents of milk thistle protect the liver from toxins, including pharmaceutical drugs such as Tylenol (which can cause liver damage in high doses). Apart from additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, some studies also suggest that it may help the liver repair itself by assisting in the growth of new cells. Recently, laboratory studies have indicated that active compounds in milk thistle may have anti-cancer effects, appearing to stop cancer cells from dividing and reproducing. Human studies have also shown mixed results with regard to the use of milk thistle to treat viral hepatitis (Hep C in particular) and alcoholic hepatitis / cirrhosis.

On a side note, traditional medicine has used milk thistle as an emergency antidote to poisoning by ‘deathcap’ mushrooms. Animal studies have indicated that milk thistle had the ability to completely counteract the poison when given within 10 minutes of ingestion.

It goes without saying that herbal remedies are a potent way to mitigate various diseases and strengthen the body. However, we should always be mindful of the fact that herbs can interact with other herbs, supplements and medications. Thus, you should only begin dosing with new herbs under the supervision of a health care practitioner such as a skilled naturopath.


References:

Saller, R., Brignoli, R., Melzer, J., & Meier, R. (2008). An updated systematic review with meta-analysis for the clinical evidence of silymarin. Forsch Komplementmed, 15(1), 9-20

Rambaldi, A., Jacobs, B.P., Laquinto, G., & Gluud, C. (2005). Milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C liver diseases — a systematic cochrane hepato-biliary group review with meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials. Am J Gastroenterol, 100 (11), 2583-91.

Jiang, C., Agarwal, R., & Lu, J. (2000). Anti-angiogenic potential of a cancer chemopreventive flavonoid antioxidant, Silymairn: inhibition of key attributes of vascular endothelial cells and angiogenic cytokine secretion by cancer epithelial cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 276, 371-378.

Gazak, R., Walterova, D., & Kren, V. (2007). Silybin and silymarin — new and emerging applications in medicine. Curr Med Chem, 14(3), 315-38.