Milk Thistle

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Milk Thistle Flower

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Milk Thistle Flower

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Milk Thistle

This fact sheet provides basic information about milk thistle—common names, what the science says, potential side effects and cautions, and resources for more information.

Milk thistle is a flowering herb native to the Mediterranean region. It has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for a variety of ailments, and historically was thought to have protective effects on the liver and improve its function. Today, its primary folk uses include liver disorders such as cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders. Other folk uses include lowering cholesterol levels, reducing insulin resistance in people who have both type 2 diabetes and cirrhosis, and reducing the growth of breast, cervical, and prostate cancer cells.

Silymarin, which can be extracted from the seeds (fruit) of the milk thistle plant, is believed to be the biologically active part of the herb. The seeds are used to prepare capsules, extracts, powders, and tinctures.

Latin Name--Silybum marianum

information from NCCAM verbatim

• Milk thistle (Silybum marianus) is regarded as one of the most important herbal liver tonics and restoratives. As is the case with Feverfew, medical use of Milk thistle may be traced back more than 2,000 years. Like Feverfew, Milk thistle has been subject to many clinical trials which clearly demonstrate its effectiveness. It is frequently recommended to counteract the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs on the liver and clinical studies have shown that it helps the liver to return to normal functioning once drinking has stopped. Scientific analysis of Milk thistle shows that it contains a flavonoid complex called silymarin, which is largely responsible for the medical benefits of this herb. Silymarin is a powerful anti-oxidant and can block the entrance of toxins into the liver and remove toxins at a cellular level, thereby resulting in regeneration of liver cells and improved liver functioning. This would have a direct impact on overall systemic health as the liver is one of the most important organs in the body.

What Milk thistle Is Used For

• Milk thistle is believed to have protective effects on the liver and improve its function. It is typically used as an herbal remedy to treat liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis (liver inflammation), and gallbladder disorders.
• Treatment claims also include:
  • Lowering cholesterol levels
  • Reducing insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes who also have cirrhosis
  • Reducing the growth of cancer cells in breast, cervical, and prostate cancers

Herbal Remedy Products with Milk thistle as part of the ingredients

MiGone Plus™ - Natural herbal remedy to relieve all types of headaches including migraines and ocular migraines, plus reduce anxiety and muscle tension Prevents migraines and chronic headaches Stops tension headaches before they start Reduces muscle tension and spasms Relieves the symptoms of arthritis Relaxes and reduces anxiety and tension

How Milk thistle Is Used

Milk thistle is a flowering herb. Silymarin, which can be extracted from the seeds (fruit), is believed to be the biologically active part of the herb. The seeds are used to prepare capsules containing powdered herb or seed; extracts; and infusions (strong teas).

What the Science Says about Milk thistle

• There have been some studies of milk thistle on liver disease in humans, but these have been small. Some promising data have been reported, but study results at this time are mixed.
• Although some studies conducted outside the United States support claims of oral milk thistle to improve liver function, there have been flaws in study design and reporting. To date, there is no conclusive evidence to prove its claimed uses.
• NCCAM is supporting a phase II research study to better understand the use of milk thistle for chronic hepatitis C. With the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NCCAM is planning further studies of milk thistle for chronic hepatitis C and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (liver disease that occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol).
• The National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Nursing Research are also studying milk thistle, for cancer prevention and to treat complications in HIV patients.

Previous laboratory studies suggested that milk thistle may benefit the liver by protecting and promoting the growth of liver cells, fighting oxidation (a chemical process that can damage cells), and inhibiting inflammation. However, results from small clinical trials of milk thistle for liver diseases have been mixed, and two rigorously designed studies found no benefit.

A 2012 clinical trial, cofunded by NCCAM and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, showed that two higher-than-usual doses of silymarin were no better than placebo for chronic hepatitis C in people who had not responded to standard antiviral treatment.

The 2008 Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), found that hepatitis C patients who used silymarin had fewer and milder symptoms of liver disease and somewhat better quality of life but no change in virus activity or liver inflammation.

Side Effects and Cautions of Milk thistle

• In clinical trials, milk thistle generally has few side effects. Occasionally, people report a laxative effect, upset stomach, diarrhea, and bloating.
• Milk thistle can produce allergic reactions, which tend to be more common among people who are allergic to plants in the same family (for example, ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold, and daisy).
• It is important to inform your health care providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using, including milk thistle. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.

News About Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle Health Benefits

• Source:http://www.motherearthliving.com/plant-profile/milk-thistle-therapy.aspx

By Christopher Hobbs, L.A.C., A.H.G.

An herbal defense against everyday toxins.

Through the ages, the thistle has earned a reputation as a cursed plant. Bristly and prickly, it spreads rapidly and can take over vast fields where less invasive plants once stood. Ancient people often considered the thistle an abomination, a sign of a rich land gone wrong. Even today, if you choose to grow thistle in your garden, neighbors may turn against you if the flower head goes to seed.

Such factors could overshadow the thistle’s therapeutic assets. But modern research shows that the fruit of the milk thistle (Silybum marianum) may restore and protect the liver, the body’s largest internal organ, from damage by chemicals, alcohol, and other toxins.

Clues From The Past

Historical references to the thistle’s medicinal value, including liver protection, are particularly abundant in the herbals of the Middle Ages. But milk thistle has been praised throughout the centuries for its ability to cure; such observations have contributed to modern interest in the herb.

Dioscorides, the first-century Greek physician who wrote a treatise on more than 600 medicinal plants titled De Materia Medica, stated that a tea of thistle seeds could be used for treating snakebite. John Gerard, a sixteenth-century English herbalist, went further. “My opinion,” he wrote, “is that this is the best remedy that grows, against all melancholy diseases.” Melancholy once referred to any liver or bile disease; it comes from the Greek roots melan, for black, and chole¯, for bile.

Nicholas Culpeper, a seventeenth-century apothecary, thought milk thistle was good for removing obstructions of the liver and spleen, and recommended an infusion of the fresh root and seeds to treat jaundice. The Eclectics, a school of medical herbalists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, used milk thistle to treat varicose veins and various pelvic congestions, including those linked to menstruation and to the liver, spleen, and kidneys.

Modern Views

Using milk thistle as medicine became less common in the West during the twentieth century, perhaps with the discovery of penicillin and the development of modern medical approaches. But during the 1970s in Germany, where herbs have remained an integral part of medical care, scientists began testing the herb’s fruits (commonly referred to as seeds) and discovered some compounds collectively called silymarin.

During the 1980s, researchers learned that silymarin increases the ability of liver cells to regenerate through a vital bodily process known as protein synthesis. Additionally, laboratory and human research showed that silymarin counteracts the effects of poisons, even that from the deathcap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), the most virulent liver toxin known.

Using Milk Thistle

The German government endorses the use of milk thistle as a supportive treatment for inflammatory liver conditions such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, and fatty infiltration caused by alcohol or other toxins. It also recognizes that silymarin possesses the ability to help prevent liver damage if taken before toxin exposure.

Who may benefit from using it: Anyone with a liver-based problem including cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, damage from alcohol or drug abuse, or liver poisoning from other foreign chemicals.

Milk thistle is also effective for less serious problems. After several years of using milk thistle extract, I have been able to improve my digestion and liver function, which was less than ­optimum after having hepatitis twice more than twenty years ago. I take extra milk thistle—up to 1 dropperful of the tincture or 1 tablet of the powdered concentrate three times daily—when I’m having digestive discomfort from overeating or eating unsettling food combinations. I take milk thistle in conjunction with a regimen of light eating (fruits and vegetables) for five days to a week.

Daily dose: For preventive care, take 420 mg of silymarin divided into three doses for six to eight weeks, after which the dose can be reduced to 280 mg per day for an indefinite period. Look for preparations that are standardized to 80 percent silymarin. Standardized milk thistle products can be found in natural and health-food stores.

Cautions: No known toxic side ­effects if taken according to instructions. Tinctures are fine for prevention and liver support when no previous disease ­exists.

The Thistle’s Method

Few plant principles have been more extensively researched than silymarin. More than 300 laboratory and human trials have proven that there is strong scientific basis for believing that it can protect the liver from damage by toxins such as carbon tetrachloride and alcohol while showing no toxic effects against the human body. Such results have convinced German health officials to recognize silymarin as helpful in treating hepatitis, cirrhoisis, and other chronic inflammatory liver disorders.

Many studies have focused on the deathcap mushroom, whose species include those that contain phalloidine, the quickest-acting and most toxic of liver poisons. Phalloidine destroys the outer membrane of liver cells, a situation that can lead to death within three to seven days of ingestion. Another deathcap mushroom toxin, alpha-amanatine, penetrates the cell nucleus to block normal cell regeneration, resulting in the breakdown of the liver, entry of waste products into the bloodstream, and death after three to five days.

One early study (1983) of eighteen patients suffering from poisoning after eating deathcap mushrooms showed that silymarin, taken at a daily dose of 33 mg for every kilogram of body weight for 81.6 hours, prevented severe liver damage. Researchers concluded that silymarin is an effective remedy if administered within 48 hours after eating the mushrooms. Further studies indicated that silymarin works against phalloidine by occupying its binding sites so that it can’t destroy cell membranes, and works against alpha-amanatine by changing the outer cell membrane so the toxin can’t permeate it. Specifi­cally, silymarin stimulates RNA polymerase A, which, in turn, enhances protein synthesis and liver cells’ ability to rebuild themselves, an effective defense against not only deathcap mushroom poisoning but also industrial chemical and alcohol-induced poisoning. A 1988 study, for example, focused on thirty workers who had been exposed to toluene and/or xylene vapors on the job for five to twenty years. All the workers had low blood platelet counts and abnormal liver function tests. After taking silymarin for thirty days, researchers reported, the workers all showed a significant improvement in liver function tests and blood platelet counts, although dosages weren’t specified in the study’s translation.

Further, some researchers have concluded that silymarin may be an effective preventive medicine. It offers valuable liver protection from exposure to alcohol, industrial chemicals, and psychopharmaceuticals because it speeds up the liver’s ability to return to normal. Additionally, the standardized seed preparations alter the cell structure of the outer liver membrane so toxins can’t enter the organ in the first place.

Trying For Precision

Researchers working primarily for phytopharmaceutical companies continue to aim for a precise understanding of how silymarin works. Among the pieces of the puzzle they have so far are, first, that silybin, one member of the group of compounds that make up silymarin, contains a steroid structure. Steroids enter cells to stimulate protein synthesis and cell regeneration, so silybin’s steroidal activity may be the mechanism by which silymarin works.

Additionally, researchers know that silymarin acts almost solely on the liver and kidneys, possibly because it moves in a rigid cycle from blood plasma to the liver bile and so is concentrated in liver cells. This cycle is difficult to break, one reason why some toxic substances are so destructive—they also concentrate in the liver. Toxins allow waste products to enter the bloodstream by impairing the liver’s ability to transform them into water-soluble compounds, which pass harmlessly from the body through the kidneys and urine. Silymarin, which moves along the same path but is both nontoxic and therapeutic, counteracts this destructive activity, making it one of the liver’s best allies.

Finally, research shows that silymarin is a powerful antioxidant that focuses its power directly on the liver, protecting it against cell-damaging free radicals.

Above The Crowd

Milk thistle is closely related to other thistles, but only Silybum marianum is known to contain silymarin, the chemical complex responsible for its ability to protect and heal the liver.

Milk thistle is also known as Our Lady’s thistle; that name and the species name marianum may refer to the white mottling of its leaves, which one legend holds was caused by a drop of the Virgin Mary’s milk. Its origins are in Western and Central Europe; it became naturalized in North America and now grows commonly as a weed from Vancouver Island to Mexico and east to the Atlantic. It also grows wild in many southern regions of the world, including southern Europe, Africa, and South America. It is cultivated in Texas and Argentina for European markets.

Milk thistle is a stout member of the Compositae or daisy family growing from 4 to 10 feet tall, depending on growing conditions (it prefers sunny locations and well-drained soil). It has large, prickly leaves marked with many undulating white zones. The flowering heads that appear at the end of the stalks are large, bright purple, and beset with an abundance of stout spines.

Milk thistle flowers from March in Southern California to July or August in the Pacific Northwest. According to one German study, southern plants produce seeds highest in silymarin, but its production also is dependent on conditions such as rainfall, average temperature, and the genetic heritage of the plants.

When the heads finish flowering and are showing a profusion of white pappus parachutes, they contain the ripest seeds for use. The seed vessel is the only part of the plant that contains silymarin. Many species of birds are attracted to the seeds for food, and it’s common to see birds clinging to the spiny stalks of milk thistle and swaying in the wind as they eat during the late summer.

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Milk Thistle Cuts Liver Toxicity from ALL Chemotherapy

• Source:http://www.medpagetoday.com/hematologyoncology/leukemia/17506

By John Gever

An extract from the milk thistle plant significantly reduced some signs of liver inflammation in children receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and showed favorable trends in other measures, researchers said.

After 56 days of oral treatment with milk thistle in capsule form, children in a placebo-controlled trial showed significantly lower levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and trends toward lower alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and bilirubin, according to Kara M. Kelly, MD, of Columbia University, and colleagues.

The study "provides preliminary evidence that milk thistle may be a safe, effective, supportive-care agent," the researchers concluded in an online report in Cancer.

"Milk thistle needs to be studied further, to see how effective it is for a longer course of treatment, and whether it works well in reducing liver inflammation in other types of cancers and with other types of chemotherapy," Kelly said in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society, publisher of Cancer. "However, our results are promising as there are no substitute medications for treating liver toxicity."

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is an herbal plant, native to Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, that has been shown to protect the liver and kidneys against damage from known toxins. Extracts are widely available in drugstores and herbal medicine shops, as well as from Internet vendors.

The version used in the current study was a 1:2 mixture of silibinin, believed to be the most active component of the herb, and soy phosphatidylcholine to improve the former's bioavailability.

Among the herb's purported benefits is limiting liver toxicity from cancer chemotherapy, but this had not previously been tested in a placebo-controlled trial.

So Kelly and colleagues assigned 50 children receiving treatment for ALL with a regimen of vincristine, methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine or thioguanine, and prednisone or dexamethasone to receive daily doses of the milk thistle product or placebo.

Participants ranged in age from under two to 19 (mean age 8.7 in the milk thistle group, 7 in the placebo group). About 60% in each group were classed as standard risk and the rest were high risk.

Milk thistle was given in quantities designed to equate to a silibinin dose of 5.1 mg/kg/day, for 28 days.

Levels of AST, ALT, and bilirubin were measured at baseline and at days 28 and 56.

The only significant difference between the milk thistle and placebo groups in these outcomes was for AST at day 56, with mean levels of about 47 U/L with milk thistle versus 67 U/L with placebo (P=0.04). Mean AST levels were also lower at day 28, but the difference was smaller and not significant.

ALT levels were slightly higher on day 28 in the milk thistle group versus placebo. On day 56, mean ALT levels were 122 U/L with milk thistle versus 140 U/L with placebo, but the P value remained above 0.05.

Bilirubin levels were virtually identical in the two groups at day 28. They were somewhat lower at day 56 with milk thistle (0.70 versus 0.87 in the placebo group) but this also failed to reach significance.

Chemotherapy dose reductions because of toxicity were also somewhat less common in the milk thistle group, with 61% taking reductions compared with 73% of the placebo group (not significant).

Milk thistle appeared to have no impact on delays in planned chemotherapy, and grade 3-4 toxicities were, if anything, more frequent in the actively-treated group.

During the first four weeks of treatment, five patients in the milk thistle group and three taking placebo experienced grade 3-4 hepatic toxicity. From day 28 to 56, eight children on milk thistle and five in the placebo group had grade 3-4 hepatic toxicity.

Kelly and colleagues said there were no toxicities or other untoward results attributable to the milk thistle. They suggested that the equivocal efficacy findings could have resulted from inadequate dosing of milk thistle, especially since testing of plasma samples from 18 children in the study failed to find detectable levels of silibinin in any patient.

"An evaluation of clinical literature shows a wide range of therapeutic doses and duration," they noted in their report, adding that they had chosen a "conservative" dose level and duration to be on the safe side.

It's also possible that children metabolize silibinin at different rates from adults, which would account for the lack of detectable silibinin in plasma samples.

Finally, Kelly and colleagues noted that compliance was poorer in the milk thistle group: 68% of planned doses were given, compared with 96% of placebo capsules. The milk thistle product was identical in smell and taste to the placebo.

The only difference the researchers identified that might have accounted for the compliance disparity was age. The milk thistle group had a significantly higher mean age, and noncompliant patients were significantly older than compliant children (mean 13.1 versus 6.9 years old, P=0.01).

"Future clinical trials should explore milk thistle in the setting of patients in which hepatic toxicity prevents provision of the recommended chemotherapy in individuals with cancer," Kelly and colleagues concluded.

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Milk thistle extract may help you beat colorectal cancer

• Source:http://www.examiner.com/article/milk-thistle-extract-may-help-you-beat-colorectal-cancer

By Harold Mandel (Syracuse Natural Health Examiner)

Something natural and safe which may help you beat colorectal cancer seems almost too good to be true. However, the University of Colorado Denver reported on April 20, 2015, oral milk thistle extract has been observed to stop colorectal cancer stem cells from growing tumors. In results from a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2015 it was revealed that oral administration of the chemical silibinin, purified from milk thistle, slows the ability of colorectal cancer stem cells to grow cancerous tumors.

It was also observed that when stem cells from tumors which were grown in silibinin-fed conditions were re-injected into new models, the cells did not develop equally aggressive tumors even when silibinin was absent. Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, said tumors from mice that were initially fed silibinin had less cancer stem cells, they were smaller, they had lower metabolisms and they displayed decreased growth of new blood vessels.

It has been particularly significant to note that when the cancer stem cells from tumors in mice which were fed silibinin were re-injected into new mice, these stem cells were seen to have lost their potential to repopulate even when there was no exposure to silibinin. Silibinin is a non-toxic agent which is derived from milk thistle seeds which is potentially chemopreventive. The researchers also see a likely therapeutic mechanism with silibinin.

Medline Plus reports colorectal cancer occurs when tumors develop in the lining of the large intestine. The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases after age 50. Your risk for this cancer is increased if you eat a diet high in fat, smoke, have colorectal polyps, a family history of colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Early diagnosis and treatment helps improve the prognosis with this condition. Aggressive initiatives to prevent colorectal cancer are always advisable.

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Milk Thistle Extract Combats Mushroom Poisoning

• Source:http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/10/milk-thistle-extract-combats-mushroom-poisoning/

By Gretchen Goetz

Doctors at Georgetown University Hospital don’t see many victims of mushroom poisoning. This September, however, when 4 new cases cropped up in 2 weeks, they had an opportunity to try an investigational drug on these patients – a drug that led all patients to a full recovery.

The substance is called silibinin, and is derived from the milk thistle plant. It works by preventing the mushroom’s poisonous amatoxins from reaching and damaging liver cells. Amatoxins are released by the Amanita mushroom, a poisonous genus that accounts for 95 percent of human illnesses from mushrooms in the U.S..

The treatment of mushroom poisoning has historically been an imperfect science. Given the rarity of these illnesses in the United States, doctors do not have many opportunities to figure out what works best for these patients.

A little over 1,300 illnesses were linked to mushroom poisoning in 2010, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Of these cases, 41 were considered severe, and 3 deaths occurred.

Indeed, the occurrence of 4 cases in the D.C. metro area in a span of 2 weeks is “extremely rare,” says Dr. Jaqueline Laurin, a liver specialist at Georgetown Hospital and the doctor who prescribed silibinin to the patients there, who before last month had not yet treated a case of Amanita poisoning in her 17-year career.

While silibinin has been approved for use in Europe, and has proven effective there, in the U.S. it is only approved for conditional use. Doctors must submit an application to the National Institutes of Health to gain access to it for a patient.

Dr. Laurin had read about silibinin’s success in Europe and in studies in the United States. So when 4 patients from the D.C. metro area presented with high liver toxicity after ingesting amanita mushrooms, she decided the drug was worth a shot.

And though 3 out of the 4 patients arrived outside of the 24 hr window – the time after ingestion in which treatment is most successful – all 4 achieved full recoveries and have now been discharged from the hospital.

Laurin says silibinin likely led to a better outcome for the patients than the standard forms of treatment for mushroom poisoning.

Penicillin G is one of the drugs most commonly given to patients who have eaten poisonous fungi. However, while the drug “has a similar effect, it doesn’t appear to have as strong an effect as silibinin,” she says.

But, Laurin explains, in order for silibinin to be more widely accepted as a treatment for Amanita mushrooms, its effects must be more widely studied.

“The problem with the silibinin is there aren’t any large controlled trials, especially against placebos, for ethical reasons,” she says.

And while rains continue to fall in the northeast, Laurin warns residents there – and anyone picking wild mushrooms – to be sure they know what they’re putting on the table.

“People are out there with their field guides picking mushrooms, but field guides may not have enough detail to be able to help people tell the difference between the edible varieties and the poisonous varieties,” she says.

Symptoms of amanita poisoning usually appear 6 to 12 hours after ingestion. Patients experience severe, watery diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. After 1-2 days, symptoms disappear for a period of time, but amatoxins continue to attack the liver, and can remain in the body anywhere from 5 to 7 days.

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Milk thistle has been shown to repair damages in the liver

• Source:http://news.therawfoodworld.com/milk-thistle-shown-repair-damages-liver/

By Heather Suhr

The liver is the body’s second largest organ and performs many essential functions in relation to digestion, metabolism, immunity, and the storage of nutrients within the body. If the liver lacks energy and nutrients, it could die quickly. However, positive side is that the liver can regenerate dead or damaged tissues quickly if it is properly taken care of.

Fairly recent studies have shown that milk thistle have powerful cancer suppressing abilities when used alone or along with other medicinal agents. Milk thistle is a 2,000-year-old remedy for a variety of ailments.

Silymarian, is a flavonoid found, in the seeds of milk thistle and it’s known to detoxify and protect the body against environmental toxins. It acts as an herbal remedy for ailments such as liver, kidney, and gallbladder problems. Silymarian has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help the liver repair the liver by growing new cancer cells.

Research shows that back in 1986, milk thistle was finally approved for treating liver diseases, such in cases as alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver poisoning, or viral hepatitis. In addition, it has been shown to protect the liver from toxins created by medications such as acetaminophens, which are non-aspirin pain suppressors.

It’s native roots come from the Mediterranean, however, now it can be found throughout the world. The height of the plant can reach up to ten feet high and its name is received from the milky white sap that emits from the leaves when squashed. Milk thistle has anti-cancer properties.

A study conducted by Dr. Ke-Qin Hu, at the University of California, concluded that milk thistle could be used confidently as a preventive against liver cancer, which is found to be one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. In Hu’s findings, milk thistle showed the ability to reduce cancer cell cycle speed.

While milk thistle is highly recognized for supporting the liver, another study pointed out that it exhibits anti-proliferative effects against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. As the researchers indicate, “Our results show that silibinin blocks mamalian target of rapamycin signaling with a concomitant reduction in translation initiation, thus providing a possible molecular mechanism of how silbinin can inhibit growth of transformed cells.”

Another study evaluated children with leukemia and was randomly given milk thistle or a placebo to evaluate the liver’s response. The results showed that toxic levels reduced in children partaking milk thistle and that did not interfere with the chemotherapy process. Choose the best quality milk thistle for optimal results.

It’s best to look for an extract that has silymarin and silybinin as found in studies in order to allow the activities of milk thistle to be effective. Also, if you are on any prescribed or anti-cancer medications, seeking the advice of a holistic practitioner is wise before you incorporate milk thistle into your daily routine.

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In The News: Experimental Drug Made From Milk Thistle Saves Two Lives

• Source:http://www.motherearthliving.com/natural-health/in-the-news-experimental-drug-made-from-milk-thistle-saves-two-lives.aspx

By Justine Patton

Two men who recently consumed poisonous mushrooms owe their lives to a new experimental drug, called silibinin. Why are we so excited about it here in the herb world, you ask? Because this new drug is made from milk thistle.

On September 12, Frank Constantinopla, a Springfield, Virginia resident, harvested a few mushrooms from his yard and threw them into a stir-fry that evening. Within a few hours, he and his wife were suffering of stomachaches and vomiting. When their symptoms didn’t subside, Constantinopla visited an emergency room near his home and was sent to Georgetown Unviersity Hospital for a possible liver transplant. When he arrived, the doctors delivered some grave news: the mushrooms Constantinopla had consumed were a highly poisonous mushroom commonly known as death cap.

The doctors moved quickly and convinced Constantinopla to try silibinin, an experimental drug made from milk thistle. He recovered within a few days, no liver transplant needed.

A similar incident occurred less than one week later when a local farmer munched on a poisonous mushroom, commonly known as destroying angel, from his yard. Luckily, Lantz also ended up at Georgetown University Hospital, where he was given the same drug, and a full recovery ensued for him as well.

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Milk thistle stops lung cancer in mice

• Source:http://www.coloradocancerblogs.org/milk-thistle-stops-lung-cancer-in-mice/

By Garth Sundem

Tissue with wound-like conditions allows tumors to grow and spread. In mouse lung cancer cells, treatment with silibinin, a major component of milk thistle, removed the molecular billboards that signal these wound-like conditions and so stopped the spread of these lung cancers, according to a recent study published in the journal Molecular Carcinogenesis.

Though the natural extract has been used for more than 2,000 years, mostly to treat disorders of the liver and gallbladder, this is one of the first carefully controlled and reported studies to find benefit. Here is how it works:

Basically, in a cell there can be a chain of signals, one leading to the next, to the next, and eventually to an end product. And so if you would like to eliminate an end product, you may look to break a link in the signaling chain that leads to it. The end products COX2 and iNOS are enzymes involved with the inflammatory response to perceived wounds – both can aid tumor growth. Far upstream in the signaling chain that leads to these unwanted enzymes are STAT1 and STAT3. These transcription factors allow the blueprint of DNA to bind with proteins that continue the signal cascade, eventually leading to the production of harmful COX2 and iNOS.

Stop STAT1 and STAT3 and you break the chain that leads to COX2 and iNOS – and the growth of lung tumors along with them.

“This relatively nontoxic substance – a derivative of milk thistle, called silibinin – was able to inhibit the upstream signals that lead to the expression of COX2 and iNOS,” says Alpna Tyagi, PhD, of the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy. Tyagi works in the lab of University of Colorado Cancer Center investigator Rajesh Agarwal, PhD.

In addition, Tyagi and collaborators compared the effects of silibinin to drugs currently in clinical trials for lung cancer. Would drugs that target other signaling pathways – other linked chains – similarly cut into the production of COX2 and iNOS?

It turned out that inhibiting the chains of JAK1/2 and MEK in combination and also inhibiting the signaling pathways of EGFR and NF-kB in combination blocked the ability of STAT1 and STAT3 to trap the energy they needed to eventually signal COX2 and iNOS production.

Compared to these multi-million dollar drugs, naturally-occurring silibinin blocked not only the expression of COX2 and iNOS, but also the migration of existing lung cancer cells.

“What we showed is that STAT1 and STAT3 may be promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of lung cancer, no matter how you target them,” Tyagi says. “And also that naturally-derived products like silibinin may be as effective as today’s best treatments.”

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Milk Thistle for post-holiday detox

• Source:http://www.foxnews.com/health/2009/12/30/milk-thistle-post-holiday-detox.html

By Chris Kilham

It's easy to eat too much fatty food and rich desserts during the holidays. And when the holidays are over, many people want to detoxify, to rid the body of that heavy feeling. The best and quickest way to do so is to rid the liver of unwanted fats and accumulated digestive by-products. And the best way to do that is with Milk thistle.

Milk thistle is Silybum marianum. Silybum derives from the Greek word sillybon, which means tuft. The flower of Milk thistle looks like a purple tuft. Milk thistle, or Silybum marianum, is native to southern Europe and southern Russia, and is common throughout North and South America, South Australia and Central Europe. Milk thistle is a biennial plant up to 10 feet in height, easily recognized by its brilliant reddish-purple flowers and large prickly leaves. The plant, most notably its seeds, contains a complex of therapeutic compounds known collectively as silymarin.

Milk thistle grows wild in Europe and North America, India, China, South America, Mexico, Australia and Africa. The plant is cultivated in Europe and the United States, in areas whose altitudes range from sea level to 1000 feet. The plant matures in less than a year. Primarily, milk thistle's large, shiny brown seeds are used to make therapeutic preparations. However, in folk medicine the leaves and flowers are also used.

As an herbal remedy, milk thistle in the form of standardized extracts made from the seeds of the plant, is used for liver cleansing, protective and therapeutic purposes. Milk thistle tea is also used for the same purposes. Milk thistle is widely used throughout Europe for liver ailments including hepatitis A, alcoholic cirrhosis, and exposure to hazardous chemicals. It is also employed as an effective antidote to the otherwise fatally poisonous "death cap" mushroom, Amanita phalloides. Remarkably, milk thistle helps to repair damage to the liver, and to regenerate liver tissue. For this reason, it is a highly beneficial health aid.

Medicinal History

Milk thistle has been employed as a medicine for at least 2,000 years, primarily for ailments of the liver. The 4th Century BC herbalist Theophrastus, and the 1st Century AD physician Pliny, both mentioned milk thistle. The first significant writings on milk thistle were by 1st century AD Greek physician Dioscorides, who employed the roots to induce vomiting, and boiled the leaves to treat snake bites.

The famous 19th Century herbalist Nicholas Culpepper employed milk thistle for diseases of the liver and bile. In the 19th and 20th century, Eclectic physicians in the United States prescribed milk thistle for disorders of the liver, kidneys and spleen, and for varicose veins and pelvic congestion. Use of milk thistle seed for the treatment of liver ailments was promoted by 19th century German physician Rademacher.

Since the late 1930's German herbal researchers have led scientific investigation into the properties and health benefits of milk thistle. Today in Europe, milk thistle is widely recognized and employed as a protective and restorative agent for liver damage due to hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcohol, drugs, and environmental toxins. In France, Germany, Hungary and Greece, various preparations of milk thistle are employed for a wide variety of health complaints related to liver function. These uses are becoming increasingly popular in the United States due to keen interest in natural remedies.

How It Works

Silymarin in milk thistle has been shown to inhibit damage from toxic substances including alcohol, drugs and other chemicals. Silymarin stabilizes cell membranes in the liver, thus minimizing or inhibiting cell damage due to insult from harmful agents. Silymarin not only shows protective power, but demonstrates specific activity in regenerating liver cells as well. Some of silymarin's protective activity is as an antioxidant. In this role, silymarin neutralizes harmful substances called free radicals that can damage cells. Specifically, silymarin protects oxidative damage to the lipid membrane that surrounds liver cells.

As recommended by Germany's Commission E, for liver protective and supportive treatment purposes, take 200 - 400 mg of silymarin in doses of 100 - 200 mg of silymarin, 2 times daily, morning and evening, with sufficient fluids.

Product Choosing/Buying Tips

Look for standardized extracts of milk thistle containing between 100-200-mg silymarin per capsule/tablet. Standardized products will clearly state their silymarin values. I favor the product Thistlyn by Nature's Way, which has been the subject of several human clinical studies. For herbal tea, I'd suggest Alvita brand Milk Thistle, found in most natural food stores. Drink a couple of cups daily to rid your liver of unwanted gunk.

Science Update

A review of 36 silymarin studies found that silymarin from milk thistle demonstrates cell protective activity in the liver, and reduces risk of mortality in cases of cirrhosis. The review further suggested that silymarin may be specifically beneficial in cases of alcohol-related cirrhosis.

Fun Facts/Trivia

• The name Mary thistle or St. Mary thistle, originates from a legend that Mary, while nursing the infant Jesus, spilled some breast milk on the plant, and that this resulted in the characteristic white veins which occur in the leaves.

• According to ancient legend, milk thistle was dedicated to Freya, the Norse goddess Freya, the Norse goddess of love, marriage and fertility.

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The Benefits of Using Milk Thistle for Better Liver Health

• Source:http://www.thealternativedaily.com/milk-thistle-for-better-liver-health/

(The Alternative Daily)

Milk thistle is an herb that has been around for hundreds of years, yet it is still relatively unknown in the U.S. So, what’s the scoop on milk thistle?

This herb has many detoxifying properties, especially for the kidneys, liver, and lymphatic system. It has been traditionally used to help treat fatty liver, assist with weight loss, combat toxicity, fight and help remedy liver disease, and reduce chronic inflammation.

Where does milk thistle come from?

Milk thistle herb comes from the plant known as Silybum marianum, and its active ingredient, known as silymarin, is the chemical extracted from the seeds. The milk thistle plant is in the same family as sunflower and daisy, and has a beautiful reddish purple flower. It originally hails from the Mediterranean, though it now grows in many parts of the world.

It has been used in natural and alternative medicine for hundreds of years as a way to improve liver health, and today you can find it in any health-food store in the form of a supplement.

Benefits of milk thistle

Milk thistle has been used to aid with cirrhosis of the liver, alcohol poisoning, liver disease, general cleansing, and even cancer throughout the ages. However, it is important to note that scientific evidence shows mixed results as to whether it’s effective enough to be a solid, sole treatment for these issues.

This herb may, however, help improve daily liver function to aid in the reduction of everyday toxins, and it may help prevent fatty liver, liver disease, and cirrhosis in someone with an already healthy diet. Milk thistle has also been shown to help improve liver toxicity from alcohol poisoning. It stimulates bile flow to assist with liver health, and aids in the overall detoxification and destruction of toxins.

Milk thistle may also go a step further to repair liver cells and fight inflammation that has occurred from liver poisoning or toxicity. These benefits may lead to better health and have a dramatic effect on the overall aging process.

How milk thistle may help with weight loss

Our liver is our primary fat-burning organ, and if it is not functioning at its best, we will not feel our best. When we eat toxic foods, drink excess alcohol, and live an unhealthy lifestyle, our liver function slows down. While certain foods can improve liver health, such as greens, beets, and other root vegetables like daikon, certain herbs can also be helpful for boosting liver function further.

Milk thistle is the most commonly recommended natural herbal supplement for liver problems, and is found in many detoxification supplements for this very reason.

Milk thistle is also a potent antioxidant which may help to aid the body with weight loss and regular detoxification. The stronger the body’s defense mechanisms, the better the metabolism can function, and the less work the body has to do to fight off disease.

Milk thistle may also improve overall digestion, another important part of weight loss and metabolism. It works by speeding up the removal of toxins so less work is placed on all the elimination organs of the body. This results in a faster metabolism, more energy, and enhanced weight loss. Remember, the better the liver works, the better it can metabolize fat.

Best forms of milk thistle to use

Milk thistle flower macro backgroundMilk thistle is found in many different over-the-counter detox pills, teas, and tinctures. Like any herbal supplement, however, you should always look for those that are certified non-GMO and regulated by GMP (good manufacturing practices). Always buy from reputable companies — doing your research and asking around is essential.

It may be best for liver health to avoid alcohol tinctures. Choose a pure tea or tincture instead.

Potential side effects

The side effects of milk thistle are rare, however, if you overdose you may experience nausea, digestive upset, or rashes. Milk thistle may trigger an allergic reaction if you suffer from ragweed allergies. Always talk to your health-care practitioner before implementing milk thistle into your routine.

If you have ever had problems with your liver and wanted a more natural treatment than prescription drugs, or have general sluggishness and a slow metabolism, you may wish to look into milk thistle a little further to see if it’s right for you. It’s one of the most common herbs for overall detoxification, and is a favorite among many natural health specialists.

If you’ve ever used this natural remedy for better liver health, what benefits have you experienced?

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Milk Thistle: A Liver and Skin Protector

• Source:http://www.liversupport.com/milk-thistle-a-liver-and-skin-protector/

By Nicole Cutler

Supplementing with milk thistle offers more than one benefit. It protects liver cells on the body’s inside and skin cells on the outside.

Milk thistle is well known to protect liver cells from damaging toxins. Despite milk thistle’s frequent association with liver cell protection, the liver is not the only beneficiary of this popular supplement. Some relatively new studies have determined that the skin receives a similar protective benefit from milk thistle as the liver does. Liver Protection

The human liver is capable of recovering from an injury, but chronic liver disease repeatedly challenges this ability. When the rate of liver cell injury outpaces the liver’s regenerative capacity, scars form. Unfortunately, scarring in the liver can block blood flow – a problem that fosters even more damage to liver tissue. If this damaging cycle persists, severe scarring can render the liver no longer capable of performing all its duties. Thus, those who either have liver scarring or are at high risk of liver damage due to fat accumulation, hepatitis, excessive exposure to alcohol or toxins, or another liver disadvantage are encouraged to take action against further liver injury.

Milk thistle seed extract has been used for centuries to add a layer of protection to vulnerable liver cells. Experts have found that milk thistle:

• Strengthens the outer walls of liver cells to better resist injury

• Promotes the growth of healthy liver cells

• Fights oxidation – a process that damages liver cells

Decades of clinical trials indicate that silymarins, a group of potent antioxidants extracted from the seeds of milk thistle, are responsible for milk thistle’s therapeutic properties. Of the silymarins, silybin (also referred to as silibinin) own to be the most effective constituent of silymarin for preserving liver health. External Skin Protection

Guarding against ultraviolet radiation is the primary concern for keeping the skin healthy. To shield the skin from damage, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest:

• seeking shade during the midday hours

• wearing clothing over exposed skin

• donning a wide-brimmed hat

• wearing UVA and UVB blocking sunglasses

• applying sunscreen

• avoiding indoor tanning

Most recommended skin protectors come in the form of soaps, lotions or creams designed to keep skin clean and moist while deflecting harmful radiation. According to Tina Alster, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University, a regimen including the following topical products helps protect the skin:

• Cream Cleanser – a cleanser that is not overly harsh or drying can help keep the skin stable and reduce the risk of irritation.

• Moisturizer Containing Sunblock – The American Academy of Dermatology recommends daily use of a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Makeup or foundations containing sunscreen often are not applied thickly or evenly enough to provide adequate protection.

• Anti-Aging Product at Night – Active ingredients to look for in an anti-aging cream include glycolic, ascorbic, or retinoic acid. Alster recommends using one or two of these products on an alternate night basis to help skin turnover more regularly. However, some anti-aging creams may increase skin sensitivity.

Internal Skin Protection

Skin is traditionally protected with topical creams or lotions, but researchers have found a non-traditional method that protects against skin damage as well. In addition to protecting liver cells, internal supplementation with milk thistle also seems to protect skin cells.

As published in the January 2013 edition of the journal Molecular Carcinogenesis, researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center found that silibinin:

• protects against skin cancer-causing ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation by upping cell expression of a particular cell-repairing protein

• kills cells that have undergone mutations due to ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation (a process that potentially leads to skin cancer)

These results support previous findings that show silibinin promotes destruction of cells damaged by UVA, but not healthy cells. According to senior study author Rajesh Agarwal, “When you have a cell affected by UV radiation, you either want to repair it or kill it so that it cannot go on to cause cancer. We show that silibinin does both.”

Although a great deal more research will be needed before dermatologists suggest milk thistle supplementation for their patients to ward off skin cancer, the evidence is compelling. The traditional approach for protecting the skin (avoiding the hot sun, covering exposed skin, wearing sunscreen) is vital to preserving the skin’s vitality. But silibinin seems to add another safeguard. Likely to become the focus of future dermatological study, silibinin not only protects and helps in the repair of liver cells – it also appears to offer a similar type of protective and reparative assistance to skin cells.

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Milk Thistle Extract Fights Cushing Disease Brain Tumor, Research Finds

• Source:http://planetsave.com/2015/02/17/milk-thistle-extract-fights-cushing-disease-brain-tumor-research-finds/

By James Ayre

Milk thistle extract (silbinin) works effectively to alleviate symptoms of Cushing Disease (caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain), according to new comprehensive research from the Max Planck Institute. The research included work done using cell cultures, animal models, and also human tumor tissue.

The treatment appears to be so effective that the researchers involved in this work think that it may allow some patients to avoid brain surgery completely — an ideal outcome as far as treatment of Cushing Disease (which is not Cushing’s Syndrome it should be noted) goes.

In Cushing Disease, a brain tumor in the pituitary gland causes the secretion of increased levels of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), which triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands — which leads to fat gain, muscular weakness, elevated blood pressure, and diminished testosterone levels, amongst other things.

Patients with the disease are highly prone to microbial infections, depression, osteoporosis, and may show cognitive deficiencies. Standard treatment for severe case currently is brain surgery — which in 80-85% of cases results in the tumor being removed. Inoperable cases exist though — and as it stands are treated with a regimen that is accompanied by severe side effects.

Effective treatment via simpler, cheaper, and safer, compounds such as silbinin (milk thistle extract) would be of great use.

“Silibinin is the major active constituent of milk thistle seeds. It has an outstanding safety profile in humans and is already used for the treatment of liver disease and poisoning,” stated Marcelo Paez-Pereda, lead researcher behind the new study. (See: Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Benefits, Side Effects, & Silymarin Uses + Research Findings)

The research found that with silibinin treatment, tumour cells reverted to normal ACTH production, tumor growth slowed down considerably, and “symptoms of Cushing Disease disappeared in mice”.

A recent press release provides further information:

In 2013, the Max Planck scientists filed a patent on a broad family of chemical and natural compounds, including silibinin, to treat :pituitary tumours. Compared to humans, of which only 5.5 in 100,000 people worldwide develop Cushing Disease, this condition is very common :in several pets. For example, 4 % of dogs and even 7 % of horses suffer from Cushing Disease. Thus, the researchers now plan to test special formulations with a very pure substance and slow release of the active component silibinin in clinical trials.

In their first experiments the researchers found tremendously high amounts of the heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in tumour tissue from patients with Cushing Disease. In normal amounts HSP90 helps to correctly fold another protein, the glucocorticoid receptor which in turn inhibits the production of ACTH.

“We knew that Cushing Disease is caused by the release of too much ACTH. So we asked ourselves what causes this over production and how to stop it.”

“As there are too many HSP90 molecules in the tumor tissue, they stick to the glucocorticoid receptor,” explained Paez-Pereda. “We found that silibinin binds to HSP90 thus allowing glucocorticoid receptor molecules to dissolve from HSP90. With silibinin we might have discovered a non-invasive treatment strategy not only for the rare Cushing Disease but also for other conditions with the involvement of glucocorticoid receptors such as lung tumors, acute lymphoblastic leukemia or multiple myeloma.” The new findings are detailed in a paper published in the journal Nature Medicine.

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Did You Know? Surprising Benefit of Milk Thistle

• Source:http://www.liversupport.com/did-you-know-surprising-benefit-of-milk-thistle/

(Editors at LiverSupport.com)

A growing body of research is demonstrating that silymarin can help decrease blood sugar levels in those with diabetes and those with insulin resistance – a precursor to diabetes. Researchers hypothesize this is because of milk thistle’s ability to support and improve liver function. The liver plays a role in producing and regulating hormones. Insulin is a hormone and when released into the bloodstream, it lowers blood sugar levels.

Photos of the Milk Thistle

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  Honeybee landing on milkthistle

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  Honeybee on MilkThistle

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  Dried Milkthistle

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  Swallowtail Butterfly on Milk Thistle Flower

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