Silymarin.Milk Thistle and applications.

  seminal trace...Silymarin.Milk Thistle Extract.silymarin.80%.Silybum Marianum Extract.Silybin:CAS.NO:22888-70-6;.M.F:C25H22O10.CCRIS 7096;Flavobion;Legalon;Legalon 70...

 


 Botanical Basic Data of Milk Thistle..
 Phytochemicals of milk thistle.
 History of Silymarin and foundation.
 Modern Application and function of Silymarin and silybin.
 Dosage and Administration.
 Milk Thistle:Pharmacology.
 The Awesome Power of the Milk Thistle.
 Research Update of Silybum Marianum.Silymarin
 How Search engine think about Milk Thistle.


   Botanical Basic Data of Milk Thistle.:

 Class: Magnoliopsida.Order: Asterales
 Family: Asteraceae.Subfamily: Lactucoideae
 Tribe: Cardueae.Genus: Silybum
 Scientific Name:Carduus marianus syn. Silybum marianum
 Botanical Source:Carduus marianus syn. Silybum marianum
 Latin Name: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner,Silybum marianum
 Pharmacopeial Name: Cardui mariae fructus
 Other Names: blessed milk thistle, St. Mary thistle,Cardui mariae, Carduus marianum, Holy Thistle, Lady's Thistle, Legalon, Marian Thistle, Mariendistel, Mary Thistle, Our Lady's Thistle, Silimarina, Silybin, Silymarin, St. Mary Thistle,Cardui mariae, Carduus marianum, Holy Thistle, Lady's Thistle, Legalon, Marian Thistle, Mariendistel, Mary Thistle, Our Lady's Thistle, Silimarina, Silybin, Silybum, Silymarin, St. Mary Thistle, Wild Artichoke
 Botanical Synonyms and Common names:Milk Thistle,Mary Thistle,Silybum,Silymarin,Silybum marianum (L) Gacntm
 Description:Milk thistle, also known as the Marian, St. Mary's, or Our Lady's thistle, is a tall herb with prickly leaves and a milky sap. Milk thistle is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe but naturalized in California and the eastern United States. Botanically, milk thistle is known as Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., a member of the family Asteraceae. In older literature, as well as some modem European works, it is cited as Carduus marianus L.. Over the years, several other plants have been referred to as milk thistles, but authorities now reserve that common name for this species. Also, it must not be confused with the blessed or holy thistle, which is Cnicus benedictus L., an entirely different plant, although the similarity of the religiously inspired common names is confusing.
 
  Habitat and Genus of milk thistle members:

 Native to the Mediterranean, grows wild throughout Europe and is widely naturalized in California and Australia. Milk thistle thrives in open areas. Also cultivated as an ornamental plant, milk thistle prefers a sunny position and self-seeds readily. The flower heads are picked in full bloom in early summer. Seeds are collected in late summer.

 Milk thistle fruit consists of ripe seed of S. marianum (L.) Gaertner [Fam. Asteraceae], freed from the pappus, and its preparations in effective dosage. The preparation contains silibinin, silydianin, and silychristin.

 Milk Thistle seeds were consumed by European wet nurses to insure a healthy milk supply. The heads of this Thistle formerly were eaten, boiled, treated like those of the Artichoke. Milk Thistle seeds help stimulate protein synthesis in the liver. They even can help reverse the damage done from eating poisonous mushrooms or from carbon tetrachloride, which destroy liver cells and usually cause death. When Milk Thistle seeds are used within 48 hours, the survival rate is almost 100%. When fed to animals that had partial hepatectomies, their livers grew back more quickly. Milk Thistle is a good supplement to use to protect the liver when needing to take pharmaceutical drugs.
 Milk thistles are thistles of the genus Silybum Adans., flowering plants of the daisy family (Asteraceae). They are native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
 Members of this genus grow as annual or biennial plants. The erect stem is tall, branched and furrowed but not spiny. The large, alternate leaves are waxy-lobed, toothed and thorny, as in other genera of thistle. The lower leaves are cauline (= attached to the stem without petiole). The upper leaves have a clasping base. They have large, disc-shaped pink-to-purple, rarely white, solitary flower heads at the end of the stem. The flowers consist of tubular florets. The phyllaries under the flowers occur in many rows, with the outer row with spine-tipped lobes and apical spines. The fruit is a black achene with a white pappus.
 

 Only two species are currently classified in this genus:
 Silybum eburneum Coss. & Dur., known as the Silver Milk Thistle, Elephant Thistle, or Ivory Thistle Silybum eburneum Coss. & Dur. var. hispanicum
 Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner, the Blessed Milk Thistle, which has a large number of other common names, such as Variegated Thistle.
 A number of other plants have been classified in this genus in the past but have since been relocated elsewhere in the light of additional research.
 S. marianum is by far the more widely known species. It is believed to give some remedy for liver diseases(e.g. viral hepatitis) and an extract, silymarin, is used in medicine. The adverse effect of the medicinal use of milk thistle is loose stools.


   Phytochemicals of milk thistle.:

 Primary chemical constituents of Milk Thistle include flavolignans (silymarin), tyramine, histamine, gamma linoleic acid, essential oil, mucilage, and bitter principle. The dried fruit of Milk Thistle contains the flavonoid complex known as silymarin - the constituent responsible for the medical benefits of the plant.
 The principal extract of milk thistle, silymarin (4% to 6% in ripe fruit), is composed of several polyphenolic tlavonolignans. The major component (60%) is silybin (also known as silibinin or silybinin), and it is also the most biologically active; other components include silichristin (also known as silychristin, silycristine or silicristin), a metabolic stimulant, and silydianin. Silymarin is found in highest concentrations in the fruit of the plant. Other constituents are flavonoids, a fixed oil (16% to 18%), betaine, trimethylglycine and amines.
 SiIymarin - German research from the 1970s onward has focused on silymarin, a substance contained in the seeds. This exerts a highly protective effect on the liver, maintaining its function and preventing damage from compounds that are normally highly toxic. It has been shown that severe liver breakdown, resulting from ingesting carbon tetrachloride or death cap mushrooms, may be prevented if silymarin is taken immediately before, or within 48 hours. In Germany, silymarin has been used successfully to treat hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.
 Silymarin is a potent hepatoprotecive drug having established place in hepatology practice. Silymarin is a flavonol-lignan mixture obtained from seeds of Silybum marianum. Silymarin is a mixture of silybin, isosilybin, silychristin and silydianin.
 Natures powerful extract for liver protection. This standardized extract from the milk thistle plant has powerful antioxidant and liver-protecting properties. Each 175 mg capsule contains 140 milligrams of the active ingredient which is a standardized 80% flavonolignans extract. Silymarin Extract is helpful in reducing exposure from chronic environmental toxins.

  Chemistry and Pharmacology:

 Milk thistle seed contains 1.5~3% flavone lignans, collectively referred to as silymarin;20~30% fixed oil,of which approximately 60% is linoleic acid, approximately 30% is oleic acid, and approximately 9% is palmitic acid; 25~30% protein; 0.038% tocopherol; 0.63% sterols, including cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol; and some mucilage. The three principle components of silymarin are the flavanolignans silybin, silychristin, and silidianin.
 Silymarin acts as an antagonist in many experimental liver-damage models:phalloidin and amanitin(deathcap toxins), lanthanides, carbon tetrachloride, galactosamine, thioacetamide, and the hepatotoxic virus FV3 of cold-blooded vertebrates.
 The therapeutic activity of silymarin is based on two sites or mechanisms of action:
  (a) It alters the structure of the outer cell membrane of the hepatocytes in such a way as to prevent penetration of the liver toxin into the interior of the cell.
  (b) It stimulates the action of nucleolar polymerase A, resulting in an increase in ribosomal protein synthesis, and thus stimulates the regenerative ability of the liver and the formation of new hepatocytes.
 Milk thistle extract provides hepatocellular protection by stabilizing hepatic cell membranes.Other actions include interruption of enterohepatic recirculation of toxins, stimulation of protein synthesis and regeneration of damaged hepatocytes, as well as antioxidant activity.
 Recent research on silibinin and silichristin to promote faster regeneration of diseased liver tissue has focused on the ability of silibinin to stimulate the activity of the DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase I, causing an increase in rRNA synthesis and an accelerated formation of intact ribosomes. This results in a general increase in the rate of synthesis of all cellular proteins. In vivo and in vitro molecular modeling experiments indicate that silibinin may imitate a steroid hormone by binding specifically to polymerase I, thus stimulating enzyme activity.

  Mechanism of Action:

 The antihepatotoxic effect of Silymarin is associated with the competitive interaction with the receptors of the relevant toxins in the hepatocyte membrane, and with a more general action of protective nature (Vogel 1975).
 So, the hepatoprotective action of Silymarin is manifested by a consolidation of the membranes and the functions of the cell structures. Thus, a specific protective and curative effect on the liver protective function in this way.
 The biflavonoids are assumed to possess a vitamin-C-sparing effect. They have an anti-inflammatory action and improve the synthesis of proteins and glycoproteins, as well as the peroxidation of lipids in the liver. Clinically, the above effects are translated into improved signs and symptoms, and lowered values of the transaminases, g-globulines and blood bilirubin.
 


   History of Silymarin and foundation.:

 Milk thistle gets its name from the thick white fluid that seeps from the leaves when they are broken. Its long leaves have prominent white veins and sharp spines that can scratch unprotected skin. Purple or pink flowers that grow individually on tall stems bloom in mid-to-late summer. Each milk thistle plant has up to 50 flowers; each flower contains about a hundred seeds. The seeds resemble dandelion seeds, since they are attached to feathery structures that blow in the wind. Thought to have originated in areas around the Mediterranean Sea and possibly regions of India, milk thistle is now found growing wild in most parts of the world with moderate temperatures -- including Canada, Europe, and the United States. It grows as an annual in cooler climates or a biennial in bush that can be as tall as ten feet and that has a very strong taproot. Because it spreads rapidly, grows in marginal areas such as vacant lots, and crowds out other plants; milk thistle is often considered to be a weed. It may poison cattle and other livestock that eat large amounts of whole plants.

 Surprisingly, the herb milk thistle is far more popular and well-known in the Old World. Europeans have developed ancient traditions of using milk thistle both in medicine and as a vegetable.
 The matter is that Silybum marianum (the botanical name for milk thistle) is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe. It is a sort of thistles from the genus Silybum Adans. Sometimes people treat the plant as a weed, which, however, is the potent medicinal herb.

 Milk thistle (other names are Holy thistle, Marian Thistle, Our Lady's thistle, Wild Artichoke) is a tall plant (generally 2-5 feet high, sometimes ¨C up to 10 feet) with an erect, branched and furrowed but not spiny stem. It has large, thorny green root-leaves, which are attached to the stem without petiole; the upper leaves have a clasping base.
 The characteristic feature of the plant's leaves is that they have milk-white veins. The ancient legend says that it was Virgin Mary's milk that dropped onto the leaves and left white traces. That is why people believe that the herb has lactation improving abilities, therefore, is good for use by nursing mothers.

 The flowers of milk thistle are red-purple and spiky; the small black shiny seeds are crowned with feathery tufts, which make it easy for the plant to spread in a field or a garden. Each flower-head produces about 190 seeds, harvested mostly in July or August. They remain viable for 9 (!) years.
 The plant prefers well-drained soils and much sunlight, though it can also stand harsher conditions. Strange as it may seem, milk thistle needs some cold temperatures to produce more flowers; therefore, European climate is perfect for it.

 For more than two thousand years milk thistle has been cultivated throughout Europe, but it was always especially popular in Greece, Italy, and Germany. Our ancestors used this herb for treating liver, kidney, spleen, and gallbladder diseases. They also healed serpents bites and mushroom poisoning with the plant preparations. Moreover, the tinctures were applied externally to the liver area to promote its protection and to the skin surface for relieving skin conditions.
 Usually teas and tinctures were made of milk thistle seeds (when roasted they were used as coffee substitutes), but the whole plant was consumed as a vegetable: young stems and leaves were either boiled or eaten raw as salads.

 During the last years the use of milk thistle is tested by multiple scientific studies, conducted mainly in Germany. The German Health Authorities (equivalent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) founded a special Commission E, which is supposed to develop the rules (dosages, indications, and contraindications) of milk thistle preparations usage to promote the best health benefits.
 Nowadays the plant becomes more familiar to the American consumers, too, gaining their confidence and trust in its power and health benefits. Since milk thistle is easy to grow, it is already cultivated in many states throughout the country.
 Currently, milk thistle seeds are the part most commonly used in medicine. All the parts that grow above the ground may be used, however, to make extracts. In the past, milk thistle products have been used to stimulate the flow of breast milk in women who were breast-feeding infants. It was also a folk remedy for depression. Its leaves, roots, and stems have been eaten as a vegetable in some parts of the world, and its seeds may be toasted and boiled into a coffee-type beverage.
 Then, about thirty years ago, German scientists undertook a chemical investigation of the fruits and succeeded in isolating a crude mixture of antihepatotoxic (liver protectant) principles designated silymarin, which is contained in the fruits in concentrations ranging from 1 to 4 percent. Subsequently, silymarin was shown to consist of a large number of flavonolignans, including principally silybin, accompanied by isosilybin, dehydrosilybin, silydianin, sily-christin, and others.

 Unfortunately, silymarin is very poorly soluble in water, so milk thistle is not effective in the form of a tea. Studies show that such a beverage contains less than 10 percent of the initial activity in the plant material. This poor solubility, coupled with the fact that silymarin is relatively poorly absorbed (20 to 50 percent) from the gastrointestinal tract, make it obvious that the active principles are best administered parenterally, that is, by injection. Oral use requires a concentrated product. Milk thistle is marketed in this country as a dietary supplement in the form of capsules containing 200 mg of a concentrated extract representing 140 mg of silymarin. Toxic effects resulting from the consumption of milk thistle have apparently not been reported. Twenty-one cases out of 2,169 (1 percent) in an observational study did report transient gastrointestinal side effects. Otherwise, it is considered very well-tolerated and quite effective.
 Milk thistle was brought to the United States and has adapted to life in the wild in California and along the East Coast. The sap is white and milky, perhaps explaining at least one of its common names. The white spots along the ribs of the leaves were said to have been drops of the Virgin Mary's milk. The herb was used in times past to help encourage milk production, but this may have been due to the name and the association.
 The medicinal use of milk thistle goes back two thousand years. Pliny the Elder wrote of it, praising its value for "carrying off bile." Medieval herbalists also made use of this property, and in the sixteenth century English herbalists adopted it. It did not maintain its popularity, however, and by the early twentieth century only homeopaths were familiar with it. With a renewal of interest in herbal medicines, researchers started to investigate milk thistle scientifically in the 1950s. The part of the plant that is used is the small hard fruit with the fuzz (technically called "pappus") removed.

 Milk thistle extract is occasionally used to stimulate the appetite, but its primary use is for liver and gallbladder problems. Silymarin in proprietary extracts has been shown, through animal research, to have the ability to protect the liver from a range of toxins, including carbon tetrachloride and the deadly poisons from the death-cap Amanita mushrooms. It is most effective when given six hours before exposure, although there is some benefit up to thirty minutes after exposure to the toxin. Pretreatment with silymarin also protects animals from liver damage due to alcohol. Silymarin seems to have a membrane-stabilizing activity that prevents toxins from getting into the cells, perhaps by competing for the receptors, or perhaps through antioxidant action and free radical scavenging. It also stimulates the synthesis of ribosomal RNA, an important step in cell regeneration, and inhibits lipid peroxidation.
 


   Modern Application and function of Silymarin and silybin.:

  1.Silymarin as inhibitor of Beta-glucuronidase:

 Silymarin, a commercial crude drug used as a hepatoprotective, was found to inhibit beta-glucuronidase activityof the feces of a healthy human and of a human with colon cancer. Silymarin and silybin protected the increase in enzyme activity in the serum of the treated rats.

  2.Silibinin Anti Free radicals:

 Silibinin dihemisuccinate (SDH) is a flavonoid of plant origin with hepatoprotective effects which have been partially attributed to its ability to scavenge oxygen free radicals. The studies showed that SDH has an inhibitory effect, which is dependent on its concentration and the magnitude of lipid peroxidation.
 This work supports the reactive oxygen species scavenger action ascribed to SDH.


  3.Hepatoprotective:

 The hepatoprotective activity of the drug is said to be based on two mechanisms:
  1. Silymarin alters the structure of the outer membrane of the hepatocytes in such a way as to prevent penetration of the liver toxin into the interior of the cell.
  2. Silymarin stimulate the action of nucleolar polymerase A, resulting in ribosomal protein synthesis and, thus stimulates the regenerative ability of the liver and formation of new hepatocytes.

 The involvement of the alcohol-inducible cytochrome P450 2E1 in the hepatoprotective mechanism of the plant flavonoid extract silymarin, and its main active component silybin, was investigated in isolated hepatocytes.
 Contrary to earlier reports we found no evidence for an interaction of silymarin or silybin with cytochrome P450 2E1. This suggests that the antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties may account for most of the therapeutic effect of these compounds.
 The untoward effect of silymarin on cultured cells may have consequences when considering long-term prescription of this therapeutic agent.
 Miguez-MP; Anundi-I; Sainz-Pardo-LA; Lindros-KO: Hepatoprotective mechanism of silymarin: no evidence for involvement of cytochrome P450 2E1. Chem-Biol-Interact. 1994 Apr; 91(1): 51-63.
 Changes of concentration, total content of histones and relative portions of histone fractions were investigated in the liver of rats after administration of the hepatoprotective substance silymarin (70 mg/kg) and after gamma-irradiation of the whole body at a dose of 3 Gy. The results document that silymarin administration 1 hour before irradiation had a positive effect which was observed in all the investigated parameters in hour 30 after irradiation. But the radioprotective effect of silymarin was only temporary while until day 7 after irradiation histone variations were identical or still larger than after irradiation without silymarin administration.
 


  4.Liver injury protection of silymarin:

 Historically, this herb has been used in Europe as a liver tonic, and current phytotherapy indicates its use in a whole range of liver and gallbladder conditions including hepatitis and cirrhosis. It may also have value in the treatment of chronic uterine problems.
 Today, milk thistle is the main remedy used in Western herbal medicine to protect the liver and its many metabolic activities, and help renew its cells. Milk thistle is used in the treatment of hepatitis and jaundice, as well as in conditions where the liver is under stress whether from infection, excess alcohol, or from chemotherapy prescribed to treat diseases such as cancer. In this last instance, milk thistle can help to limit damage done to the liver by chemotherapy and speed up recovery from side effects once the treatment is completed.
 Milk Thistle is unique in its ability to protect the liver and has no equivalent in the pharmaceutical drug world. In fact, in cases of poisoning with Amanita mushrooms, which destroy the liver, milk thistle is the only treatment option. It has been so dramatically effective that the treatment has never been disputed, even by the traditional medical community.
 In multiple human, animal, and laboratory studies, it has shown differing degrees of effectiveness for protecting the liver from damage caused by alcohol, chemicals, drugs, diseases, and poisonous plants.
 The active substances are 3 potent liver protective bioflavonoids: silybin, silydianin and silychristin known collectively as Silymarin.
 The mechanism of action of silymarin involves: altering the membranes of hepatic cells to inhibit passage of toxins; increasing cellular regeneration by stimulating protein synthesis; antioxidant activity including the inhibition of inflammatory enzymes. Silymarin counteracts the toxic effects of a wide variety of poisons, including alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, acetaminophen overdose, and the Deathcap mushroom (Amanita phalloides). Recent research further indicates that silymarin protects against glutathione (an antioxidant) depletion in liver cells.
 Silymarin and other chemicals in milk thistle are believed to protect liver cells in several different ways:

  Strong antioxidant:  Silymarin has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are thought to prevent or lessen damage to body cells that is caused by a chemical process called oxidation.
 Silymarin scavenges free radicals and leukotrienes,silymarin shows very strong properties of antioxidant, reduce the chance of liver cells damage by free radicals,protect liver cell membrane, owes anti-radiation functions and could be used to inhibiting peritonitis.

  Anti-inflammatory:   effects of silymarin help keep liver cells from swelling in response to injury.
 Silymarin seems to encourage the liver to grow new cells, while discouraging the formation of inactive fibrous tissue.
 By changing the outside layer of liver cells, silymarin may also keep certain harmful chemicals from getting into liver cells.
 Milk thistle may also cause the immune system to be more active.

  Prevent liver damge:  Silymarin especially could be applied to reduce the damge of liver from over dose of alcohol drink.for the silymarin can shape a membrane,and prevent poison things,silymarin especially certain detoxifiying function for some disease caused by poison.

  Cure liver disease:  Silymarin owes functions to strengthen and restore functions of liver. By prompt and stimulate the synthesis of protein,silymarin can prompt cell of liver recover and restore,stimulate new cell growth.as for functions above,silymarin show good functions to protect and stabilize liver cells,can be used to treat for hepatitis,hepatocirrhosis,hepatomegaly and other liver disease, hepatitis patients recover sooner after silymarin taken.

  Adjust the bile secretion:  Silymarin can djust the bile secretion,since help the lipid and fat metabolism,tonify the five organs including stomach,spleen,gallbladder,kidney and liver.
  Detoxifying:  Silymarin can be used to detoxifying the poison for liver from certain prescription medicine.
  Shape Liver Index:  Silymarin Show good effects for treatment of GOT,GPT or ALT,AST.

  Treatment for C-hepatitis:  Silymarin show good improvement for patients of C-hepatitis,as for this properties,Silymarin could be used especially to treatment of patients without good result from common prescription medicines.

  Treatment for chronic hepatitis:  Silymarin can be good remedy for the patients of chronic hepatitis,if the Liver Index high long terms,result can be got to help lower the liver cell damage and protect liver cancerization.

  Safety:   GCE and other agencies proved that Silymarin is a good herb medicine for liver protection with high safety.

 These protective mechanisms appear to work prophylactically as well as curatively. Milk thistle was approved in 1986 as a treatment for liver disease and it is widely used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver poisening and viral hepatitis. It has also been shown to protect the liver against medications such as acetaminophen, a non-aspirin pain reliever.
 The ability of silymarin (800 mg/d) to prevent psychotropic drug-induced (phenothiazines and butyrophenones) liver damage was evaluated in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
 

  Silymarin and Its Liver protection Mechanism:

 The active ingredient, or liver-protecting compound in milk thistle is known as silymarin. This substance, which actually consists of a group of compounds called flavonolignands, helps repair liver cells damaged by alcohol and other toxic substances by stimulating protein synthesis. By changing the outside layer of liver cells, it also prevents certain toxins from getting inside. Silymarin also seems to encourage liver cell growth. It can reduce inflammation (important for people with liver inflammation or hepatitis), and has potent antioxidant effects. Antioxidants are thought to protect body cells from damage caused by a chemical process called oxidation. Our Milk Thistle is not standardized to an exact amount (as it is made from pure dried natural herbs. Milk Thistle naturally contains about 70 - 80% Silymarin (and many other constituents thought to work in harmony).

 Silymarin is known to protect the liver by altering and strengthening the structure of outer cell membranes of hepatocytes (liver cells), preventing toxins from entering the liver cells, and by stimulating the regenerative ability of the liver and the formation of new hepatocytes through the activation of an enzyme nucleolar polymerase A, which leads to the increase in ribosomal protein synthesis and cell division.
 Silymarin, as an anti-oxidant, may also reduce damages to liver cells caused by chronic use of certain prescription drugs. The silybin component of sillymarin has been related to cholesterol-lowering effects. Through the capability to increase bile solubility, sylimarin may also help prevent or alleviate gallstones.
 As a natural flavonoids with strong antioxidant properties,scientists from Germany earliest proved that silymarin with properties of inhibiting 5-lipoxyenase(this enzyme prompt oxidation inside body),also could prompt the liver cell secrete more Glutathione (GSH,a kind of enzyme with antioxidant properties) and stabilize the liver cell membrance.
 Once Silymarin conbined with the liver cell, the detoxifying functions of the liver cells stronger and could better prevent damage from poisonous matter,Same time, the antioxidant properties of silymarin show strong detoxifying function and could lower and decrease the concentration of the poisonous matter effectively.
 Silymarin owes good functions of prompting liver cell repair and rebirth,increase the synthesis of protein from liver cells.

 Dose: 12-15 grams per day of powdered seed is recommended for making infusions or other preparations to be taken orally. For standardized extract, 200-400 mg of silymarine per day is recommended.

 Side Effects: No side effects are known for crude preparation, as milk thistle is a food, and a relative of artichoke. For standardized extract with high concentration of sylimarine, a mild laxative effect has been observed occasionally.
 

  Liver disease from alcohol:

 A comprehensive review by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently identified 16 scientific studies on the use of milk thistle for the treatment of various forms of liver disease. A European standardized extract of milk thistle was used in most of the trials. Problems in study design (such as small numbers of participants, variations in the causes of liver disease, and differences in dosing and duration of milk thistle therapy) made it difficult to draw any definitive conclusions. However, five of seven studies evaluating milk thistle for alcoholic liver disease found significant improvements in liver function. Those with the mildest form of the disease appeared to improve the most. Milk thistle was less effective for those with severe liver disease such as cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is characterized by scarring and permanent, non-reversible damage to the liver. It is often referred to as end-stage liver disease.

 Milk Thistle has been found in recent years to be a major player in the treatment of Liver Disease. Because it helps lower enzyme levels and facilitates the liver in its process of detoxifying the body. Among all known herbal remedies, Milk Thistle finds its place as the leader in herbs to treat liver disease. Physicians have prescribed Milk Thistle for Hepatitis to keep down inflammation, Cirrhosis to soften the liver, Liver Cancer to aid in detoxification, and many dysfunctions of the Gall Bladder System. It also helps protect the liver for those individuals that are taking prescription medications known to elevate liver enzymes.


  5.Silymarin reduced lipoperoxidative hepatic damage:

 Some Researchers have previously established a model for micronodular cirrhosis by feeding Wistar rats alcohol, in the Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet, and exposing them to 'low-dose' carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) vapour for 10 weeks. Micronodular cirrhosis developed in all animals after 5-7 weeks of treatment. The simultaneous administration of silymarin, a putative hepatoprotective agent, in the liquid diet, did not alleviate or prevent the chronic liver injury. The histopathological features of the liver injury are described, with particular emphasis on the presence of small epithelial cells ('progenitor or stem cell'), which appear to be playing a role in liver regeneration.
 The naturally occurring hepatoprotective compound silybin is a potent inhibitor of glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes.

  6.Plasma concentrations of silybin:

 Plasma concentrations of silybin were evaluated in healthy volunteers by using a sensitive and specific HPLC method. Free silybin concentrations reached a peak of 141 +/- 31 ng/ml (mean +/- SEM) at 2.4 hours after dosing and declined thereafter with a half-life of about 2 hours. Peak concentrations of conjugated silybin were greater (255 +/- 35 ng/ml) and occurred at a later time (about 3.8 hours). The elimination of conjugated drug tended to be slower than that of free drug.
 After oral intake of silipide, silybin undergoes extensive conversion to conjugated derivative(s) which are retained in the circulation at relatively large concentrations.
 Plasma concentrations of free and conjugated silybin after oral intake of a silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex (silipide) in healthy volunteers.


  7.Medicinal Action and Traditional uses:

 Milk thistle flower heads, boiled and eaten like artichokes, were useful as a spring tonic after the winter months when people had been deprived of fresh vegetables. They were also taken to increase breast-milk production, and were considered excellent for melancholia (depression), which was traditionally associated with the liver. Gerard stated in his Herball of 1597, "My opinion is that this (milk thistle) is the best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases."
 By the Middle Ages the seed of the Milk Thistle was commonly used to treat melancholy i.e. liver diseases [which could include: acute, chronic hepatitis, toxins, jaundice, or fatty degeneration of the liver]; to promote the flow of bile; a general tonic for: thestomach, spleen, gallbladder and female organs; as well as for psoriasis and varicose veins.
 In the last 30 years, especially in Europe, and Germany in particular, its efficacy regarding liver diseases has resulted in numerous clinical studies, publications and product development.
 

  8. Silymarin proved against hepatotoxicity

 Milk thistle acts in a similar fashion to detoxify other synthetic chemicals that find their way into our bodies, from acetaminophen and alcohol to heavy metals and radiation.
 In recent years, considerable emphasis has been placed on identifying new cancer chemopreventive agents which could be useful for human populations. Silymarin, an anti-oxidant flavonoid isolated from artichoke, has been shown to possess significant activity against hepatotoxicity and other pharmacological and physiological disorders. We assessed the effect of skin application of silymarin. Treatment resulted in significant inhibition of TPA-induced epidermal ODC activity in a. dose- and time-dependent manner.
 Our data suggest that silymarin could be a useful anti-tumor promoting agent capable of ameliorating the tumor promoting effects of a wide range of tumor promoters.
 Agarwal-R; Katiyar-SK; Lundgren-DW; Mukhtar-H: Inhibitory effect of silymarin, an anti-hepatotoxic flavonoid, on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and mRNA in SENCAR mice. Carcinogenesis.


  9. Promotes milk secretion:

 As its name implies, it promotes milk secretion and is perfectly safe to be used by all breast feeding mothers.Milk thistle has some estrogen-like effects that may stimulate the flow of breast milk in women who are breast-feeding infants. It may also be used to start late menstrual periods. Milk thistle's estrogen-like effect may also have some usefulness for men with prostate cancer.
 

  10. Viral hepatitis:

 Despite the fact that milk thistle is widely used in the treatment of hepatitis (particularly hepatitis C), results from four viral hepatitis studies were contradictory. Some found improvements in liver enzyme activity while others failed to detect these benefits. None of the studies compared milk thistle with interferon or other medications for viral hepatitis.

  11.Cancer:

 Preliminary laboratory studies also suggest that active substances in milk thistle may have anti-cancer effects. One active substance known as silymarin has strong antioxidant properties and has been shown to inhibit the growth of human prostate, breast, and cervical cancer cells in test tubes. Further studies are needed to determine whether milk thistle is safe or effective for people with these forms of cancer.

  12.High cholesterol:

 One animal study found that silymarin (an active compound in milk thistle) worked as effectively as the cholesterol-lowering drug probucol, with the additional benefit of substantially increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol. Further studies in people are needed.
 

  13.Inflammation:

 Milk Thistle is also a Demulcent, meaning that it soothes and moistens the mucus membranes, kidney and bladder irritations and inflammations in general. Being a demulcent, it also greatly softens and moistens the skin. Patients with skin problems ranging from acne to severe eczema have reported a clearing of skin impurities, healing of redness and inflammation, a dramatic softening and moistening of dry, cracking skin, and a noticeable glow and radiance to the skin quality.


  14.The Bowels:

 Milk Thistle is a gentle and mild laxative due to its ability to increase bile secretion and flow in the intestinal tract. This herb can have actions ranging from lubrication and softening of the stools to a mild laxative effect, to actually balancing individuals that alternate between diarrhea and constipation. (In patients with stools that alternate between constipation and diarrhea, Oriental Medicine would most likely suspect liver involvement.) This formula has been seen to improve bowel regularity and stool consistency in individuals with this type of alternating presentation. This is due to the astringent nature of the Dandelion Root combined with the softening and moistening nature of the Milk Thistle).

  15.Gall Bladder Disease:

 Milk thistle may prevent inflammation of the gall-bladder ducts and clear up jaundice.Because Milk Thistle is both a demulcent and it stimulates bile flow, it is a natural for treating a wide array of Gall Bladder diseases and Symptoms. Milk Thistle can calm down an inflamed Gall Bladder while at the same time clearing out any stagnation that might be present. When using Milk Thistle to combat Gall Bladder symptoms, it is important to verify that there are no Gall Stones present which would be too large for the gall bladder to pass. The only way that this can be known is to visit your local physician and get a clearance from them to proceed.

  16.Cytoprotectant:

 Studies of the use of milk thistle as a cytoprotectant in humans have been limited. In one study,49 of 200 workers exposed to toluene or xylene for five to 20 years developed persistent elevations in transaminase levels; 30 of these heterogeneous patients were treated with Legalon, whereas the others were not treated. In the Legalon group, transaminase activity decreased and platelet count increased when compared with the untreated group. Patients two to 21 years of age with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who are receiving hepatotoxic chemotherapy are being recruited for a second phase randomized pilot trial of silymarin.

  17.Anticarcinogen:

 Researchers are investigating the use of milk thistle's active ingredients for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Two additional animal studies on prostate cancer chemoprevention and treatment are ongoing, and a third phase trial in human prostate cancer patients with rising prostate-specific antigen also is under way.


  18.Amanita phalloides poisoning:

 The A. phalloides mushroom, called the "death cap," produces severe nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhea within five to 12 hours of ingestion. This often causes hypovolemia and hypoglycemia. Silymarin inhibits the binding of the toxins in the mushroom to hepatocytes and interrupts the enterohepatic circulation of the toxins.36 Several journals have published case reports of silymarin treatment (intravenously and orally) for A. phalloides poisoning in humans, but the largest series37 followed only 18 patients. In every case, silymarin was used in combination with other agents, usually being added when standard treatment appeared to fail. The relative contribution of silymarin to these treatment regimens is unknown. The intravenous form of silymarin was used in these studies, but it is not available in the United States.
 Milk thistle is the only known antidote for death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) poisoning. Ingesting this deadly mushroom can destroy the liver by shutting down protein production in liver cells. Milk thistle neutralizes these toxins and protects the liver. Milk thistle may also be helpful in acetaminophen overdosage.

  19.Psoriasis:

 Because the liver neutralizes certain toxins associated with psoriasis attacks, milk thistle is believed to help prevent psoriasis outbreaks by promoting proper liver function.
 Several other dermatological uses for the herb are currently under investigation. The antioxidant properties of the herb may have a healing effect on skin wounds and burns. Milk thistle has also been proposed as a cosmetic agent to retain skin tone and quality. Further studies are needed to prove the efficacy of the herb for these applications.

  20.Lactation Problems:

 Milk thistle is frequently prescribed for breastfeeding mothers to promote increased breast milk secretion. Although the herb is considered safe for nursing mothers, it should be acquired from a reputable source and prescribed by an herbalist, naturopathic physician, or other healthcare professional familiar with its use.

  21.Hiv Treatment:

 Milk thistle is sometimes prescribed for HIV-positive patients to protect the liver from diseases such as hepatitis and from the hepatotoxic effects of other medications prescribed for HIV treatment.
 


   Dosage and Administration.:

  1.Unless otherwise prescribed:

 12.5 g per day of powdered seed for making infusions and other galenical formulations to be taken by mouth. Formulations (e.g., dry extract noted below) equivalent to 200?00 mg per day of silymarin, calculated as silibinin.
 Standard Milk Thistle dosage:Most clinical trials have used daily dosages of 420 to 480 mg silymarin, divided into two or three doses daily. Until the specific effects of each of the flavonolignans is known and products are available that contain standardized ratios of these components, the optimal dosage will remain unknown. Table 1 outlines the efficacy, safety, tolerability, dosage, and cost of milk thistle.
 Milk thistle seed extract, 150- to 175-mg capsule, standardized to 80 percent silymarin, three times daily.Ultrathistle (seed extract bound to phosphatidylcholine), 360-mg capsule, three times daily

  2.For liver diseases:

 Dry extract 40:1 (w/w), 70% silymarin: Swallow one capsule containing 100 mg of silymarin, twice daily in the morning and evening. Swallow with sufficient amounts of fluid; or, take one capsule containing approximately 140 mg of silymarin, two to three times daily.

  3.For digestive disorders:

  Decoction:   Place approximately 3.0 g seed in 150 ml cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, three to four times daily.
  Infusion:   Steep approximately 3.5 g seed in 150 ml boiled water for 10 to 15 minutes, three to four times daily one half-hour before meals.
  Note:   Silymarin is poorly soluble in water; teas have been analyzed with only about 10% of the original levels of silymarin from the fruits. Thus, for hepatic benefits, the concentrated extract is recommended.
  Tincture:  15 drops, four to five times daily; 1 ml, three times daily.
 No severe side effects have been reported from taking milk thistle. Doses greater than 2500 mg (2.5 grams) per day have been reported to have a slight laxative effect, however.
 Occasionally, individuals taking milk thistle have reported: Abdominal bloating,Diarrhea,Gas,Loss of appetite,Nausea,Stomach upset

  4.Typical suggestions:

  Daily protection dosage:  for daily protection dosage,200mgs silymarin daily can be good for prevention and keep health.
  Liver improve dosage:  for person with damaged liver or liver index higher and need improve, or persons with habit of alcohol drinking, 420mgs Silymarin daily enough for improve and treatment.
  Liver Patient dosage:  for patient with hepatocirrhosis,hepatitis,liver tumor or liver index double times of normal data,normally suggest taken 600mgs daily for treatment,2~3times daily, same time cooperate with docter care and liver test for further treatment.
  Dosage period:  Silymarin for liver protection resulted in 2 to 3 months,so patients or takeners should be a little patient.
  Interactions:  Milk thistle may interfere with the effects of estrogen replacement therapy and oral contraceptives due to its possible estrogenic effects. The effectiveness of drugs that are broken down by the same enzymes that break down milk thistle may also be affected. If you take prescription medications, ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible interactions before you begin to take milk thistle.
  Properties:   Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, hepaprotective, immunostimulating, possibly estrogenic
 Hepato-protective: Protects liver cells from incoming toxins, thereby also allowing it to more effectively process and release toxins that are already built up in the system.
 Hepato-tonic: Strengthens the liver to function more effectively.
 Anti-depressant: By helping to move stagnant liver energy.
 Demulcent: Soothes and moistens. For both kidney and bladder irritations, as well as mucous membranes and inflammations of the skin and integumentary system.
 Laxative: Mildly lubricates the bowels.
  Indicated for:  Alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver poisoning and viral hepatitis. alcoholic fatty liver, liver poisoning. It can benefits adrenal disorders and inflammatory bowel syndrome. Psoriasis. Lowering cholesterol. Protecting the liver when taking strong drugs or medicine. Candida. Food allergies.
  Apply Scope:   for people suffering from liver disease,liver weak;patiens of hepatocirrhosis,hepatitis,liver tumor; patients with cholecystitis and icterus; persons with alcohol drinking habit and irregular rest shedules; persons working in circumstance contaminated.
  Interactions:  There are no reported negative interactions between milk thistle and other medications and herbs, although certain drugs with the same therapeutic properties as milk thistle may enhance the effect of the herb. Again, individuals should consult their healthcare provider if they are taking other medications concurrently with milk thistle.

  Precautions:

 Individuals who suspect they have a liver disorder should always seek care from a healthcare professional.
 Milk thistle should always be obtained from a reputable source that observes stringent quality control procedures and industry-accepted good manufacturing practices. Consumers should look for the designations "U.S.P." (U.S. Pharmacopeia) or "NF" (National Formulary) on milk thistle labeling. Herbal preparations prepared under USP or NF guidelines meet nationally recognized strength, quality, purity, packaging, and labeling standards as recommended by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
 Botanical supplements are regulated by the FDA; however, they currently do not have to undergo any approval process before reaching the consumer market, and are classified as nutritional supplements rather than drugs. Legislation known as the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was passed in 1994 in an effort to standardize the manufacture, labeling, composition, and safety of botanicals and supplements, and in January 2000, the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) announced a 10-year plan for establishing and implementing these regulations by the year 2010.

  Side Effects and Cautions:

 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.

 There are no known contra-indications to Milk Thistle supplements. There is, however, a caution for HIV patients, because many medications taken by individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) - such as protease inhibitors and non-nukes are processed by the liver enzyme CYP3A4 which is decreased by Silymarin. If Milk Thistle is taken by someone using protease inhibitors or non-nukes, it has the potential to raise levels of these drugs. This should not be a concern as long as levels of these drugs are monitored closely and dosage is adjusted to reach the desired levels.
 Milk thistle may cause mild nausea and diarrhea, or loose stools. The herb may also cause an allergic reaction in some individuals, particularly those with known allergies to plants in the Asteraceae family (thistles, daisies, artichokes). No other widely reported side effects are known when milk thistle is taken in proper therapeutic dosages. However, people with chronic medical conditions should consult with their healthcare professionals before taking the herb.
 Women with hormone-dependent conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and cancers of the breast, ovaries, or uterus should not take or use milk thistle plant extract due to its possible estrogenic effects. Men who have prostate cancer should not take milk thistle without the approval of a doctor.Do not use in patients with allergies to members of the aster family.
  Adverse effect:  Generally well tolerated; infrequent reports of gastrointestinal disturbances; rare reports of pruritus, eczema, rash, and anaphylaxis*
  Pregnancy:  Milk thistle is considered safe to use during pregnancy and in women who breastfeed. However, there are currently no long-term studies on use of the herb during pregnancy or lactation. A woman should speak with her healthcare practitioner before taking any herbs and/or medications during pregnancy.

  Safety and Acute toxicity:

 Silybin

 Chemical name: 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-2-(2,3-dihydro-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-benzodioxin-6-yl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-,(2R-(2-alpha,3beta,6(2R*,3R*)))-
 CAS No.: 22888-70-6. Molecular Formula:C25-H22-O10. Molecular Weight:482.47
 Synonmys: 7C3MT,Flavobin,Flavobin Spofa,Silibinin,Silliver,Silybin,Silybine,Silymarine I,Silymarin I.

 Acute toxicity(LD50):Silybin
 LD50-Lethal dose,50 percent kill. Intravenous.Rodent-mouse. 1056mg/kg.
 Details of toxic effects not reported other than lethal dose value.

 LDLo-lowest published lethal dose. Unreported.Rodent-rabbit.300mg/kg.
 Details of toxic effects not reported other than lethal dose value.
 Reference: YHTPAD Yaoxue Tongbao.Bulletin of Pharmacology.(China International Book Trading Corp.,POB 2820,Beijing.Peop.Rep.China)V.13-23,1978-88.For publisher information,see ZYZAEU.Volume(issue)/page/year: 18,404,1983.
 

 Silymarin

 Acute toxicity(LD50):Silymarin
 LD50-Lethal dose,50 percent kill. Intravenous.Rodent-mouse.>1600 mg/kg.
 Details of toxic effects not reported other than lethal dose value.
 Reference: GWXXBX German Offenlegungsschrift Patent Document.(U.S.Patent and Trademark Office,Foreign Patents,Washington,DC 20231)Volume(issue)/page/year:#2423725

 The acute toxicity of silymarin and silybin were investigated by oral and intravenous route in various animal species. No mortality or any signs of adverse effects were observed after silymarin at oral doses of 20 g/kg in mice and 1g/kg in dogs. The 50% lethal dose (LD50) after intravenous infusion values are 400 mg/kg in mice, 385 mg/kg in rats and 140 mg/kg in rabbits and dogs. These data demonstrate that the acute toxicity of silymarin is very low. Similarly, its subacute and chronic toxicity are very low; the compound is also devoid of embryotoxic potential.
 Reference:Silibinin from answers.com

 Mutagenic Data.:Silymarin

 DNA Damage.Human HeLa cell.400 umol/L.
 DNA Damage.Human Lymphocyte.1 mmol/L.
 Reference:MUREAV Mutation Research.(Elsevier Science Pub.B.V.,POB 211,1000 AE Amsterdam,Netherlands)V.1-1964-Volume(issue)/page/year:390,141,1997.

 Mutation test systems-not otherwise specified.Intraperitoneal.Rodent-rat.200 mg/kg.
 Reference:RCOCBB Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology.(PJD Pub.Ltd.,P.O.Box 966,Westbury,NY 11590)V.1-1970-Volume(issue)/page/year:61,273,1988.


   Milk Thistle:Pharmacology.

 A number of studies have suggested that silymarin is an anti-inflammatory. It regulates inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), TNF-alpha, nitrous oxide, interleukin-, and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. Silymarin also increases lymphocyte proliferation, interferon gamma, interleukin-, and interleukin- cytokines, in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these effects suggest a possible role in preventing or treating infectious disease.

 Several mechanisms of cytoprotection have been identified. In some studies, milk thistle promoted neuronal differentiation and survival. In others, silymarin inhibited leukotriene formation by Kupffer cells and increased expression of growth factor beta-1 and c-myc.In animal studies, it has shown protective effects against damage to the pancreas from cyclosporine (Sandimmune); damage to the kidney from acetaminophen, cisplatin (Platinol), and vincristine (Oncovin); and damage to the liver from carbon tetrachloride, partly by reducing lipid peroxidation. In another study, silymarin slowed the progression of alcohol-induced liver fibrosis in baboons. In vitro and animal studies support the possibility that milk thistle has anticarcinogenic effects for cancers of the prostate, breast, skin, colon, tongue, and bladder.


   The Awesome Power of the Milk Thistle.:

 The plant we know as the milk thistle grows wild all around the world, including many parts of North America. For centuries, the milk thistle plant has been cultivated and used for its medicinal value, and it is known to contain significant concentrations of powerful compounds called silymarin. The black fruit of the milk thistle plant contains the highest concentrations of silymarin, and these fruits are traditionally harvested at the end of the summer.

 Milk thistle is best known for its ability to treat a variety of liver ailments, and it has been used for this purpose for thousands of years. Traditional healers from many different cultures have used the milk thistle plant to treat a number of common liver problems, and some recent studies have backed up the strong effects the plant has on the liver.

 In particular, the compounds contained in milk thistle have been shown to stimulate the flow of bile from the liver, and this stimulation of bile flow is thought to be responsible for many of the liver protecting effects of the plant. Indeed, in many parts of Europe, milk thistle is common prescribed to treat a number of serious liver ailments, from cirrhosis of the liver to hepatitis.

 The positive impact of the milk thistle plant is not confined to the liver. Indeed, the bile secreting abilities of milk thistle are also thought to aid in digestion, and to help prevent and treat gallstones. In addition, the compounds in milk thistle have shown promise at preventing and treating high cholesterol, allergies and perhaps even skin cancer.

 There is even a powerful medicine which is made from the milk thistle plant. An injectible form of milk thistle is used as an antidote for those who have consumed poisonous mushrooms. Another extract made from the milk thistle plant has shown promise at reducing the liver damage that can result from chemotherapy treatments. It is thought that the compounds found in milk thistle may be able to speed the elimination of toxins from the body.


  Scientific References:

  1.Silymarin.Milk Thistle and applications.