Milk Thistle
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Common names: Holy thistle,
Marythistle, St. Mary’s thistle, Marian thistle
Milk thistle is found growing in a variety of climates worldwide.
The dried fruit (also called achenes) are used to create modern
herbal extracts. Milk thistle helps relieve the symptoms of hepatitis,
cirrhosis, and inflammatory liver conditions. It is one of the
most effective herbs known for treating liver disorders.
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Milk Thistle
While the Milk thistle plant is native to regions of the Mediterranean
it can now be found growing wild throughout the world, from Europe to
Asia, and from Africa to North America. This stout thistle usually grows
in dry, sunny areas. The stem branches at the top, and it reaches a
height of 4 to 10 feet. The leaves are wide compared to other plants
of its species and have white blotchety veins.
Milk thistle helps relieve the symptoms of hepatitis, cirrhosis, and
inflammatory liver conditions. It is one of the most effective herbs
known for treating liver disorders.
Many herbaligist and medical practitioners believe that milk thistle
can protect the liver from damage caused by alcohol, chemicals, drugs,
diseases, and toxic plants. Milk thistle contains a chemical substance,
silymarin, which is purported to protect liver cells in the following
ways:
1. Silymarin has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants
are thought to protect body cells from damage caused by a chemical process
called oxidation.
2. Silymarin has anti-inflammatory effects, which keeps
liver cells from swelling in response to injury.
3. Silymarin seems to encourage liver cell growth.
By changing the outside layer of liver cells, it also prevents certain
toxins from getting into liver cells.
(Note: Milk thistle extract has been shown to protect the liver from the
potentially damaging effect of drugs used to treat schizophrenia and other
forms of psychosis.14 However, one trial found that it did not protect
the liver from the potentially harmful effects of the drug Cognex (tacrine
hydrochloride) used to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.) Milk thistle
has also been reported to have 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.
Dosage Recommendations
The suggested dose of milk thistle is generally 12 to 15 g dried herb
(200 to 400 mg silymarin) per day or silymarin-phosphatidylcholine complex
100 to 200 mg two times per day. For liver protection, 120 mg silymarin
(about 2 capsules) two times per day. To treat liver damage (from alcohol,
drugs, or chemicals), the recommended dosage of silymarin-phosphatidylcholine
should be increased from two times per day to three times per day.
Adjust the recommended adult dose to account for the child's weight. Most
herbal dosages for adults are calculated on the basis of a 150 lb (70
kg) adult. Therefore, if the child weighs 50 lb (20 to 25 kg), the appropriate
dose of milk thistle for this child would be 1/3 of the adult dosage.
Side Effects
Very few side effects if any have been associated with Milk Thistle Milk
thistle is safe when you follow the recommended dosage.
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