Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. Milk Thistle
Family: Compositae
Synonym: Carduus marianum
Description: “Stout annual or biennial with large, oblong, lobed or pinnately-cut leaves, with spiny margins and variegated veins. Purple flowers are followed in summer by black seeds, each bearing a tuft of white hairs. H 1.2m, S 60cm. Fully hardy.” (Bown, 1995: 203)
Habitat: Throughout Europe, Mediterranean regions and mountains of E Africa. Rare in Britain.
Harvest: “Plants are cut when flowering; seeds collected when ripe.” (Bown, 1995:353)
Parts used: Seeds, Aerial parts
Dosage: 1:5 Tincture: 2-5ml tds, Fluid Extract: 1-3ml tds, Dried: 1.5-3g tds
Actions:
-HEPATOPROTECTIVE,
-Hepatic TROPHORESTORATIVE,
-Antioxidant,
-Choleretic
Indications:
-Liver and gallbladder problems
-Non-alcoholic and alcoholic liver damage/ disease, incl. abnormal liver function, diabetes secondary to cirrhosis, fatty liver, exposure to chemical pollutants (all*)
-Preventative agent for conditions caused by oxidative stress; gallstone formation; possible antiallergenic and anti-inflammatory (all**)
-Amanita phalloides (deathcap mushroom) poisoning* (Mills and Bone, 2000)
-Hepatoprotective action useful in diabetes
Safety: Very safe.
Contra-indications: None known.
Key Constituents (Mills and Bone, 2000):
-Flavanolignans (1.5-3%): silybin, silychristin, silydianin and 2,3-dehydro derivatives (collectively known as silymarin)
-Fixed oil (20-30%), flavonoids, taxifolin, sterols
Pharmacology: Extensive animal experiments and in vitro studies have demonstrated the following: Antioxidant activity -scavenges free radicals; Increased effects on detoxification mechanisms; Hepatoprotective activity, probably involving 1) antioxidant activity by scavenging free radicals and increasing intracellular concentration of glutathione, 2) regulatory action on cellular membrane permeability and an increase in its stability against xenobiotic injury, 3) activity at nuclear level: enhancing synthesis of ribosomal RNA and proteins and thereby cellular regeneration; a possible steroid-like behaviour on control of DNA expression; Anticholestatic activity against paracetamol; Anticholesterolaemic effect in rats fed high cholesterol diet; Anti-tumour -inhibited growth of human ovarian and breast cancer cell lines in vitro; Anti-inflammatory activity. (See Mills and Bone, 2000: pp554-557.)
Clinical trials: Successful studies demonstrated on sufferers of non-alcoholic liver damage, alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis and Amanita phalloides poisoning. (See Mills and Bone, 2000: pp557-560)
Toxicology: Long term studies have failed to demonstrate toxicity (as above).
History: Legend has it that variegated leaves caused by Virgin Mary’s milk as it ran down the plant. Silybum from Greek silybon, a Dioscorides term for thistle-like plants.
Traditional and Practitioner sources:
“It cleanses the blood exceedingly: and in spring, if you…boil the tender plant, it will change your blood as the season changes.” Culpeper, 1653 (Culpeper, 1995: 255)
“To encourage liver cell renewal and repair in degenerative conditions, eg. alcoholism: Take an infusion; or up to 10ml tincture a day in hot water allowed to cool.” Penelope Ody, 1993: 154.
