Product Information

Silibinin (from Milk Thistle Extract 500mg) - This new combination product contains primarily silibinin with some extract of Milk Thistle. Silibinin is the component of Milk Thistle that exerts the highest degree of therapeutic effects. Potent Milk Thistle Extract, Silibinin, increases levels of Glutathione and the activity of SOD and is a powerful free radical scavenger. Imperative for the liver and the diseases thereof. Has potent applications in the prevention and treatment of Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, has a protective, healing and detoxification effects on the Kidneys, Liver and assists with other age related diseases.

Description

Milk Thistle is a tall Herb with prickly leaves and a “milky” sap, indigenous to Europe and also found in some regions of the USA. It grows in rocky soils and has an erect stem that bears large, alternating, prickly-edged leaves. Milk Thistle is not related to Blessed Thistle or Holy Thistle.

Botanical Names

Silybum marianum
Carduus marianus
Milk Thistle belongs to the Sunflower (Asteraceae) family.

Part Used

Fruit (known technically as achenes) from which a feather tuft or pappus has been removed. Many texts refer to these fruits as seeds (which they are NOT). The fruit portion is glossy brown or gray with spots.

Health Benefits of Milk Thistle

Most of the health benefits of Milk Thistle are due to its Silymarin content.

Antioxidant

Milk Thistle possesses Antioxidant properties (due to the Silymarin and Silbyin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may inhibit Lipid Peroxidation (especially in the Liver).

Cardiovascular System

Milk Thistle may help to prevent Atherosclerosis (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may protect Red Blood Cell Membranes against lipid peroxidation.

Cells

Milk Thistle may strengthen and stabilize the body's Cell Membranes.

Digestive System

Milk Thistle may help to stimulate the flow of Bile.
Milk Thistle may help to prevent Gallstones (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle reducing the quantity of Cholesterol byproducts in Bile).

Excretory System

Milk Thistle may stimulate the regeneration of the Kidneys and may protect the Kidneys from the toxic effects of many poisons (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Immune System

Milk Thistle may help to prevent Breast Cancer (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may help to prevent Colon Cancer (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle (consumed orally or applied topically) may reduce Inflammation (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may inhibit the release of Histamine from Mast Cells.
Milk Thistle may help to prevent and treat Lung Cancer.
Milk Thistle may counteract some of the symptoms of Malaria.
Milk Thistle may help to prevent Ovarian Cancer.
Milk Thistle may help to prevent and treat Prostate Cancer (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may help to prevent and treat Skin Cancer:
The Silymarin content of Milk Thistle (applied topically) may help to prevent Squamous Cell Carcinoma (a form of Skin Cancer).

Metabolism

Milk Thistle may alleviate Cholestasis (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may lower elevated total Cholesterol levels (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle):

Milk Thistle may increase HDL Cholesterol levels (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may lower LDL Cholesterol levels (the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle accelerates the removal of LDL Cholesterol by the Liver) and may inhibit the oxidation of LDL Cholesterol (due to the Antioxidant properties of the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Milk Thistle may reduce Blood Sugar levels, Insulin levels, Glycosuria and Glycosylated Hemoglobin levels in Diabetes Mellitus patients (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Milk Thistle may stimulate the regeneration of the Liver and also protects the Liver from the toxic effects of many poisons (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle):

Milk Thistle helps to protect the Liver against the effects of the extremely toxic Amanita Phalloides Mushroom.
Milk Thistle may stabilize the integrity of the Liver's Cell Membranes (due to Silymarin).
Milk Thistle protects the Liver against the toxicity of solvent Carbon Tetrachloride and Alcohol (due to Silymarin).
Milk Thistle (240 420 mg of the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle) may help to prevent and treat Cirrhosis.
Milk Thistle may be an effective treatment for Fatty Liver.
The Liver function of Hepatitis patients may improve after three to six months treatment with Silymarin (240 mg per day) from Milk Thistle:
Milk Thistle (containing 160 320 mg of Silymarin per day) may be useful for the treatment of Hepatitis C (especially when it is combined with Lipoid Acid and Selenium).
Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from the toxic effects of excessive Iron.
Milk Thistle may accelerate the recovery from Jaundice.
Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from the potentially lethal effects of excessive Paracetamol ingestion (caused by excessive depletion of Glutathione) (due to the Silybin content of Milk Thistle).
One of the means by which the Liver restorative effects of Milk Thistle's Silymarin are achieved may be via Silymarin promoting the synthesis of endogenous Proteins within the Liver.

Skin

Milk Thistle may alleviate Psoriasis (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle). The means by which Milk Thistle alleviates Psoriasis involves several mechanisms including:

Improving the function of the Liver in a way that facilitates the removal of Lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins) from the body via the Liver Lipopolysaccharides are involved in Psoriasis.
Inhibiting the Lipoxygenase enzyme, thereby reducing the production of certain detrimental Leukotrienes that may be involved in Psoriasis.
Lowering cyclic GMP (cGMP) and raising cyclic AMP (cAMP) (Psoriasis patients generally have a high cGMP:cAMP ratio.

Milk Thistle (juice/sap applied topically and covered with elastoplast) may kill Warts (it may be necessary to persist with this therapy for up to three months in order to kill the Wart).

Milk Thistle may Enhance the Function of these Substances

Enzymes

Milk Thistle may increase the activity of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Milk Thistle may Counteract these Potentially Toxic Substances

Electromagnetic Radiation

Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from the toxic effects of exposure to Gamma-Rays (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Enzymes

Milk Thistle may inhibit Beta-Glucuronidase a pro-carcinogenic enzyme (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle (500 mg per day containing 420 mg of Silymarin) may inhibit the production of HMG-CoA Reductase (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may inhibit the activity of Lipoxygenase (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Lipids

Milk Thistle may facilitate the removal of Lipopolysaccharides from the body via the Liver (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may inhibit the production of Series 4 Leukotrienes (by inhibiting the Lipoxygenase enzyme) (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Minerals

Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from the toxic effects of excessive Iron and may facilitate the chelation (removal) of excess Iron.

Pharmaceutical Drugs

Milk Thistle may inhibit the ability of Cisplatin to damage the Kidneys.
Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from the toxic effects of Paracetamol (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Recreational Drugs

Milk Thistle may counteract the toxicity of Alcohol (ethanol) to the Liver (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Proteins

Milk Thistle may suppress Nuclear Factor-Kappa B.

Toxins

Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from toxic lethal effects of Phalloidin (the potent Liver toxin found in the Amanita phalloides Mushroom) (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).
Milk Thistle may protect the Liver from the toxic effects of Carbon Tetrachloride (due to the Silymarin content of Milk Thistle).

Milk Thistle Contains these Substances

Polyphenols

The principal active ingredients in Milk Thistle are a group of Flavonolignans that are collectively known as Silymarin. Silymarin comprises a total of 2.5% of Milk Thistle. The individual Flavonolignans that comprise Silymarin are:

Dehydrosilybin
Isosilybin
Silybin (also known as Legalon; Silibinin; Silybinin)
Silychristin
Silydianin

Dosage Recommendations

Dried Milk Thistle Herb

Most herbalists recommend the equivalent of 3 18 grams of dried Milk Thistle Fruit (wrongly known as Seeds) per day for therapeutic purposes (this equates to 75 mg 450 mg of the principal active ingredient, Silymarin).

Milk Thistle Capsules/Tablets

If using Milk Thistle capsules or tablets that have been standardized to contain 70% 80% Silymarin, the usual dosage is 200 1,050 mg per day (this equates to 160 840 mg of Silymarin per day). It is desirable to take Milk Thistle as three equally divided doses during the day.