May-30-2024
Milk thistle (Latin Silybum marianum) is a herb that protects the liver against the harmful effects of alcohol and relieves inflammation caused by diabetes.
It is also used to treat hepatitis A, B and C and alcoholism. It can also be used by women struggling with endometriosis and prolonged menstruation. What other medicinal properties does milk thistle have?
Milk thistle is a plant from the Asteraceae family, which is particularly valued for its antihepatotoxic properties.
Milk thistle prevents damage to liver cells by preventing toxins from bonding to their surface. In addition, it has cytoprotective properties, i.e. relieves oxidative stress (restoring the body's internal balance and preventing excessive multiplication of free radicals), as well as anti-carcinogenic properties.
Milk thistle owes its healing properties to silymarin. It is a complex of flavonolignans of plant origin, obtained from milk thistle fruit. Silymarin stabilizes the cell membranes of hepatocytes, thereby protecting the liver against the effects of toxic compounds and stimulating its regenerative abilities.
Milk thistle is used after toxic-metabolic liver damage caused by numerous toxic agents. It protects the liver and kidney parenchyma against the harmful effects of poisons, such as fly agaric mycotoxin, carbon disulfide, pesticides, alcohol (for this reason it is used in the treatment of liver diseases caused by alcoholism), and accelerates their removal from the body.
Moreover, it lowers the concentration of bilirubin (a dark orange pigment which, when present in excess, causes yellowing of the skin and eyeballs) in the blood and normalizes AST, ALT and GGT parameters (blood biochemical parameters enabling the assessment of the condition of the liver, heart and muscles).
It also alleviates the side effects of drug therapy: it protects the liver against strong drugs, such as cytostatics used in anticancer therapy, antiviral drugs in the treatment of AIDS, and antibiotics.
Milk thistle stimulates the regeneration of old and the production of new liver cells. Silymarin contained in the fruit increases the level of glutathione (a type of protein) in the liver, which, being a strong antioxidant (stronger than vitamins C and E), prevents damage to liver cells by free radicals.
Milk thistle reduces the risk of liver cancer because it inhibits the division of cancer cells. Moreover, it reduces liver damage by accelerating the removal of toxic substances from chemotherapy drugs.
Milk thistle inhibits the action of leukotrienes - lipids associated with the immune system, which act as a mediator of inflammation. In this way, it prevents chronic liver inflammation, including that caused by diabetes and resulting from a poor diet. It is also used to treat hepatitis A, B and C.
In addition, it prevents liver cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, acute fatty liver disease of pregnancy (i.e. acute yellow liver atrophy), and also lowers blood cholesterol levels and inhibits the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Milk thistle is used to treat gallstones. It is also useful in the prevention of inflammation of the bile ducts and gallbladder.
It is also effective in combating gastrointestinal ailments:
Milk thistle can be used to relieve migraine-type headaches and the symptoms of motion and sea sickness.
It can also be used by women suffering from endometriosis, as it helps regulate menstrual bleeding.
Additionally, milk thistle can be used to stop nosebleeds, colonic bleeds, hemorrhoids, and some uterine bleeding.
Ground milk thistle can be added to tea (max. 2 teaspoons a day) or consumed as an infusion made from 2 teaspoons.
Whether to take milk thistle before or after a meal - it does not matter. However, it is worth remembering that the effects of milk thistle can be noticed after about 2 weeks. For the treatment to be effective, it should be used for a long time (at least a month).
Milk thistle is available in pharmacies and herbal stores in powdered form or as milk thistle tablets.
According to the information included in the leaflet of medicines containing milk thistle, in recommended therapeutic doses it has no harmful effects even with long-term use. While taking the preparation, only gastrointestinal disorders may occur (a mild laxative effect is occasionally observed).
Milk thistle should not be used to treat acute poisoning. Due to the lack of data confirming the safety of use, it is not recommended to administer milk thistle medicines to children under 12 years of age, as well as to women during pregnancy and lactation.
Milk thistle oil, obtained from the seeds of the plant, slows down the aging process and treats skin inflammation because it contains:
Therefore, cosmetics containing milk thistle oil reduce redness, brighten the complexion and improve the regenerative capacity of the skin.
