Herbs that heal

Milk Thistle
For over 2,000 years Europeans have used Milk Thistle seeds as an herbal treatment for liver disorders. Literally hundreds of research studies, mostly in Europe, have confirmed the remarkable ability of milk thistle to protect the liver against virtually all types of damage: from accidental exposure to chemical pollutants, toxic side effects of medications, liver diseases like hepatitis and even the self inflicted damage from overindulgence of rich food and alcohol. Human studies have found milk thistle seed extract beneficial in treating alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver disease, bile duct inflammation and chronic hepatitis. 

As an herbal remedy, milk thistle in the form of standardized extracts made from the seeds of the plant, is used for liver protective and therapeutic purposes. Milk thistle is widely used throughout Europe for liver ailments including hepatitis A, alcoholic cirrhosis, and exposure to hazardous chemicals. Milk thistle helps to repair damage to the liver, and to regenerate liver tissue. For this reason, it is a highly beneficial health aid.

Silymarin in milk thistle has been shown to inhibit damage from toxic substances including alcohol, drugs and other chemicals. Silymarin stabilizes cell membranes in the liver, thus minimizing or inhibiting cell damage due to insult from harmful agents. Silymarin not only shows protective power, but demonstrates specific activity in regenerating liver cells as well.  

Some of silymarin’s protective activity is as an antioxidant. In this role, silymarin neutralizes harmful substances called free radicals which can damage cells. Specifically, silymarin protects oxidative damage to the lipid membrane which surrounds liver cells. A review of 36 silymarin studies found that silymarin from milk thistle demonstrates cell protective activity in the liver, and reduces risk of mortality in cases of cirrhosis. The review further suggested that silymarin may be specifically beneficial in cases of alcohol-related cirrhosis.

Look for standardized extracts of milk thistle containing between 100 -200—mg silymarin (calculated as silibinin) per capsule/tablet. As recommended by Germany’s Commission E, for liver protective and supportive treatment purposes, take 200 – 400 mg of silymarin, in doses of 100 – 200 mg of silymarin, 2 times daily, morning and evening, with sufficient fluids.

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