Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is a true thistle and member of the Daisy family. In addition to being the favored treatment for liver and gall bladder, it is also enjoyed as a culinary treat. The young leaves are de-spined and eaten as a spinach-like salad green while the flower buds can be prepared and eaten like miniature artichokes. The tender first-year roots resemble salsify.
History of the Milk Thistle
Milk Thistle has been a favored remedy for any kind of liver disorder. Even back to the times of the ancient Greeks, the connection between liver function and nearly every other system of the body was intuited. If the liver became stagnant and didn’t flush itself well, physicians considered depression to be one of the leading signs, with symptoms like jaundice and hepatitis (non-specific) coming later.
One of the earliest radical effects that Milk Thistle is attributed with is its ability to act as an antidote to the deadliest of mushrooms, the Deathcap mushroom (Amanita phalloides). According to old pharmacopeia, if a Milk Thistle extract is taken within ten minutes of ingestion of the Deathcap, the effects of the mushroom are completely negated. Barring that, taking Milk Thistle extract at any point within the first 24 hours (although as soon as possible) would minimize the damage done to the liver, thereby avoiding an unpleasant death.
Current Use and Research
Milk Thistle is primarily used for liver detoxification and recovery, especially from damage caused by alcohol, illicit drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and industrial chemicals. It is also being investigated as an alternative treatment for those with hepatitis C who do not respond well to Ribavirin (pegylated interferon). Milk Thistle’s primary function appears to be a gentle flushing of the system from the gall bladder throughout, and then additionally it helps to actively regenerate the cells of the liver. The sooner the treatment is begun, the better, so long as the damaging substance is discontinued.
The liver’s relationship with the healthy function of the rest of the body has now been established definitively by modern science, and we understand more about how Milk Thistle gained its earlier reputation. It is still referred to as a primary or complementary remedy for depression, liver diseases, gall bladder disease, jaundice, hepatitis, cirrhosis, spleen and kidney congestion, and diabetes. Milk Thistle is also being studied as a complementary medicine for recovery from chemotherapy following cancer treatment.
Contraindications, Warnings, and Disclaimers
Milk Thistle is considered to be a very safe herb and can be taken daily as a tonic without side effects. A very small portion of people with extreme allergies to the Daisy family may experience allergic reactions. Because Milk Thistle slows the production of certain enzymes, the efficacy of oral contraceptives may be reduced. The same mechanism may make other drugs more effective (they are not broken down as quickly in the system), amplifying their negative side effects. If you are on any kind of life-maintaining medication, consult with a qualified health practitioner before taking Milk Thistle.
References
- Herb Society of America’s New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses, 2001; p. 368
- Earl Mindell’s Herb Bible, 1992; p. 130-131
- University of Maryland Medical Center
- Clinical government study showing the hepaprotective qualities of milk thistle extract
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