Milk Thistle - FYI

[tumbleweed1999]

I know this has been discussed both on this forum and another one that I belong too, but the question has been brought up again, so I tho't I'd post this out here.  It helped me alot.  ALSO, if anyone is on Prednisone, DO NOT take MT if it has Licorice Root in it - it will raise the Pred.!
This was given to me by my Pharmacist after I questioned him about it.  He got this from "Pharmaceutical Letters" - A Pharm. research website.

Milk Thistle
by Terri L. Levien, B.Pharm., and Danial E. Baker, Pharm.D., FASCP, FASHP

The fruit  of the milk thistle (Silybum marianun) and its constituents have been widely promoted for the treatment and prevention of a viriety of conditions mainly affecting the liver.  Milk thistle, in various forms,  has been used for the prophylaxis and treatment of liver damage caused by alcohol and other toxins, cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, fatty liver, cholestasis, and cholangitis and pericholangitis.  Prohylactic use in individuals exposed to pollutants or toxins, such as painters, farmers, chemical workers has also been advocated.  Administrations prior to exposure has been reported to be more effective than use after damage has occurred.  Milk thistle has also been used to improve the solubility of the bile in the treatment of gallstones.

The activity of milk thistle is believed to be due to antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects.  The ripe fruit contains 1.5-6% silymarin, a mixture of flavonolignans including silibinin, silychristin and silydianin.  Silymarin is the active antihepatotoxic complex, competitively suppressing the action of a number of hepatotoxic substances which cause liver necrosis and cirrhosis.
...........

Encouraging results have also been described when Silymarin was administered to patients with hepatitis.  In some studies in patients with acute viral hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis, silymarin improved serum bilirubin and transaminase levels and appeared to induce histologic and symptomatic improvement.  Improved immunologic function has also been described.

A large body of evidence exists to support the safety of silymarin.  Silymarin has been used for over 2000 years, and is widely used in Europe today.  It appears to be very well tolerated, with no reports of serious toxicity in the medical literature.  Even at very high doses it has appeared to be nontoxic in animals.  A mild laxative effect is occasionally observed, likely due to increased bile flow and secretion.  At higher doses a bile-sequestering fiber compound (e.g., guar gum, pectin, psyllium, or oat bran) may be useful to prevent mucosal irritation and loose stools.  Allergic reactions are rare.

....Most products available in the United States are standardized to contain 70-80% silymarin.  Products containing concentrated extract representing 35, 50, 140 mg of silymarin are available.  Doses of 70 to 200 mg 3x daily (based on silymarin content) have been used, with a dose of 140mg 3x/da most commonly described.  

Geri

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[DAVMarine]

I read somewhere that the max milk thistle tea is better than the capsules anyone know anything about that?I was taking the caps and ran out for two days and bought more and restarted and just blew up with swelling around my liver and pain,now I quit again and the swelling is down and no pain so did I swell up from not having it for two days or did I swell up because i was taking it again or more than likely its just one of those freaky things that can't be explained??I guess I'll try taking it again and see
Bob

[Myown]

Thanks for posting this. I think MT is one of the reasons my enzymes have always been pretty good. I have been taking dandelion root and tumeric also. supposed to be good for inflamation.