Milk Thistle Uses and Plant Monograph
With its spiny, white-veined leaves and bristly flowers, milk thistle defiantly defends itself against herbivores looking for an easy meal. And rightfully so, for it has a treasure to protect! Beneath that harsh exterior is a gold mine of seeds (technically fruits) that are renowned for their ability to nourish and protect.
History
Milk thistle originally comes from the areas of southern Europe and North Africa to Asia, but has now spread across the temperate world. It often grows in disturbed soils and is sometimes considered an invasive weed. For over 2,000 years, milk thistle has been relied upon for its ability to protect the liver. In more recent years, it has been widely heralded as a life-saving herb for people with severe liver damage.
Milk Thistle Energetics
While some herbs have very specific indications and a definite energetic pattern, milk thistle is a neutral herb in taste, moisture, and thermal indexes. We are lucky this protective plant is neutral, so that it works well for many different constitutional types!
Milk Thistle Uses & Plant Profile Summary
Protects the Liver
Milk thistle is most famous for its ability to protect and nourish the liver. While this may seem to be a very specific action, because of all the extensive things your liver does, this action has far-reaching implications. For milk thistle, there is no liver protective job too big or too small.
One mechanism of action is that milk thistle can increase glutathione in the liver.1 Glutathione is often referred to as the “mother of all antioxidants” because of its role in liver detoxification pathways and its regenerative nature. Glutathione levels also decrease with aging and low levels play a role in many degenerative diseases.
A meta-analysis showed that when taken as a preventive therapy, milk thistle protected against liver damage caused by medicines for tuberculosis (this is a common adverse effects of these medications). The study also revealed that milk thistle can improve liver function in the same population.2
Other research has shown that milk thistle can benefit people who have been diagnosed with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, although more studies are needed.34
Milk thistle is famously used to counteract the often fatal effects of eating poisonous mushrooms like death cap mushroom. This mushroom is responsible for most of the mushroom-related deaths around the world. One review reports, “Administration of silybin [a milk thistle extract] within approximately 48 hours after poisoning produced by the mushroom Amanita phalloides (death cap) seems to be an effective measure to prevent severe liver damage.”5
Protects Against Inflammation and Diabetes
Milk thistle’s protective abilities extend well beyond the liver. It has been shown to modulate inflammation to benefit a wide range of situations and illnesses.
For example, a study showed that a milk thistle extract given to patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis significantly reduced their symptoms. The researchers say these results could be due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties within milk thistle.6
One recent study showed that men and women with type 2 diabetes who were given a milk thistle extract had a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar, serum insulin, and improved cholesterol levels as compared to those taking a placebo.7 Another study showed that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes had a significant reduction in high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) after taking a milk thistle extract for 45 days.8 (Elevated hsCRP levels are strongly related to cardiovascular disease.)
Type 1 diabetes is an illness that requires insulin therapy. An interesting study showed how herbs can be a powerful adjunct therapy to patients with type 1 diabetes. In this study, patients were given an herbal formula containing Berberis aristata (Indian barberry, a berberine-containing plant) and milk thistle to concurrently take with their prescribed insulin. The herbal formula led to a reduction in the necessary insulin dose. In other words, patients could take less insulin and still have good blood sugar control by using the herbal formula.9
Milk thistle can even protect your skin. A study showed that a formulation including milk thistle extract could strongly benefit the skin by increasing elasticity and improving skin tone.10
May Prevent Cancer and Protects Against Harmful Effects of Cancer Therapy
Radiation-induced dermatitis is a common side effect of radiotherapy performed on cancer patients. One study evaluated whether a milk thistle extract gel would help prevent radio-dermatitis in people diagnosed with breast cancer. Forty patients were either given the milk thistle gel or a placebo starting on the first day of radiotherapy for five weeks. After five weeks, those using the milk thistle gel fared significantly better than those using the placebo.11
Another study showed that a milk thistle extract gel could prevent hand-foot syndrome, which is a common adverse reaction to a medication given to people with gastrointestinal cancer.12 And yet another study concluded, “Prophylactic administration of conventional form of [milk thistle extract] tablets could significantly reduce the severity of radiotherapy induced mucositis and delay its occurrence in patients with head and neck cancer.”13
Plant Preparations
Water does not extract milk thistle well and alcohol is often contraindicated for those seeking liver protection. Herbalists often prefer to use whole seed of milk thistle, freshly ground and added to foods like yogurt or oatmeal.
Milk thistle is also commonly sold as an isolated extract in capsules or tablets. Herbalist Kerry Bone explains how a standardized milk thistle extract is made: “Marker compounds known as flavanolignans are selectively extracted by using a sequence of solvents or by a column technology. The resultant concentration ratio is typically between 40:1 and 70:1. These flavanolignans are known by the collective name of ‘silymarin’ and consist principally of silybin, silychristin and silydianin. Sometimes the standardized extract itself is called ‘silymarin.’ There is good pharmacological and clinical evidence to support the hepatoprotective activity of both the extract and silybin.”14
Dosage Suggestions
- Powdered or ground seeds: 12-15 grams per day
- Tincture (dried seeds): 1:3, 70% alcohol, 3-8mL, four times daily15
- Standardized extract in capsules or tablets: Per manufacturer instructions
Special Considerations
- Milk thistle is widely regarded as safe; however, recent research has shown that commercial samples can be high in (fungal) mycotoxins.16
- Milk thistle may speed up the metabolism of some pharmaceuticals.
Footnotes
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