Milk Thistle - The Liver Herb

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a thorny plant presenting decorative leaves with a white pattern of veins and purple flower heads. The plant originates from mountains of the Mediterranean region, where it forms scrub on a rocky base.

The seeds of milk thistle are one of the most important herbal liver medicines. The sylimarin contained in them is an effective life-saving agent even in cases of poisoning with a lethal dose of death cap mushroom. Besides that, milk thistle seeds have other therapeutic properties. The plant is sometimes also used as a decorative element in gardens, and its dried flower heads may be used for the decoration of dry bouquets.

Health benefits of milk thistle:

• protective and regenerating effect on the liver and kidneys
• liver cleansing
• inducing of gastric juice secretion
• regulation of digestion
• anti-toxic effect
• reinforcement of blood vessel walls
• anti-haemorrhagic effects

Uses of milk thistle:

For prevention and therapy of liver diseases

• liver cirrhosis
• chronic liver inflammatory conditions
• viral hepatitis
• fatty degeneration of the liver

For liver intoxications caused by, for example:

• alcohol
• toxic herbicides
• Amanita mushroom toxins (especially phalloidin and α-amanitin)

Also for

• bile duct conditions
• post-jaundice therapy
• indigestion
• internal bleeding, haemorrhoids