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Milk Thistle Seed Carduus marianum |
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The seeds protect the liver against toxins & regenerate liver cell production; aiding hepatitis & cirrhosis |
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| Milk Thistle, also known as St. Mary’s thistle, is a member of the Asteraceae or Compositae family. Thistles have been known since ancient times to be edible and to benefit the liver. Milk thistle grows from four to ten feet tall and has large prickly leaves with white, marblized patterns. The flowering heads are large, purple and spiny. When they have finished flowering, they produce a a profusion of white pappus parachutes containing the ripe seeds which are spread to other areas by the wind. These seeds can be powdered and extracted with grain alcohol to make a potent liver tonic. The constituents responsible for its hepato-protective actions are flavanolignans which are isolated as a mixture, commonly known as silymarin. Silymarin is a mixtureof closely-related flavanolignans, mainly silybin, silychristin, and silydianin. Flavanolignans are produced by the plant by the coupling of a flavonoid with coniferyl alcohol. The mechanism of action of silymarin was shown by multiple experimental studies which have demonstrated that silymarin causes an increase in protein synthesis in liver cells, due to an increased activity of ribosomal RNA via the nucleolar polymerase A, which transcribes ribosomal genes from DNA, producing more ribosomes. Part of the silybin molecule has a steroid-like structure and may enter the cell and stimulate the induction of DNA and ribosomal RNA synthesis. About 50% of the silymarin consumed by a human is absorbed by the intestine, where it is circulated in a loop between the intestine and the liver. It moves from the blood plasma to the bile and is then concentrated in the liver cells, which is referred to as enterohepatic circulation. Clinical studies have demonstrated that milk thistle extract is effective against Amanita phalloides (The Death Cup) mushroom poisoning, as well as other potent liver toxins such as carbon tetrachloride. a-amanitine and phalloidine are the toxins from this mushroom. a-amanitine inhibits the glomerular filtration ratein the kidneys, resulting in increased concentration of urea and other toxic waste products in the blood. It also penetrates the cell nucleus and inhibits the synthesis of messenger RNA, stopping ribosomal protein synthesis. Silymarin counteracts this, dropping blood urea concentrations, even after the poisoning has occurred. Silymarin is also protective in that it blocks a-amanitine from permeating the liver cell membrane, breaking the enterohepatic circulation of this toxin. The other toxin, phalloidine is a potent liver toxin which destroys the outer cell membrane of liver cells, which is lethal within several hours. Silymarin binds to the phalloidine receptors in the liver cell and protects the liver from such poisoning. Regeneration of poisoned cells is increased by four times with silymarin in comparison to untreated victims. Milk thistle extract enjoys widespread use for most liver-based problems including cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, weakened liver from drug or alcohol abuse, as well as liver poisoning from foreign chemical poisons. It has also been clinically demonstrated that silymarin boosts the superoxide dismutase activity of red and white blood cells, as well as possessing antioxidant properties, which may play an important role in its overall liver-protective activities. |