Milk Thistle Benefits And Side EffectsGrowing Herbs: Latin name: silybum marianum Common names: mary thistle, holy thistle Milk thistle, also referred to as Mary thistle or holy thistle, has been used for medicinal purposes for more than 2,000 years. A native to the Mediterranean area, this flowering herb has been used to cure several ailments, commonly liver and gallbladder ailments. This herb can now be found all throughout the globe. It normally propagates in dry and sunny regions. Its stems are spins and branches at the top. It grows to a height of around 4 to 10 feet. The leaves of this stout thistle are wide and have white veins or blotches. The name came from the milky white liquid that comes out from the leaves when crushed. The flowers are a red-purple color. The plant’s fruit is small and has a hard skin. It’s colored brown and is spotted and shiny. This plant, considered a weed in some areas of the globe, grows quickly, in less than one year. A number of scientific studies state that a flavonoid complex in the seeds, called silymarin, is believed to safeguard the liver against toxins. This also includes protection from drugs like acetaminophen, which if taken in high doses, can lead to liver damage. The silymarin substance has antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory elements that may aid in the repair of the liver by producing new cells. This substance is actually a collection of flavonoids, namely silicristin, silidianin, and silibinin. Silymarin can be extracted from the plant’s seed (fruit). The seeds of the plant are used to make capsules, powders, tinctures, and extracts. Liver Disease Caused by Alcohol Consumption This flower-bearing herb is usually suggested as a remedy for ailments like alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis. Scientific studies, however, are showing mixed results. Most of the studies are suggesting that the plant makes the liver function better and increases the survival rate of people enduring cirrhosis and hepatitis. But, there are issues in the studies’ designs, like the small quantity of participants and variances in dosage and length of therapy, that make it difficult to get any actual conclusions. Hepatitis Treatment Although studies are suggesting mixed results, milk thistle is used extensively for treating viral hepatitis, mostly hepatitis C. The liver functions of some were improved, but others weren’t. None of the studies associated the herb with interferon or other remedies used for viral hepatitis. Anti-Cancer According to initial laboratory studies, silymarin and other substances found in milk thistle, may have cancer-fighting properties. The said substances seem to impede the division and reproduction of cancer cells. This shortens the cells’ life span and lessen blood supply to tumors. Still, a lot more studies must be done to see if it has real effects not just in test tubes, but also in the body. Remedy to Mushroom Poisoning Traditionally, his herb has been used as an alternative cure for deathcap mushroom poisoning. According to animal studies, extracts from the plant fully works against the mushroom’s toxic effects within just 10 short minutes of ingestion. If milk thristle is given within a day, it lessens the chance of liver damage and death considerably. Milk Thistle Side Effects Side effects of ingesting milk thistle may include headache, itching and indigestion. Seldom, this herb may also cause diarrhea, sexual dysfunction, joint pain, gas and heartburn. Those who may suffer from allergies to kiwi, daisies, common thistle, artichokes or plants that belong to the aster family could also have an allergic reaction to milk thistle. A lot of cases have been reported of anaphylactic shock in those who have utilized products containing the herb. The plant hasn’t been proven safe for use on pregnant women or nursing women. Hypothetically, the herb could lower the level of blood sugar in people. Therefore, those suffering from hypoglycemia, diabetes and those taking drugs that affect the level of blood sugar may use milk thistle products with caution. There is also a hypothetical risk that the plant could have an effect that’s estrogen-like. So, people suffering from hormone-sensitive ailments like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancer, ovarian cancer or uterine cancer, should not use the, especially the parts of the plant that are above the ground. Another side effect of the plant is that it may lessen the efficiency of oral contraceptives. One component of milk thistle can inhibit beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme that is involved in oral contraceptives’ activity. The benefits you can get from the herb are nothing short of spectacular. It is coined as a smart herb by many researchers due to the fact that it appears to know when to create news cells and when to stop the production of bad ones like cancer cells. It is still undetermined how milk thistle knows when to help in the regeneration of cells and when to stop them from regenerating. But, the benefits it offers for the liver are indisputable. Similar Posts _________________________________________________________________ Top of Milk Thistle Listed under Landscape Plants |