Common Names
- Holy thistle
- Lady's thistle
- Mary thistle
- Marian thistle
For Patients & Caregivers
Milk thistle protects against alcohol-induced liver damage, and even reverses its effects in some cases. Whether it can treat other liver diseases is not clear.
Laboratory studies support milk thistle’s liver protective effects. For example, when rats fed milk thistle are given toxins and drugs that are known to be toxic to the liver, they are protected from liver damage compared to rats not given milk thistle. Scientists think that silymarin, a compound in milk thistle, alters and stabilizes the structure of the liver cells so that toxins cannot enter them as easily. In addition, it stimulates the synthesis of proteins, which is an important part of cell growth and regeneration after damage.
Studies also show that milk thistle may protect against Alzheimer’s disease and has anticancer activity against colon and prostate cancer cells. Silymarin was shown to have estrogenic effects in rats. It is not known if these effects occur in the human body.
- To prevent and treat alcohol-induced liver damage
Laboratory data and several clinical trials support this use. - As an antidote to poisonous mushrooms (such as Amanita phalloides)
No scientific evidence supports this use. - To prevent and treat drug-induced liver damage
Laboratory, animal, and clinical trials support this use, although the effect varies by drug. - To treat gastrointestinal upset
Some clinical trials support this use. - To treat cirrhosis of the liver
Clinical trials support this use, specifically for patients with alcohol-induced cirrhosis. - To treat hepatitis
Laboratory studies show that milk thistle protects and promotes regeneration of the liver. - As supportive therapy for chronic inflammatory liver disease
Laboratory studies show that milk thistle protects and promotes regeneration of the liver.
- Case report: A patient experienced episodes of sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness, and collapse after taking milk thistle. Symptoms resolved after the patient discontinued use of milk thistle.
- Case report: A 25-year-old man developed a severe case of nosebleed, which may have been due to self-medication with aspirin, garlic, and milk thistle. His symptoms improved following treatment.
- Clinical study: At high dosage, silibinin can elevate bilirubin and liver enzymes.
For Healthcare Professionals
Derived from the seed, pod, or fruit of milk thistle, silymarin, a flavolignan, is used primarily to manage various liver diseases. In vitro and animal studies suggest that flavonoids in milk thistle have antioxidant, anticancer effects (7) (8) (12) (16) (17), and may protect against Alzheimer’s disease (23) (24).
Placebo-controlled clinical studies show efficacy of silymarin in reducing aminotransferases in alcoholic liver disease (9) and suggest its usefulness for liver cirrhosis (11) (19). Milk thistle was also shown to reduce liver toxicity associated with chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (20) and cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (28). Other studies show milk thistle may help reduce capecitabine-induced Hand-Foot Syndrome (6) and radiation therapy-induced mucositis (3). However, silibinin, derived from milk thistle, promoted the growth of liver cancer when used with alcohol in an animal study (10) .
Data from a randomized controlled study indicate benefits of milk thistle supplementation in improving glycemic profile in type II diabetic patients (18). A case study indicates the utility of intravenous silibinin in patients coinfected with HIV and HCV (Hepatitis C virus) (21).
Silymarin demonstrated estrogenic activity with mild proliferative effects in rat uteri (27). Human studies are warranted.
Silymarin, a mixture of flavonoids derived from the seeds of milk thistle, is believed to be the active component responsible for the herb’s hepatoprotective effects. Studies done in mice show that silymarin confers hepatoprotection, attributed to its down regulation of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen, against thioacetamide-induced liver damage in mice (2). It may also be useful against liver carcinogenesis by negatively affecting the activity of mast cells, a source of matrix metalloproteins that are involved in invasion and angiogenesis (29). Silymarin reduced cisplatin-induced kidney damage in rats without diminishing its anti-tumor activity (7). It may play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease: studies show that it suppressed formation of amyloid beta-protein and neurotoxicity in mice (30).
Silibinin, one of the flavonoids, demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting release of hydrogen peroxide and production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (31). Another study showed improvement in endothelial dysfunction in mice by silibinin via reduction in circulating and vascular asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels. ADMA is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and is believed to play a role in endothelial dysfunction, associated with cardiovascular disease (32). Silibinin also inhibits the early phase of HepatitisC viral infection by affecting endosomal trafficking of virions (34).
Silybin and isosilybin were also shown to act as strong inhibitors of PXR-mediated CYP3A4 induction (35). Other studies indicate the flavonoids in milk thistle exert anticancer effects by arresting G1 and S phases of the cell cycle (8). Silibinin suppressed the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-induced expression of CD44 (the transmembrane receptor for hyaluronan, implicated in tumor cell invasion and metastasis) by inhibiting EGFR activity in breast cancer cells (33). Silybin was also shown to inhibit growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the Notch signaling pathway (36).
Case report: A patient experienced intermittent episodes of sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness and collapse that resolved after discontinuation of milk thistle supplementation (5).
Case report: A 25-year-old man developed a severe case of epistaxis, which may have been due to his self medicating with aspirin, garlic, and milk thistle. His symptoms improved following treatment (22).
Clinical study: At high doses, silibinin can elevate bilirubin and liver enzymes (25).
- Cytochrome P-450 3A4 substrates: Milk thistle inhibits cytochrome P-450 3A4 (4) and can affect the intracellular concentration of drugs metabolized by this enzyme. However, conflicting data indicate no such effects (13) (14) (38).
According to another study, consumption of milk thistle did not reduce levels of indinavir, an AIDS drug (15). - UGT (Uridine 5’-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase) substrates: Milk thistle modulates UGT enzymes in vitro and can increase the side effects of drugs metabolized by them (26).