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PROTECT YOUR LIVER WITH MILK
THISTLE
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
In our ever-increasing toxic
world, we are placing an enormous burden on the main organ
in our body designed to detoxify these poisons. I have
written about liver functions in previous articles and have
mentioned the herb milk thistle. This article will center
on the herb milk thistle and its importance in healing and
maintaining proper liver functions.
Hepatotoxicity is being considered by many
healthcare practitioners to be an underlying cause of many
disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, psoriasis,
migraines, and PMS, to mention a few.
Let’s look at the history
behind this valuable plant. Since ancient times, many
thistles were widely used for their curative effects on the
liver; and recently chemical compounds from the seed of
Silybum
marianum milk thistle have
proven scientifically to aid in the protection and
rebuilding of liver cells. Milk thistle was recommended by
the Greek herbalist, Dioscorides,
for snakebite; the English herbalist, Gerald, for bilious
disorders; and Culpepper recommended it for jaundice and
liver obstructions. During the early part of the last
century, the Eclectic School of Medical Herbalists used
milk thistle for menstrual difficulty, congestion of the
liver, spleen and kidneys. As you can see, it has been used
for thousands of years.
Milk thistle is known by
many names: St. Mary’s thistle, lady's thistle, holy
thistle, and wild artichoke. It is a member of the
compositae or daisy family. All
thistles are edible and benefit the liver, but only the
Silybim
marianum is known to
contain the active compounds referred to as
silymarin.
Silymarin is the collective name for a combination
of three of the flavanolignans:
silybin,
silydianin and silychristin.
Research into the efficacy of milk thistle began with a
German doctor, Dr. Madaus, in
the early 1900s. The mechanism of action was not known
until 1980 with the research done by Dr.
Sonnenbichler from
Munich, Germany.
The liver has a very complex
system of how it reduces toxins into harmless substances.
Phase one liver detox processes involve recognizing
and altering the poisons entering the liver. This is done
with a set of enzymes called the P450 enzyme system. The
compounds generated by phase one must be further broken
down by what is called the phase two detox system.
A compound produced in the liver called glutathione
aids this process. Milk thistle is known to increase the
production of GSH.
Silymarin
is a potent antioxidant and is considered to be at least
ten times more potent than Vitamin E. The protective
effects against liver damage have been demonstrated in
numerous clinical studies over the last few years. It has
been shown to protect the liver against the toxic effects
of carbon tetrachloride, alcohol poisoning, chemotherapy,
environmental poisons, pharmaceutical drugs, and the poison
from the Amanita mushroom or Poison Death Cap.
It is a standard protocol in
Europe to have injectable
silymarin in emergency rooms
just for the antidote for Amanita mushroom poisoning. Many
Europeans eat woodland mushrooms with many cases a year
being reported. Why is this an
issue? The effect of Amanita mushroom
poison is death if treatment is not administered within 24
hours of ingestion. Milk thistle is that antidote.
Let’s look at some of the
clinical applications of milk thistle for a variety of
liver disorders. Numerous clinical studies have proven the
positive effects in the following conditions: Cirrhosis,
chronic hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, fatty liver,
gallstones, psoriasis, toxemia
during pregnancy, liver inflammation, and cancer.
The leading cause of liver
disease is alcohol which causes cirrhosis. It is estimated
thatr 10 million Americans
suffer from cirrhosis with over 200,000 deaths per year. In
one study, eighty-seven cirrhotics
received either placebo or silymarin
over a period of 41 months. Dosage of a standardized
extract of 140 mg three times per day showed the control
group to have a four year survival rate of 58 percent to
the placebo group that had a 38 percent survival rate. This
was attributed to the use of silymarin
that is non-toxic even with use over a long period of time.
One of the most amazing uses
of silymarin is with hepatitis
sufferers. There are over 300,000 new cases annually in the
United States
alone, and that is on the increase. Again, milk thistle
extract has been shown to improve liver enzymes in many
cases. I have personally worked with a number of hepatitis
cases, and in most cases improvements have been seen within
thirty days. Of course, we are all
biochemically different, and outcomes will be
different for everyone. It is important to select the
proper substance when taking this herb for a specific
condition. I have researched and prefer the German formula
due to its being used in the clinical studies.
Milk thistle is effective in
a variety of preparations with the traditional method as a
tea or decoction. Silymarin is
poorly soluble in water, but historically it is more
bioavailable if the seeds are
crushed and soaked overnight before boiling for fifteen
minutes. Another method is to make a tincture of the
freshly powdered seeds mixed with 9% alcohol. Standardized
capsules are available; and when used for specific
conditions, this is easier. Extracts are typically made up
of a 70% silymarin complex with
doses of 140 mg per capsule.
There are no known side
effects or contraindications, and this herb is safe during
pregnancy and lactation.
As with any substance, I
encourage you to do some research before
use. There are many references
to milk thistle, including: Milk
Thistle – The Liver Herb by Christopher Hobbs, The
Green Pharmacy by Dr. James A. Duke, and The Healing
Power Of Herbs by Dr. Michael T. Murray.
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