Description

Our body is uniquely equipped to handle the literally thousands of different toxins we encounter daily through environmental pollution, processed foods, pharmaceuticals and other sources. One of the most important organs that deals with these toxins is the liver. And one plant, the Milk Thistle, often regarded as unwanted weeds in the garden, is highly beneficial for helping our liver detoxify.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS IN MILK THISTLE
The main active ingredients are flavonolignans (4-6%) such as silybin, isosilybin, silydianin and silychristin (collectively known as silymarin); apigenin, silybonol, taxifolin, phytosterols, fatty oils (20-30%) and proteins (1,2).

Silybin is the most active form, and is thus the main cause of the beneficial effects of silymarin (3). The plant also contains flavonoids, including quercetin and camphorol, and base oils such as linoleic acid and oleic acid, betaine, stigmasterol, sitosterol, plant glue, vitamin C, E and K. Due to the ability to characterize the active ingredients, the powerful active ingredients are isolated from the seeds (4).

MILK THISTLE BENEFITS
Even though Milk Thistle is known for its beneficial effect on the liver, research has confirmed the mechanisms of action and therapeutic value of Milk Thistle in a wide range of non-liver-related conditions (3).

Milk Thistle helps:

lower high cholesterol levels by lowering inflammation

clean the blood and prevent oxidative stress damage within the arteries

improve total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides levels compared to levels before taking Milk Thistle

protect the kidneys from damage

protect the kidneys from harmful medicines such as acetaminophen, cisplatin and vincristin
regenerate the kidney and liver cells

lower insulin resistance and reduce blood glucose and fat levels in diabetes patients, due to the antioxidant effect

reduce oxidative stress caused by pancreatic beta dysfunction

reduce risk of prostate cancer with its anti-proliferative effects on androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells

Health Benefits of Milk Thistle And Cancer

Milk Thistle has been reported to be beneficial for reducing the hardening and narrowing of the arteries and prevent gallstones. In large doses, Milk Thistle has shown to be protective of the kidneys from damage during chemotherapy.

It is also beneficial in the treatment of liver cancer by protecting the immune system cell called Kupffer cells, in fighting pathogens, toxins and other foreign matters that enter the liver.