Milk Thistle is good for detoxing the liver.
Why would you want to detox your liver? Let me tell you
why I did, and what happened.
I had been living in hydrogen sulfide for a couple of
years. This was because my condo had been built over
part of an old outdoor toilet pit, but you could have
hydrogen sulfide in your home from an ill fitted toilet, or
from a second bathroom which you seldom use, allowing
the water to dry out of the traps, thus giving the sewer
gas free entry to your home. That's one reason.
Another reason, also one of mine, is that I've been having
medications for many years, for instance cyanocobalamin
shots for nearly a decade. There is in each shot a small
amount of cyano, which is a toxin. It's a tiny amount,
really. But, over time that adds up. I have also had other
medications which have known side affects, so who
knows how much of those are left in some residual
measure.
I had heard of Milk Thistle, back when I was a Realtor,
from a man who had his own stock trading firm. I forget
what he used Milk Thistle for, I just remember being
sceptical that it could be as good as he said.
Fast forward a dozen years and a woman wrote to me
after she'd had a hydrogen sulfide experience followed by
tetanus. She said that a liver cleanse had made a huge
difference to her and that I should try it. (She'd been to
my site, which is how she came to write to me.)
After I'd read about several different liver cleanse
products I decided that what all of them did was rely on
Milk Thistle in their preparations. So, I ordered the Milk
Thistle alone.
I was excited to try it, as you probably will be if you
order it. I followed the directions, expecting to be feeling
a change for the better in the not too distant future. But
within a day I was not feeling at all well. I was having a
hard time thinking clearly, for one thing. I felt as if my
mind had been bogged down -- it took me awhile to
realize that how I felt was almost exactly the way I'd felt
when I was living in the hydrogen sulfide.
I soon realized that the Milk Thistle must have dislodged
a lot of toxins from my liver and set them free in my
body to be eliminated if I drank a lot of water and
allowed them to be flushed out.
Reinforcing this interpretation is the fact I sent some with
a variety of other vitamins to my son in London. He
wrote back that he didn't like the vitamins at all. He said
that he had expected to feel better when he took them,
but in fact he was feeling much worse.
That said, I actually do feel much better since taking the
Milk Thistle and removing at least some of the toxins.
Since then I have a slightly clearer mind more often
(except that the on-going stress makes a mess of my
thinking by way of overload.)
What I hadn't expected was that a brown spot in my field
of vision, that I'd had for over a year, became smaller
and finally went away. My feeling is that it was caused
by the cyano in the B12 shots when I was having them
daily, before I switched to Methylcobalamin.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum Gaertn), is a member
of the family Asteraceae. Also known as the Marian, St.
Mary's, and Our Lady's thistle, Milk Thistle should not
be confused with the blessed or holy thistle (Cnicus
benedictus), an entirely different species.
Milk Thistle is a tall herb with prickly leaves and a milky
sap that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe.
Milk thistle is among the most ancient of all known
herbal medicines, having been used as a folk remedy for
centuries for liver complaints. Recent research has
demonstrated that extracts of milk thistle do indeed
protect against some very nasty liver toxins.
Research has uncovered a host of antihepatotoxic (liver
protectant) compounds commonly referred to as
silymarin, in Milk Thistle. Silymarin has been shown to
consist of a large number of flavonolignans, including
silybin, isosilybin, dehydrosilybin, silydianin and
silychristin. Animal studies have shown that silymarin
exerts a liver protective effect against a variety of toxins,
including the phallo toxins of the deadly Amanita
phalloides mushroom.
Amanita phalloides is one of the most poisonous
mushrooms in the world, containing toxins that are
particularly destructive to the liver. Ingestion of this
mushroom can lead to severe liver damage and death if
untreated. The active ingredient of the herb is a
bioflavonoid mixture called silymarin, the principal
component of which is silybin. In animal experiments,
when silymarin was given before poisoning by the
Amanita phalloides mushroom, it was found to be 100
percent effective in preventing liver damage. Silymarin
was also found to be completely effective if given to
animals within ten minutes of exposure to the poison.
When given within twenty-four hours it still prevented
death and greatly reduced the amount of liver damage.
Silymarin also confers protection against liver damage
from dangerous solvents such as carbon tetrachloride and
ethanol (alcohol). Silymarin has been used in the
treatment of hepatic disorders in humans, and a German
medical study found that liver function in patients with
chronic hepatitis improved after three months of therapy
with silymarin. A later study reported on the use of 420
milligrams of silymarin daily in patients with cirrhosis of
the liver. Of twenty followed for six to thirty-six months,
ten were definitely improved and four had deteriorated.
The results of numerous studies suggest that silymarin
not only protects liver cells by preventing the actions of
toxic substances but that it also stimulates protein
synthesis to accelerate the regeneration and production of
liver cells.
Silymarin, and its component silybin, function as
antioxidants, protecting cell membranes from free-radical-
mediated oxidative damage. This type of damage is
known as lipid peroxidation. Most liver toxins produce
their damaging effects by free radical mechanisms. Both
silymarin and silybin protect red blood cell membranes
against lipid peroxidation and hemolysis (breaking down
of the red blood cells) caused by certain red blood cell
poisons.
Start out slow with it because it releases toxins from your
liver; the effect can be intense if there are many toxins.
So don’t take more than one of them a day for the first
two weeks. (I had two weeks where I felt as if my mind
had turned to cement; it was quite worrying.)
Why would you want to detox your liver? Let me tell you
why I did, and what happened.
I had been living in hydrogen sulfide for a couple of
years. This was because my condo had been built over
part of an old outdoor toilet pit, but you could have
hydrogen sulfide in your home from an ill fitted toilet, or
from a second bathroom which you seldom use, allowing
the water to dry out of the traps, thus giving the sewer
gas free entry to your home. That's one reason.
Another reason, also one of mine, is that I've been having
medications for many years, for instance cyanocobalamin
shots for nearly a decade. There is in each shot a small
amount of cyano, which is a toxin. It's a tiny amount,
really. But, over time that adds up. I have also had other
medications which have known side affects, so who
knows how much of those are left in some residual
measure.
I had heard of Milk Thistle, back when I was a Realtor,
from a man who had his own stock trading firm. I forget
what he used Milk Thistle for, I just remember being
sceptical that it could be as good as he said.
Fast forward a dozen years and a woman wrote to me
after she'd had a hydrogen sulfide experience followed by
tetanus. She said that a liver cleanse had made a huge
difference to her and that I should try it. (She'd been to
my site, which is how she came to write to me.)
After I'd read about several different liver cleanse
products I decided that what all of them did was rely on
Milk Thistle in their preparations. So, I ordered the Milk
Thistle alone.
I was excited to try it, as you probably will be if you
order it. I followed the directions, expecting to be feeling
a change for the better in the not too distant future. But
within a day I was not feeling at all well. I was having a
hard time thinking clearly, for one thing. I felt as if my
mind had been bogged down -- it took me awhile to
realize that how I felt was almost exactly the way I'd felt
when I was living in the hydrogen sulfide.
I soon realized that the Milk Thistle must have dislodged
a lot of toxins from my liver and set them free in my
body to be eliminated if I drank a lot of water and
allowed them to be flushed out.
Reinforcing this interpretation is the fact I sent some with
a variety of other vitamins to my son in London. He
wrote back that he didn't like the vitamins at all. He said
that he had expected to feel better when he took them,
but in fact he was feeling much worse.
That said, I actually do feel much better since taking the
Milk Thistle and removing at least some of the toxins.
Since then I have a slightly clearer mind more often
(except that the on-going stress makes a mess of my
thinking by way of overload.)
What I hadn't expected was that a brown spot in my field
of vision, that I'd had for over a year, became smaller
and finally went away. My feeling is that it was caused
by the cyano in the B12 shots when I was having them
daily, before I switched to Methylcobalamin.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum Gaertn), is a member
of the family Asteraceae. Also known as the Marian, St.
Mary's, and Our Lady's thistle, Milk Thistle should not
be confused with the blessed or holy thistle (Cnicus
benedictus), an entirely different species.
Milk Thistle is a tall herb with prickly leaves and a milky
sap that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe.
Milk thistle is among the most ancient of all known
herbal medicines, having been used as a folk remedy for
centuries for liver complaints. Recent research has
demonstrated that extracts of milk thistle do indeed
protect against some very nasty liver toxins.
Research has uncovered a host of antihepatotoxic (liver
protectant) compounds commonly referred to as
silymarin, in Milk Thistle. Silymarin has been shown to
consist of a large number of flavonolignans, including
silybin, isosilybin, dehydrosilybin, silydianin and
silychristin. Animal studies have shown that silymarin
exerts a liver protective effect against a variety of toxins,
including the phallo toxins of the deadly Amanita
phalloides mushroom.
Amanita phalloides is one of the most poisonous
mushrooms in the world, containing toxins that are
particularly destructive to the liver. Ingestion of this
mushroom can lead to severe liver damage and death if
untreated. The active ingredient of the herb is a
bioflavonoid mixture called silymarin, the principal
component of which is silybin. In animal experiments,
when silymarin was given before poisoning by the
Amanita phalloides mushroom, it was found to be 100
percent effective in preventing liver damage. Silymarin
was also found to be completely effective if given to
animals within ten minutes of exposure to the poison.
When given within twenty-four hours it still prevented
death and greatly reduced the amount of liver damage.
Silymarin also confers protection against liver damage
from dangerous solvents such as carbon tetrachloride and
ethanol (alcohol). Silymarin has been used in the
treatment of hepatic disorders in humans, and a German
medical study found that liver function in patients with
chronic hepatitis improved after three months of therapy
with silymarin. A later study reported on the use of 420
milligrams of silymarin daily in patients with cirrhosis of
the liver. Of twenty followed for six to thirty-six months,
ten were definitely improved and four had deteriorated.
The results of numerous studies suggest that silymarin
not only protects liver cells by preventing the actions of
toxic substances but that it also stimulates protein
synthesis to accelerate the regeneration and production of
liver cells.
Silymarin, and its component silybin, function as
antioxidants, protecting cell membranes from free-radical-
mediated oxidative damage. This type of damage is
known as lipid peroxidation. Most liver toxins produce
their damaging effects by free radical mechanisms. Both
silymarin and silybin protect red blood cell membranes
against lipid peroxidation and hemolysis (breaking down
of the red blood cells) caused by certain red blood cell
poisons.
Start out slow with it because it releases toxins from your
liver; the effect can be intense if there are many toxins.
So don’t take more than one of them a day for the first
two weeks. (I had two weeks where I felt as if my mind
had turned to cement; it was quite worrying.)
Milk Thistle
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http://www.health-boundaries-bite.com
Your fingernails reflect your health --
Learn some warning signs --
Your fingernails reflect your health --
Learn some warning signs --
- Karen Kline
Synonyms:
Bull thistle, cardo blanco, Cardui mariae fructus,
Cardui mariae herba, Cardum marianum L., Carduus
marianus L., Chardon-Marie, Emetic root,
flavonolignans, Frauendistel, Fructus Silybi mariae,
fruit de chardon Marie, heal thistle, Holy thistle,
Isosilibinin, isosilybin, Kanger, Kocakavkas, Kuub,
Lady's thistle, Legalon, mariana mariana, Marian
thistle, mariana mariana, Mariendistel,
Marienkr;ouml;rner, Mary thistle, mild thistle, milk
ipecac, natursil, natursilum, Our Lady's Thistle, pig
leaves, royal thistle, shui fei ji, silidianin, Silybi mariae
fructus, silybin, silybinin, silychristin, silymarin, snake
milk, S. marianum , sow thistle, St. Mary's thistle,
Thisylin, Venue thistle, variegated thistle, wild
artichoke. (Taken from a Mayo Clinic page.)
Milk Thistle
by Francine Rainone, D.O., Ph.D., M.S.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva
University, Bronx, New York
Milk thistle has been used as a cytoprotectant for the
treatment of liver disease, for the treatment and
prevention of cancer, and as a supportive treatment of
Amanita phalloides poisoning. . . In an oral form
standardized to contain 70 to 80 percent silymarin, milk
thistle appears to be safe for up to 41 months of use.
Significant drug reactions have not been reported.
(from Am Fam Physician 2005;72:1285-8. Copyright
© 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians.)
Bull thistle, cardo blanco, Cardui mariae fructus,
Cardui mariae herba, Cardum marianum L., Carduus
marianus L., Chardon-Marie, Emetic root,
flavonolignans, Frauendistel, Fructus Silybi mariae,
fruit de chardon Marie, heal thistle, Holy thistle,
Isosilibinin, isosilybin, Kanger, Kocakavkas, Kuub,
Lady's thistle, Legalon, mariana mariana, Marian
thistle, mariana mariana, Mariendistel,
Marienkr;ouml;rner, Mary thistle, mild thistle, milk
ipecac, natursil, natursilum, Our Lady's Thistle, pig
leaves, royal thistle, shui fei ji, silidianin, Silybi mariae
fructus, silybin, silybinin, silychristin, silymarin, snake
milk, S. marianum , sow thistle, St. Mary's thistle,
Thisylin, Venue thistle, variegated thistle, wild
artichoke. (Taken from a Mayo Clinic page.)
Milk Thistle
by Francine Rainone, D.O., Ph.D., M.S.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva
University, Bronx, New York
Milk thistle has been used as a cytoprotectant for the
treatment of liver disease, for the treatment and
prevention of cancer, and as a supportive treatment of
Amanita phalloides poisoning. . . In an oral form
standardized to contain 70 to 80 percent silymarin, milk
thistle appears to be safe for up to 41 months of use.
Significant drug reactions have not been reported.
(from Am Fam Physician 2005;72:1285-8. Copyright
© 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians.)
Milk Thistle - How It Works
* Antioxidation
* Scavenging of free radicals
* Inhibition of lipid peroxide formation
* Slowing or even reversing fibrosis by reducing the
conversion of hepatic stellate cells into myofibroblasts
* Enhanced liver detoxification via inhibition of Phase I
detoxification
* Enhanced glucuronidation and protection of
glutathione depletion
* Anti-inflammatory effects, including inhibition of
leukotriene and prostaglandin synthesis, Kupffer cell
inhibition, mast cell stabilization, and inhibition of
neutrophil migration
* Increase hepatocyte protein synthesis, thereby
promoting hepatic tissue regeneration
Silymarin may also have a tumor suppressive effect via:
* Anticarcinogenesis by inhibiting cyclin-dependent
kinases and arresting cancer cell growth
This is from the Creighton University School of
Medicine Complementary and Alternative Medicine
* Antioxidation
* Scavenging of free radicals
* Inhibition of lipid peroxide formation
* Slowing or even reversing fibrosis by reducing the
conversion of hepatic stellate cells into myofibroblasts
* Enhanced liver detoxification via inhibition of Phase I
detoxification
* Enhanced glucuronidation and protection of
glutathione depletion
* Anti-inflammatory effects, including inhibition of
leukotriene and prostaglandin synthesis, Kupffer cell
inhibition, mast cell stabilization, and inhibition of
neutrophil migration
* Increase hepatocyte protein synthesis, thereby
promoting hepatic tissue regeneration
Silymarin may also have a tumor suppressive effect via:
* Anticarcinogenesis by inhibiting cyclin-dependent
kinases and arresting cancer cell growth
This is from the Creighton University School of
Medicine Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The Mayo Clinic says:
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Milk thistle has been used
medicinally for over 2000 years,
most commonly for the treatment
of liver and gallbladder disorders.
A flavonoid complex called
silymarin can be extracted from
the seeds of milk thistle, and is
believed to be the biologically
active component. The terms
"milk thistle" and "silymarin" are
often used interchangeably.
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Milk thistle has been used
medicinally for over 2000 years,
most commonly for the treatment
of liver and gallbladder disorders.
A flavonoid complex called
silymarin can be extracted from
the seeds of milk thistle, and is
believed to be the biologically
active component. The terms
"milk thistle" and "silymarin" are
often used interchangeably.
Milk thistle products are popular in Europe and the
United States for various types of liver disease.
Health Boundaries Bite
Effects of silymarin on the resolution of liver fibrosis
- Published April, 2008, Journal of Viral Hepatitis -
Results showed restoration from liver fibrosis in the
therapeutic group was significantly increased as
compared to that in the model group.
Flavonoid, silibinin, inhibits proliferation and
promotes cell-cycle arrest of human colon cancer.
Published November, 2007, Journal of Surgical
Research - CONCLUSION: Silibinin significantly inhibits
proliferation. . .
Clinical applications of Silybum marianum in
oncology.
Published June, 2007, Integrative Cancer Therapies -
Milk thistle is increasingly used in oncology research and
treatment. Possible indications during cancer treatment
include cleansing and detoxification after chemotherapy,
preventing hepatotoxicity during chemotherapy, treating
hepatotoxicity after chemotherapy, and potentiating
chemotherapy and radiation therapy as an adjunctive
treatment. Milk thistle may also have applications in
ameliorating long-term hepatic and cardiovascular effects
of cancer treatment.
Advances in the use of milk thistle (Silybum
marianum).
Published June, 2007, Integrative Cancer Therapies -
Silymarin, a mixture of flavanoid complexes, is the active
component that protects liver and kidney cells from toxic
effects of drugs, including chemotherapy. Although milk
thistle has not significantly altered the course of chronic
liver disease, it has reduced liver enzyme levels and
demonstrated anti-inflammatory and T cell-modulating
effects.
Silymarin, the antioxidant component of Silybum
marianum, protects against burn-induced oxidative
skin injury.
Published November, 2007, Burns - Journal of the
International Society for Burn Injuries -
BACKGROUND: severe burn is one of the most
common problems faced in the emergency room. Major
thermal injury induces the activation of an inflammatory
cascade resulting in local tissue damage, to contribute to
the development of subsequent damage of multiple
organs distant from the original burn wound.
CONCLUSION: Results indicate that both systemic and
local administration of silymarin was effective against
burn-induced oxidative damage and morphological
alterations in rat skin. Therefore, silymarin merits
consideration as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of
burns.
Protective effect of silibinin against isoproterenol-
induced injury to cardiac myocytes and its
mechanism
Published March, 2007, in China - Silibinin protects
cardiac myocytes against isoproterenol-induced injury
through resuming mitochondrial function and regulating
the expression of SIRT1 and Bcl-2 family members.
Use of Silybum marianum fruit extract in broiler
chicken nutrition: influence on performance and
meat quality.
Published June, 2007, Journal of Animal Physiology
and Animal Nutrition - Treatments reduced lipid content
of both breast and thigh and increased muscles resistance
to oxidative stress.
Phyto-Female Complex for the relief of hot flushes,
night sweats and quality of sleep: randomized,
controlled, double-blind pilot study.
Published February, 2007, Gynecological
Endocrinology - OBJECTIVE: To determine the
efficacy and safety of the herbal formula Phyto-Female
Complex (ingredients: standardized extracts of black
cohosh, dong quai, milk thistle, red clover, American
ginseng, chaste-tree berry) for the relief of menopausal
symptoms. RESULTS: The women receiving
Phyto-Female Complex reported a significantly superior
mean reduction in menopausal symptoms than the
placebo group. The effect of treatment improvements in
menopausal symptoms increased over time; by 3 months
there was a 73% decrease in hot flushes and a 69%
reduction of night sweats, accompanied by a decrease in
their intensity and a significant benefit in terms of sleep
quality. Hot flushes ceased completely in 47% of women
in the study group compared with only 19% in the
placebo group.
Silybin and silymarin--new and emerging
applications in medicine.
Published 2007, Current Medicinal Chemistry - Silybin
and silymarin from milk thistle, used so far mostly as
hepatoprotectants, were shown to have other interesting
activities, e.g. anticancer and canceroprotective and also
hypocholesterolemic activity. These effects were
demonstrated in a large variety of illnesses of different
organs, e.g. prostate, lungs, CNS, kidneys, pancreas and
also in skin protection. Important findings bring silymarin
preparations closer to respective application in the cancer
treatment.
- Published April, 2008, Journal of Viral Hepatitis -
Results showed restoration from liver fibrosis in the
therapeutic group was significantly increased as
compared to that in the model group.
Flavonoid, silibinin, inhibits proliferation and
promotes cell-cycle arrest of human colon cancer.
Published November, 2007, Journal of Surgical
Research - CONCLUSION: Silibinin significantly inhibits
proliferation. . .
Clinical applications of Silybum marianum in
oncology.
Published June, 2007, Integrative Cancer Therapies -
Milk thistle is increasingly used in oncology research and
treatment. Possible indications during cancer treatment
include cleansing and detoxification after chemotherapy,
preventing hepatotoxicity during chemotherapy, treating
hepatotoxicity after chemotherapy, and potentiating
chemotherapy and radiation therapy as an adjunctive
treatment. Milk thistle may also have applications in
ameliorating long-term hepatic and cardiovascular effects
of cancer treatment.
Advances in the use of milk thistle (Silybum
marianum).
Published June, 2007, Integrative Cancer Therapies -
Silymarin, a mixture of flavanoid complexes, is the active
component that protects liver and kidney cells from toxic
effects of drugs, including chemotherapy. Although milk
thistle has not significantly altered the course of chronic
liver disease, it has reduced liver enzyme levels and
demonstrated anti-inflammatory and T cell-modulating
effects.
Silymarin, the antioxidant component of Silybum
marianum, protects against burn-induced oxidative
skin injury.
Published November, 2007, Burns - Journal of the
International Society for Burn Injuries -
BACKGROUND: severe burn is one of the most
common problems faced in the emergency room. Major
thermal injury induces the activation of an inflammatory
cascade resulting in local tissue damage, to contribute to
the development of subsequent damage of multiple
organs distant from the original burn wound.
CONCLUSION: Results indicate that both systemic and
local administration of silymarin was effective against
burn-induced oxidative damage and morphological
alterations in rat skin. Therefore, silymarin merits
consideration as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of
burns.
Protective effect of silibinin against isoproterenol-
induced injury to cardiac myocytes and its
mechanism
Published March, 2007, in China - Silibinin protects
cardiac myocytes against isoproterenol-induced injury
through resuming mitochondrial function and regulating
the expression of SIRT1 and Bcl-2 family members.
Use of Silybum marianum fruit extract in broiler
chicken nutrition: influence on performance and
meat quality.
Published June, 2007, Journal of Animal Physiology
and Animal Nutrition - Treatments reduced lipid content
of both breast and thigh and increased muscles resistance
to oxidative stress.
Phyto-Female Complex for the relief of hot flushes,
night sweats and quality of sleep: randomized,
controlled, double-blind pilot study.
Published February, 2007, Gynecological
Endocrinology - OBJECTIVE: To determine the
efficacy and safety of the herbal formula Phyto-Female
Complex (ingredients: standardized extracts of black
cohosh, dong quai, milk thistle, red clover, American
ginseng, chaste-tree berry) for the relief of menopausal
symptoms. RESULTS: The women receiving
Phyto-Female Complex reported a significantly superior
mean reduction in menopausal symptoms than the
placebo group. The effect of treatment improvements in
menopausal symptoms increased over time; by 3 months
there was a 73% decrease in hot flushes and a 69%
reduction of night sweats, accompanied by a decrease in
their intensity and a significant benefit in terms of sleep
quality. Hot flushes ceased completely in 47% of women
in the study group compared with only 19% in the
placebo group.
Silybin and silymarin--new and emerging
applications in medicine.
Published 2007, Current Medicinal Chemistry - Silybin
and silymarin from milk thistle, used so far mostly as
hepatoprotectants, were shown to have other interesting
activities, e.g. anticancer and canceroprotective and also
hypocholesterolemic activity. These effects were
demonstrated in a large variety of illnesses of different
organs, e.g. prostate, lungs, CNS, kidneys, pancreas and
also in skin protection. Important findings bring silymarin
preparations closer to respective application in the cancer
treatment.
Recent Research