Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) - Botanical Medicines

Milk Thistle ( Silybum marianum )

Milk thistle is a biennial plant that grows in the Mediterranean region of southwest Europe, and parts of the eastern United States and California. It has been cultivated for centuries as a medicinal remedy. Milk thistle contains silymarin, which Murray and Pizzorno note has been used to treat cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and gallbladder inflammation. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide states that milk thistle effectively shortens the course of viral hepatitis, minimizes post-hepatitis complications, and protects the liver from complications resulting from liver surgery. Steven Foster notes in the November/December 1993 issue of Natural Healing that silymarin has also been used to treat gallstones. Silymarin concentrations vary in milk thistle capsules, pills, and teas, and should only be taken upon the advice of an herbalist or physician.