Milk thistle
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), also known as Mary thistle, holy thistle, or blessed milkthistle, is a versatile plant with a long history of medicinal use, although it is also used as a food source. Milk thistle has been used medicinally in Eclectic medicine to treat various conditions such as varicose veins, menstrual difficulties, and liver congestion since ancient times.
The active ingredient in milk thistle is silymarin, a complex mixture of flavonolignans and fatty acids. The primary active ingredient in milk thistle is silymarin, which is a group of flavonoid compounds including silybin, isosilybin, silychristin, and silydianin.
Silymarin is an antioxidant that has been found to have various health benefits, including liver protection, skin health, cholesterol reduction, weight loss, and diabetes management.
The key health benefits of milk thistle include:
- Liver Health: Milk thistle is most well-known for its ability to protect the liver and promote liver function. Silymarin has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects, making it potentially useful in treating conditions like hepatitis, cirrhosis, and alcoholic liver disease.
- Diabetes Management: Some studies suggest milk thistle may help improve blood sugar control and reduce cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes, though more research is needed to confirm these benefits.
- Neurological Protection: Preliminary research indicates that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of silymarin may have neuroprotective effects, potentially benefiting conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, though human studies are still lacking.
- Bone Health: Animal studies have found that milk thistle may help stimulate bone mineralization and protect against bone loss, suggesting it could be useful for preventing or delaying osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.
- Cancer Prevention: Some laboratory and animal studies have found that milk thistle and its active compounds may have anticancer properties and could potentially help prevent certain types of cancer, such as prostate, breast, and skin cancer, but more human research is needed.
Botany Treasury offers high-quality milk thistle sourced from sustainable farms. To inquire about purchasing milk thistle or other botanical ingredients, please contact us.
Common Names
Milk thistle, blessed milk thistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Saint Mary’s thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle, Scotch thistle