Milk Thistle— The Liver Herb

The liver is the body's great detoxifier. All foods, liquids and oral drugs pass through the liver as they travel from the intestines to the bloodstream. Blood passes through the liver at a rate of about 3 pints per minute; at any instant, the liver contains about 10 percent of all the blood in the body.

Milk thistle is one of the most ancient herbal medicines known, and its main action is on the liver. As early as the 12th century, milk thistle was being used to treat liver disease. Modern experiments have shown that silymarin, a combination of milk thistle's active ingredients, can protect the body against many synthetic chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride, as well as against natural toxins, such as those from the deadly Amanita mushroom.

Milk thistle heals the liver in three ways. First, it stabilizes and strengthens the membranes of liver cells, preventing the entry of damaging toxins. Second, milk thistle is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals. It is many times more powerful than vitamin E in this respect. Third, milk thistle speeds the regeneration of damaged liver tissue by initiating cellular protein synthesis.

Placebo-controlled experiments have shown that milk thistle is useful in the treatment of alcohol and drug-induced liver disease. In one study, six months of treatment with silymarin significantly improved liver function in 36 patients with alcohol-induced liver disease. Some experts claim that milk thistle can completely regenerate a diseased liver.  Based on information in: Better Nutrition, Feb 1996