Milk Thistle
Background: The main active ingredient, silymarin, is found in the seeds of this prickly leafed, purple-flowered plant.
Medicinal Claims: Milk thistle affects primarily the liver, spleen, and kidneys. It increases production of protein by the liver and stimulates regeneration of liver tissue. It is claimed to protect the liver from toxic substances (such as viruses, alcohol, and the toxin from death cap mushrooms) and from certain drugs (such as the analgesic acetaminophen, the antidepressant amitriptyline, and the antibiotic erythromycin). Thus, milk thistle is used to prevent and treat mushroom poisoning and other liver disorders, such as cirrhosis and hepatitis C.
Two well-controlled studies of milk thistle in people with cirrhosis had mixed results. In reports that have collected information about many individual patients with mushroom poisoning, milk thistle reduced the death rate.
Possible Side Effects: Brief stomach upset and mild allergies, but no serious side effects, have been reported. Milk thistle may intensify the effects of drugs that decrease blood sugar levels (hypoglycemic drugs).
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