Milk Thistle Extract

Milk thistle is commonly found growing wild in a variety of settings, including roadsides. The Latin name is Silybum marianum. The seeds of the dried flower are used. The active ingredient in the plant is a flavonoid called silymarin, an antioxidant said to protect liver from arin apparently promotes liver protein synthesis and decreases the oxidation of glutathione. The plant's flowers and seeds have been used for more than 2,000 years to treat disorders of the liver and gallbladder. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for 2,000 years as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, particularly liver, kidney, and gall bladder problems. Several scientific studies suggest that substances in milk thistle (especially a flavonoid called silymarin) protect the liver from ding certain drugs such as acetaminon (Tylenol), which can cause liver damage in high doses. Silymarin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it may help the liver repair itself by growing new .