Milk Thistle

Milk thistle looks very much like any other thistle plant. It can grow seven feet tall with deep lobes and will flower with two inch wide white to purple disk flowers. The plant is native of the Mediterranean region of Europe, but it has been naturalized in many portions of North America. You'll find the Milk Thistle in pastures or areas that have received fertilizer. Gardeners will plant a few for their decorative look as well as for the plants herbal properties. The leaves and stem of the milk thistle plant are edible, and can be used in salads or eaten raw. The plant was cultivated as a vegetable in Europe through the end of the nineteenth century.

The botanical name is Silybum marianum. The plant has a long history is otherwise known as St Mary's Thistle, Marian's Thistle, Holy Thistle and Blessed Thistle. There is a story that tells of Mary (Maria) resting beneath the boughs of a thistle tree so that she may feed the baby Jesus. In the legend, a drop of her milk fell on the plant's green leaves and there it stayed.

Milk Thistle has been used for over 2000 years. Although Milk Thistle has been most closely associated with the health of the liver and used for the treatment of liver and biliary disorders as well as for stomach, it is also used for gallbladder disorder, insulin resistance, for breastfeeding mothers to increase breast milk production. An injection of silybin is used as the antidote for Death Cap mushroom poisoning. In fact, it is the only known antidote. The Death Cap mushroom kills by destroys the liver by shutting down protein production in the liver cells. The silbin neutralizes the toxins and protects the liver. It is also being studied and used in addition to the primary therapy in the prevention of liver damage caused by some cancer treatments because the active substances have been shown to slow cell growth in some types of cancer.

The seeds contain the highest amount of silymarin - but the whole plant can be used medicinally. The active extract of milk thistle seeds is called silymarin. Silybin is an antioxidant and is at least ten times more potent as an antioxidant than Vitamin E. It is also more potent than Vitamin C. It alters the membrane structure of the liver cell and helps block or neutralize the absorption of toxins into the cell by increasing the glutathione, which is responsible for detoxifying many chemicals, drugs and hormones. At the same time, silybin stimulates the production of new liver cells to replace the damaged ones.

The liver has an influence over every centimetre of the human body and it is vital that this organ be allowed to perform its many roles with efficiency because: Toxins enter the body every day, and the liver has the responsibility of filtering them out of the bloodstream.

Hormones influencing both our physical and emotional well-being are activated and broken down in the liver. Many Vitamins, including some in the B complex, rely on the liver to activate them. The metabolism of fats and carbohydrates depends on a liver that performs well and therefore so do energy levels and the body's ability to use fat for fuel.

Recently, researchers have studied the effects of ginger, Echinacea, green tea, milk thistle and St. John's wort on the white blood cells and nerve cells of mice. Milk thistle was the only herb that could boost the immune and nervous systems, helped produce more neurites and kept cells alive longer.

Milk thistle is available in seed and capsules, as well as an extract or a tincture.Since the seed has a low level of water soluability, an infusion is weaker than a tincture or an extract. You can make and infusion by pouring a cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of finely ground seeds. Let it steep for 10-20 minutes and strained out the pulp or put the herb in a tea ball and let it steep there. A human can drink two to three cups of the infusion daily. Or the milk thistle seed can be taken by mouth in a dose of one teaspoon of freshly ground seeds daily. Although it is a potent and important herb, keep in mind that it should not be used as a daily food supplement and is best used for situation where the liver is already under abnormal stress.

The alcohol tinctures are the best because they allow quick absorption. The highest concentration of alcohol is needed to extract the active components from the ground seeds, so beware of the label that claims low or no alcohol content.For your pet, where you suspect the liver is stress but not yet in a serious state, a starting dose is ¼ teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight. Before you feed it, dilute it with at least an equal amount of water for the sake of palatability. You can also add it to the food if that is easier. If you suspect liver disease, see your vet first.

It should be stored in an airtight container in a cool location away from direct light to keep its potency.

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