Milk Thistle (St Mary’s Thistle)

Content:  Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) seed powder (Please note that the colour of the powder may vary from light to dark depending on soil conditions, growing conditions etc.)

Preparation: Chew 1 tsp of seeds thoroughly, or add ground seeds to food. Tea - boil 1-2 tsp of ground seeds in 1 cup water for 10 minutes.

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) — seed/fruit (Silybi mariani fructus)

The seeds (often referred to as the fruit) of Silybum marianum, commonly known as milk thistle, are rich in a flavonolignan complex called silymarin (which includes compounds such as silybin, isosilybin, silychristin and silydianin)¹. This complex is thought to exert antioxidant, membrane-stabilising and possibly cell-protective effects on liver tissue, thus aligning with its long-standing use in traditional herbal medicine for liver and gallbladder support. The stem of evidence comes from the formal herbal medicinal monograph by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Silybi mariani fructus, which recognises its use, on the basis of traditional use, for symptomatic relief of digestive disorders (sensation of fullness, indigestion) and to support liver function². While these uses are grounded in longstanding tradition and preliminary clinical data, the monograph emphasises that the evidence is not strong enough to classify seed-derived milk thistle preparations as “well-established use” for more serious liver disease¹.

This information is for educational purposes only and does not refer to the effects of any specific product.

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1. European Medicines Agency (EMA), Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). (2018, June 5). Final assessment report: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., fructus (milk-thistle fruit). https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-silybum-marianum-l-gaertn-fructus_en.pdf European Medicines Agency (EMA)

2. European Medicines Agency (EMA), HMPC. (2018, September 19). Silybi mariani fructus – herbal medicinal product overview. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/silybi-mariani-fructus

• Caution combining Milk thistle with prescription medications as it may alter drug concentrations