Milk thistle, a plant native to the Austria, is often declared a weed. The great potential it holds is usually ignored, but he active ingredient of milk thistle can help to control liver cirrhosis, toxic liver damage, or inflammatory liver diseases.
Milk thistle belongs to the daisy family. With its violet flower and dark green-white marble-look leaves, it is a strikingly beautiful plant. Its name is traced back to a legend, that claims that the white pattern on the leaves comes from the milk of the Virgin Mary. The plant is to be found not only in Austria, but in the entire Mediterranean area, Venezuela, Argentina, and China.
Behind the old-fashioned name is a plant with highly effective ingredients. It is mainly used for liver diseases because it contains liver-protecting substances. Recent studies have also found progress in metabolic diseases such as diabetes, lipometabolic disorders, obesity, and high blood pressure. In addition, their cancer-inhibiting effect was investigated and found to be effective. This is one more reason for research to look more intensively at the active substance of the plant.
In combination with the ingredients of artichoke and dandelion, milk thistle supports the liver-bile functions in digestive problems.
Silymarin, the main active ingredient, is extracted from milk thistle, which also bears the names womens thistle or curative thistle. Silymarin has an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cell-protective effect and is traditionally used to treat liver diseases. In combination with the ingredients of artichoke and dandelion, milk thistle supports the liver-bile functions in digestive problems. New studies are investigating the efficacy of the plant on the entire organ system.
Silymarin supports the formation of new proteins in liver cells and thus cell regeneration and the formation of liver cells. This makes the accompanying supply of milk thistle extract beneficial in the case of toxic liver damage caused by toxins such as drugs and alcohol, as well as in the supportive treatment of liver cirrhosis and chronic inflammatory liver diseases.
The active ingredient of milk thistle can positively influence diabetic secondary diseases such as cardiovascular problems, wound healing disorders, or kidney diseases.
There are also studies that have investigated the use of the milk thistle active ingredient silymarin in diabetes, which can prove that it lowers blood sugar levels. In addition, it was observed that, presumably due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the plant, diabetic secondary diseases such as cardiovascular problems, wound healing disorders, or kidney diseases are positively influenced.
According to studies, the active ingredient of milk thistle could also have an anti-cancer effect and influence the development and cell growth of tumours. One more reason to investigate this plant, which is often overlooked as a weed.
