Milk thistle is one of the most effective medicinal plants for the treatment and prevention of liver diseases. Thanks to the hepato-toxic and hepato-protective action, it protects the body from toxins derived from alcohol and medicines. It also stimulates regeneration of hepato-cytes and can be used during breastfeeding due to its galactogen properties. The nutraceuticals are concentrated in the plant's seeds, in particular silymarin, even though the leaves are used thanks to their thetonic, cholagogue, diuretic and gastric stimulation action. In the herbal treatment of hepatitis, a disease in which this plant can therefore be regarded as a particularly valuable therapeutic agent, the fruits of milk thistle, as well as ensuring a soft coleresi and stimulation of the body's defences, promote the regeneration of liver cells. The antioxidant properties of silymarin have also suggested the use in dermatological therapies and in the field of cosmetics.
Nutraceuticals
- Silymarin and isomers (silybin, silydianin, silychristin)
- 0.1% essential oil
- tyramine, histamine
- 16-28% fatty oil with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids
- Mucilage, bitter resin acids