Milk thistle: the plant for liver detoxification

It is certainly one of the most widely used remedies in herbal medicine, and its use dates back more than two millennia.

The scientific name, Silybum marianum, derives from the Greek word “sillabon“, which means “milky thistle,” and is related to the legend according to which the white spots on the leaves were produced by the milk of the Madonna when, pursued by King Herod, the Holy Family used this plant as a hiding place.

The plant indeed has large green leaves with serrated margins and yellow spines.

It has flowers grouped in isolated heads at the ends of long branches, intense purple-pink in color, with an involucre of leafy scales with sharp and prickly tips.

Milk Thistle, considered a weed, widespread from the sea to sub-mountainous regions and on islands, is widely used in folk tradition thanks to its significant action on digestive processes.

In particular, its notoriety is due to its powerful protective action on the liver and stimulation of its functionality, making Milk Thistle the plant of choice for this organ.

Like most of all digestive action remedies, the plant contains bitter principles capable of stimulating appetite, gastrointestinal, and biliary secretion.

To date, the most active part of Milk Thistle and that used for the preparation of decoctions or extracts are the fruits (erroneously called seeds), which are collected at the end of flowering, when the heads begin to open (July-August).

The molecule that makes Milk Thistle fruits an excellent remedy for liver detoxification and improvement of its functionality is silymarin, a principle capable of protecting the liver from damage in case of accumulation of harmful substances (alcohol, carcinogens, metabolic waste, pollutants, drugs, etc.) but above all, it performs a regeneration action on liver cells, restoring their optimal functionality in case of overload or malfunction.

In addition, this “weed” is not only useful in classic seasonal detoxification cycles but can also be a valid alternative to solve more important disorders as support in case of gallstones, fatty liver, high cholesterol, constipation, disorder of biliary circulation, etc.

It is worth noting that Milk Thistle, like all medicinal plants, being composed of a set of active molecules that work synergistically with each other (phytocomplex), very often can be effective in the treatment of other disorders related to other organs or systems.

Indeed, Milk Thistle fruits also demonstrate interesting antihypertensive activity, that is, they would be able to correct the tendency to low blood pressure with the related symptoms such as dizziness and fatigue.

A quick and practical preparation is the decoction, an excellent method to drink more, a fundamental practice in all detoxification practices.

Milk Thistle Decoction: preparation and dosage

3 grams of seeds per 100 ml of water.

They are put together with water and brought to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and then steep for 15 minutes.

For a good effect on the liver, two to three cups a day are recommended.

To improve the taste and reinforce the action with another plant with liver action, it is possible to add Burdock root, Anise seeds, Mint leaves, and Licorice root in the following doses (per 100 grams):

Milk Thistle (fruits) 30 grams.

Burdock (root) 30 grams.

Anise (seed) 20 grams.

Mint (leaves) 10 grams.

Licorice (root) 10 grams.

[Herbal tea formulation taken from “decoctions and herbal teas” by costanza giunti; publisher: tecniche nuove]