Milk-thistle fruits

A.R. Bilia, D. Salvini, G. Mazzi and F.F. Vincieri, Characterization of calendula flower, milk-thistle fruit, and passion flower tinctures by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS. Chromatographia 53 (2001) 210-215. 

Marked variations in the stability of 21 tinctures and 13 related singleentity plant compounds were noted (26). Bilia et al. (27) investigated the stability of 40% and 60% v/v tinctures of artichoke, SJW, calendula flower, milk thistle fruit, and passionflower. The investigation showed a very low thermal stability of the constituents from accelerated and long-term testing as determined by HPLC iode array detector and MS analyses. Stability was related both to the class of flavonoids and water content of the investigated tinctures. Shelf life at 25° C of the most stable tincture (passionflower 60% v/v) was about six months, whereas that of the milk thistle tinctures was only about three months. The stability of artichoke and... 

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is an annual to biennial plant of the Aster-aceae family. It is native principally to southern Europe and northern Africa. The crude drug consists of the ripe fruits from which the pappus has been removed. Milk thistle fruits contain 15% to 30% proteins. The main active compounds constitute only about 2% to 3% of the dried fruits. The active principle is a mixture of flavolignans called silymarin. Silymarin, a polyphenolic extract isolated from the seeds of milk thistle, is composed mainly of silybin (50 70%), with small amounts of other silybin structural isomers, namely isosilybin, silydianin, and silychristin (Fig. 11) (123-125). The highest concentration of silymarin is found in the ripe fruits (126). Silibinin is the main compound, also considered to be the most active one in several paradigms (127). 

T raditionally, milk thistle fruits have been used for disorders of the liver, spleen, and gall bladder, such as jaundice and gall bladder colic. Milk thistle has also been used for nursing mothers for stimulating milk production, as a bitter tonic, for hemorrhoids, for dyspeptic complaints, and as a demulcent in catarrh and pleurisy. It is stated to possess hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and choleretic properties (128). Current interest is focused on the hepatoprotective activity of milk thistle and its use for the treatment of liver, spleen, and gall bladder disorders (129). Recently it has been shown that silibinin reduced prostate-specific antigen levels in prostate carcinoma cells lines, indicating a possible role of silibinin in human prostate cancer (130,131). 

Iberogast contains extracts of bitter candy tuft, chamomile flower, peppermint leaves, caraway fruit, licorice root, lemon balm leaves, angelica root, celandine, and milk thistle fruit, and has been used to treat dyspepsia (168). In a systematic review, adverse events were rare and similar to those found with placebo (169). 

Milk thistle fruit. In Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. Herbal Medicine-Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA Integrative Medicine Communications, 2000 257-263. 

By extraction of the fruits of Silybwn inarianwn Gaertn. (milk thistle) and column chromatographic purification. 

The fruit and seeds of the milk thistle plant contain a lipophilic mixture of flavonolignans known as silymarin. Silymarin comprises 2-3% of the dried herb and is composed of three primary isomers, silybin (also known as silybinin or silibinin), silychristin (silichristin), and silydianin (silidianin). Silybin is the most prevalent and potent of the three isomers and accounts for about 50% of the silymarin complex. Products should be standardized to contain 70-80% silymarin. 

Szentimihalyi, ., M. Then, V. Hies, S. Pemeczky, Z. Sandor, B. Lakatos, and P. Vinkler. 1998. Phytochemical examination of oils obtained from the fruit of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertner) by suercritical fluid extraction. Z. Naturfor-sch. Sec. C Biosci. 53 9-10, 779-784. 

Smith WA, Lauren DR, Burgess EJ, Perry NB, Martin RJ (2005) A Silychristin Isomer and Variation of Flavonolignan Levels in Milk Thistle Silybum marianum) Fruits. Planta Med 71 877... 

Anaphylactic shock has been reported after the use of a herbal tea containing an extract of the fruit of the milk thistle (39). 

MILK THISTLE Silybi marianae fructus, which is the fruit of Silibum marianum (L.) Gaert, family Asteraceae. The active ingredient in the fruit is silymarin (a mixture of isomeric flavonolignans with silibinin (silybin) as the most active substance, effective as an antidote to poisoning with fly agaric (phalloi-din and a-amanitin). 

Nature Milk thistle is derived from the fruit and seeds of Silybum marianum, which contain flavonolignans such as silymarin. 

The main sources of these compounds are fruits like citras, apples, peaches and plant extracts like milk thistle, sophora, chamomile, roman chamomile, yarrow, ginkgo. Saint John s wort hcorice, etc. (Council of Europe, 1989). This group of active eompounds is extensively used in cosmetics because of their many possible beneficial applications. Below is a hst of their main biological properties. 

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