It seems that just about every week, I hear of someone having issues with the liver. Why, just the other day, I had a friend that underwent a liver biopsy. She has had several health issues in the last few years, and testing her liver is just one item on a long checklist.
So many people suffer during allergy season (and some all through the year), and so much of the misery can be traced back to a liver that is not functioning at optimum levels. Imagine being able to cleanse such a vital organ in your body. Maybe milk thistle would be right for you, or for one of your patients (if you are the health care provider).
Remember, milk thistle’s main constituent is silymarin, which is found mainly in the seeds. Silymarin acts as an antioxidant, inhibiting the enzyme that produces leucotrienes and prostaglandins, which are often the culprits in liver inflammation. An inflamed or congested liver can be manifested in various skin conditions, or in more serious issues, such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, or even cancer.
Milk thistle is also known to be a liver protector and proliferant, meaning it may either keep disease away or repair the liver after it’s already been damaged.
Be sure to obtain all pertinent and important information about each patient, from knowing if your patient is hypoglycemic or diabetic to knowing if she is on such meds or if she is dealing with any issues related to estrogen levels or drugs, etc.
Those who are taking the following types of medication should consult their medical providers before using milk thistle:
- Medications changed by the liver – milk thistle slows down the process of how the liver breaks down and/or changes the meds, which may affect the half-life of these medication, leading to adverse effects
- Tamoxifen – anti-estrogen medication
- Other estrogen meds
- Medications used to lower cholesterol
Knowledge is the best defense or course of action here, so it’s best to pass along any and all online resources and hard copy information that can be given to each patient. The online references listed below a good place to start for further inquiry, but I have also listed some print resources. They include:
- A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs: Herbal Formulations for the Individual Patient. Kerry Bone, MCPP, FNHAA, FNIMH, DipPhyto, Bsc(Hons), Head of Research and Development, MediHerb (Pty) Ltd, Warwick, Queensland; Principal, Australian College of Phytotherapy, Australia; August, 2003.
- Herb, Nutrient, and Drug Interactions: Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Strategies. By Mitchell Stargrove, ND, LAc, Founder/Developer IBIS; The Integrative BodyMind Information System; President, MedicineWorks,com/Health Resources Unlimited, Inc., Beaverton, OR, USA; Jonathan Treasure, MA, MNIMH, RH (AHG), MCPP, Center for Natural Healing, Ashland, OR, USA; Dwight McKee, MD, Diplomate, American Boards of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Hematology, Aptos, CA, USA.; December, 2007.
- Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs and Natural Supplements. By Linda Skidmore, RN, MSN, NP, Consultant, Littleton, CO; Former Nursing Faculty, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM; El Paso Community College, El Paso, TX; April, 2009.
- Natural Standard Herb and Supplement Handbook: The Clinical Bottom Line. ed. Ethan Basch, MD, MPhil; Catherine Ulbricht, PharmD; November, 2004.
References
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/milk-thistle-benefits-and-side-effects
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/milkthistle/ataglance.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/silymarin/NS_patient-milkthistle
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/milk-thistle-000266.htm
http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsad/a/Milk_Thistle.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/138.html
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/really-the-claim-milk-thistle-combats-liver-disease/
http://www.rxlist.com/milk_thistle/supplements.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23674609
http://www.rosacea-treatment-clinic.com.au/Silymarin.html
