Flavonolignans in Milk Thistle
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) contains the most powerful hepatoprotective and hepatoregenerative compounds known. Collectively this mixture of flavonolignans (hybrid molecules sharing characteristics of both flavonoids and lignans) is called silymarin; it consists of three individual compounds; silybin, silydianin, and silychristin. Silymarin is an extraordinary substance that acts as an antioxidant for lipids and protects cell membrane integrity in the liver. It is not very water-soluble, but is soluble in ethanol, ethyl acetate, and acetone. In some dietary supplements, the silymarin is complexed with phospholipids (in the form of liposomes) in order to enhance its bioavailability.
Milk Thistle seeds can be ground like Flaxseed and added to the daily diet as a nourishing antioxidant liver tonic. Standardized, concentrated extracts of Milk Thistle are available and often recommended by practitioners for therapeutic use (e.g., hepatitis) because the substance works well and is non-toxic in high concentrations. In Europe, an injectable form of silymarin (Legalon Sil ® from Madaus Pharma) is used to stop the dangerous degeneration of liver tissue in people who are suffering from Amanita mushroom poisoning; it is the only substance known that can help. In 2007, Legalon Sil ® was used for the first time in the U.S. to save the lives of several family members who had accidentally ingested these fatal mushrooms.(-Ganora)