Fact Sheet Number 735
- WHAT IS SILYMARIN?
- WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SILYMARIN?
- WHY DO PEOPLE WITH HIV USE SILYMARIN?
- HOW IS SILYMARIN USED?
- WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
- HOW DOES IT INTERACT WITH OTHER THERAPIES?
- HOW DO WE KNOW IT WORKS?
- THE BOTTOM LINE
|
this Fact Sheet on a single page using: |
|
|
|
|
|
More information on Downloading & Printing Fact Sheets |
|
PrintSilymarin refers to the extract from the seeds of the plant Silybum
marianum, also called “milk thistle”. It has been
used for over 2,000 years. During the Middle Ages the seed of
the milk thistle was commonly used to treat liver diseases.
The active ingredients of milk thistle are chemicals called
flavonoids. The flavonoids in milk thistle are silybin, silydianin,
and silychristin. Together, they are called silymarin.
OF SILYMARIN?
Silymarin protects the liver by acting as an antioxidant and by
promoting the growth of new liver cells. Silymarin also helps
with the digestion of fats. It appears to help keep harmful substances
out of liver cells.
Milk thistle can help prevent or reverse liver damage caused
by alcohol, recreational drugs, pesticides, some poisons, or hepatitis.
Silymarin has been used (especially in Europe) to treat hepatitis,
liver damage due to alcoholism, and poisoning by certain types
of mushrooms.
There is no evidence that silymarin acts directly against HIV.
WITH HIV USE SILYMARIN?
Some medicines used to fight HIV can damage the liver. People
who have had hepatitis are more likely to have liver problems
when they take anti-HIV drugs. Milk thistle might help prevent
liver damage.
Several anti-HIV drugs can cause stomach problems, and silymarin
can help treat indigestion.
USED?
Silymarin is an extract of the seeds of the milk thistle plant.
A standardized extract should be 80% silymarin (the active ingredient).
The usual dosage of milk thistle extract is between 300 milligrams
(mg) and 600 mg daily.
EFFECTS?
There are no documented side effects of milk thistle. Even very
high doses do not seem to have any negative effects. However,
some people get an upset stomach or have more gas when they start
using silymarin. If this happens, cut back on your dosage and
then increase it slowly.
WITH OTHER THERAPIES?
There are no documented interactions of milk thistle with other
therapies.
IT WORKS?
Milk thistle has been used for over 2,000 years, so a lot has
been written about its health effects. There have been over 300
scientific studies of silymarin that document:
- Antioxidant effects
- Treatment of cirrhosis of the liver caused by alcoholism
- Treatment of chronic hepatitis
- Treatment of poisoning due to eating wild mushrooms
- Helping the liver repair itself
Most of the scientific studies of silymarin were published
in Europe.
Silymarin is an extract of the seeds of the milk thistle plant.
It has been used for over 2,000 years to treat liver problems.
No side effects or dangerous interactions have been noted.
For people with HIV, especially if they have had hepatitis,
silymarin might help protect the liver from damage caused by antiviral
medications. It might also reduce stomach upset caused by medications.
Note: This Fact Sheet is based on the work of Direct AIDS
Alternative Information Resources (DAAIR). For more details, contact
DAAIR at 1-888-951-5433 or http://www.daair.org.
Reviewed April 30, 2002
Goto InfoNet Main Page
Go toIndex of Fact Sheets
Clickhere if you have questions
New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center
and the New Mexico Department of Health