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Article: Milk thistle.(ALTERNATIVE MEDS UPDATE)
- Article from:
- Clinical Advisor
- Article date:
- June 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Haymarket Media, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), also known as "Mary thistle" or "holy thistle," is a flowering herb indigenous to the Mediterranean region as well as parts of North and South America, Europe, and Australia. In addition to its popularity as an ornamental plant, historical evidence of its use as a remedy for a variety of ailments--particularly liver problems--extends back thousands of years. (1)
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Background
The use of milk thistle in the United States has exploded recently, firmly establishing it among the top 10 herbal supplements sold. (2) As a member of the daisy and thistle families, it is a pollen-bearing herb. (3) ...