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Article: Milk Thistle: Herbal Hero to the Liver.
- Article from:
- Environmental Nutrition
- Article date:
- April 1, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 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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Commonly called milk thistle because its white veins yield a milky sap, Silybum marianum is known also as St. Mary's thistle, Marian thistle and holy thistle, not to be confused with blessed thistle, an entirely different plant. Its fruits (not seeds) have been used for 2,000 years to treat liver ailments.
What It Might Do: In Germany, milk thistle is approved to treat chronic liver diseases (e.g., hepatitis, cirrhosis) and for toxic damage arising from alcohol, acetaminophen, other drugs and environmental pollutants. It's the only known antidote for deadly Amanita (death cap) mushroom poisoning.
How It Works: The herb's medicinal properties are ...