Milk thistle
Silybum marianumIts use in mushroom poisoning is a rare case of a plant compound entering modern emergency medicine.
What is Milk thistle?
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a plant of the Asteraceae family. Traditions that use it: Anatolia and the Mediterranean. Part used: seeds (fruit).
What is Milk thistle used for?
Traditional use: In folk use the seed is ground and eaten for the liver and jaundice; the young leaf stalks are peeled and eaten. Scientific evidence: limited. Silymarin from the seed has been studied a lot for the liver; the EMA recognises it for mild indigestion as a traditional use.
Is Milk thistle safe?
Safety label: generally safe. Generally safe; can cause diarrhoea and stomach complaints. Can cause allergy in people allergic to the daisy family. People with liver disease should ask a doctor before changing treatment.
Traditional use
In folk use the seed is ground and eaten for the liver and jaundice; the young leaf stalks are peeled and eaten.
In the Middle Ages the white veins on its leaves were believed to come from the Virgin Mary’s milk; its name comes from this.
In nature
Mix-up risk
In Türkiye, “deve dikeni” is used for many thistles. Silybum is recognised by the bold white veins on its leaves.
Preparation
Seeds are ground and eaten or taken as standardised silymarin extract; tea extracts little of the active compound.
What science says
Silymarin from the seed has been studied a lot for the liver; the EMA recognises it for mild indigestion as a traditional use. Controlled trials in liver disease give inconsistent results. Purified silibinin is given intravenously in European hospitals for deadly mushroom poisoning.
Safety
Generally safe; can cause diarrhoea and stomach complaints. Can cause allergy in people allergic to the daisy family. People with liver disease should ask a doctor before changing treatment.
Similar plants
Sources
- EMA monographSilybi mariani fructus: European Medicines Agency herbal assessment
- NCCIHUS National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: use and safety summary
- BookBaytop T. Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün. 2. baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 1999.
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Silybum marianum
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe