Milkthistle
Silybum marianum
Milk Thistle Seeds, whole plant Uses: Young eaves (with spines removed) eaten as a vegetable. Traditionally, tea made from whole plant used to improve appetite, allay indigestion, restore liver function. Used for cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, liver poisoning from chemicals or drug and alcohol abuse. Silymarin, a seed extract, dramatically improves liver regeneration in hepatitis, cirrhosis, mushroom poisoning and other liver diseases. German research suggests that silybin, a flavonoid component of the seed, is clinically useful in treating severe Amanita mushroom poisoning. While used clinically in Europe, its use in the U.S. is not well known. Research suggests seed extract-s may have therapeutic possibilities in liver cirrhosis. Commercial preparations of the seed extracts are manufactured in Europe.