M
WAM); Gallstone (1; HHB; MAB; SKY); Gastrosis (f; APA); Hemoptysis (f; BIB); Hemorrhoid
(f; BIB; HHB; MAB; WOI); Hepatosis (2; KOM; PH2; SHT; WAM); Hepatitis A (1; BGB);
High Cholesterol (1; MAB); Hydrophobia (f; BIB); Hypotonia (f; HH3); Infection (f; HHB);
Inflammation (1; APA; BGB; MAB; WAM); Intoxication (1; FAD); Insulin Resistance (1;
SYN); Itch (1; MAB); Jaundice (2; BIB; HH3 MAB; PH2; PNC; WAM); Leukorrhea (f; BIB);
Malaria (f; BIB; HHB; PHR; PH2); Menopause (f; HHB); Metrorrhagia (f; HHB); Migraine
(f; HH3); Mushroom Poisoning (2; FAD; SHT); Nausea (1; MAB); Nephrosis (f; BGB); Obesity
(1; PNC); Oligolactea (f; APA); Peritonosis (f; BIB); Phlebitis (f; APA); Plague (f; BIB);
Pleurisy (f; BIB); Psoriasis (f; SKY); Pulmonosis (f; BIB); Sore (f; HHB); Splenosis (f; BGB;
BIB; HH3; PHR; PH2); Stone (f; WOI); Swelling (1; MAB); Syndrome-X (1; SYN); Tumor
(1; MAB); Ulcus cruris (f; HHB; HH3); Uterosis (f; BIB; PHR; PH2; WOI); Varicosis (f;
HHB; HH3); Virus (1; PNC).
Dosages (Milk Thistle) — 2–3 tsp fresh leaf (sic) (PED); 1–3 g dry leaf (sic) (PED); 1 g seed
(HHB); 3.5–15 g seed/day (HH3); 4–9 g seed/day (MAB); 1 tsp (3–5 g) mashed seed/cup water
3–4 ×/day, one-half hour before meals (APA; HH3); 12–15 g whole or powdered seed, an
equivalent to 200–400 mg silymarin, the collective name for silybinin, silydianin, and silychristin
(KOM; SHT); 4–9 ml fluid extract (1:1)/day (KOM); 1–2 (540 mg) capsules (StX with 175 mg
certified potency seed extract with at least 80% silymarin, synergistically combined in a base of
turmeric and artichoke) 3 ×/day with water (NH); 175 mg 80% silymarin StX (PED); 420 mg
silymarin/day (PNC); 200–400 mg silymarin (SHT); 200–600 mg silymarin/day for Syndrome
X (SYN).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Milk Thistle) — Class 1 (AHP). “Hazards
and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). None known (WAM).
Commission E reports no contraindications or drug interactions for the fruit. Occasional mild
laxative effects are reported (AEH). One observational study (n = >2000) reported ca. 1% side
effects, mostly transient GI distress (SHT). One Australian report, attributed to something other
than silybin in the milk thistle product, suggested abdominal cramping, diaphoresis, diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting, and weakness (PH2). Antagonizes phentolamine and yohimbine (PH2). “The
long term safety and the advisability of the use of these extracts in pregnant or women of potential
childbearing remain to be established” (LRNP, March 1988). “May be used by ... pregnant and
lactating women” (SKY).
Extracts (Milk Thistle) — Milk thistle regenerates injured liver cells (SKY). Silymarin at 100
mg/kg in rabbit diets is reported to induce P-450. Such data weakly suggest that milk thistle
might detoxify (or inactivate) drugs detoxified by P-450. Silymarin, the antihepatotoxic lignan,
is hypolipidemic, lowering fatty deposits in the livers of experimental animals, and has been
used successfully for Hepatitis B virus (PNC). Pretreatment with silymarin and silybin gives
100% protection against mushroom poisoning in experimental animals. Post treatment? When
silybin was given ivn to humans within 48 hours of ingesting death cap mushroom, it effectively
prevented fatalities (PNC). LD50 silybinin 1065 mg/kg ivn mouse (HH3), LDlo silymarin =
20,000 mg/kg orl mouse (MAB), LDlo silymarin = >1000 mg/kg orl dog (MAB), LDlo extracts
16,000 mg/kg orl mouse (HH3).
MILKWEED (Asclepias syriaca L.) +Activities (Milkweed) — Alterative (f; CRC); Analgesic (f; CRC); Antiedemic (f; CRC); Antitumor
(1; CRC; JLH); Cicatrizant (f; CRC); Contraceptive (f; CRC); Diaphoretic (f; CRC); Diuretic (f;
CRC); Emetic (f; CRC); Emmenagogue (f; CRC); Expectorant (f; CRC); Lactagogue (f; DEM);
Laxative (f; CRC; DEM); Nervine (f; CRC); Sterilant (f; CRC).