Guest guest Posted January 5, 2003 Report Share Posted January 5, 2003 ---Hi Sharon, According to Michael T. Murray in his book " The Healing Power of Herbs " , one should take Milk Thistle based on its silymarin content (70-210 mgs), three times daily. Standardized extracts are preferred. However, he says the best results are achieved at high doses, that is, at least 140 mgs three times daily. Several clinical studies have shown phosphatidylcholine-bound silymarin to be the most effective. The dosage for silymarin bound to phosphatidycholine is 100 mgs to 200 mgs daily. Alcohol-based extracts are virtually always contraindicated due to the need to administer relatively high amounts of alcohol in order to obtain an adequate dose of silymarin. As silymarin possesses choleretic activity, it may produce a looser stool as a result of increased bile flow and secretion. If higher doses are used, it may be appropriate to use bile- sequestering fiber compounds (e.g. guar gum, pectin, psyllium, and oat bran) to prevent mucosal irritation and loose stool. Because of silymarin lack of toxicity, long-term use is feasible when necessary. It's interesting to note the following, also taken from Michael Murrays book: Perhaps the most impressive of silymarin's protective effects is against the severe posioning of amanita phalloides (the deathcap or toadstool mushroom) an effect that has long been recognized in folk medicines. Among the experimental models for measuring protection against liver damage, those based on amanitin or phalloidin toxicity are among the most important because these two peptides from amanita phalloides are the most powerful liver-damaging substances known! Ingestion of Amanita phalloides or its toxins causes severe poisoning and, in approximately thirty percent of its victims, death! Even if given 10 minutes afer the amanita toxin, it completely counteracted the toxic effects. I hope this answers some of your questions. If not, I'll look further. God Bless, JoAnn Guest mrsjoguest Friendsforhealthnaturally DietaryTipsForHBP http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html In Gettingwell , " shar2 " <shar2@s...> wrote: > How much Milk Thistle should one be taking does it say and in what form works best? > > sharon > - > califpacific <califpacific> > gettingwell > Thursday, January 02, 2003 6:31 AM > Fwd: Milk Thistle > > > FriendsForHealthNaturally , " JoAnn Guest > Fwd: [FWD: Milk Thistle for liver protection] > > > Is your liver under siege? > > Even a healthy person has to contend with daily assaults on the > liver like pollutants, pesticides and food preservatives, which the > organ is responsible for detoxifying. > > Unfortunately, conventional medicine offers little help in the > treatment or prevention of liver damage, outside of warnings to limit > alcohol consumption and to keep the immune system strong against > viruses. > > Added to that, widespread diseases such as hepatitis and > mononucleosis are notorious for their debilitating effects on the > liver. > > They can result in murky-sounding conditions like a " sluggish " or > " congested " liver, where a decrease in bile flow leads to overall > impairment of liver function. > And, considering the liver's role as the most important organ of > metabolism (responsible for the absorption of fat soluble > substances), even a minor impairment can wreak havoc on your system. > All that stress on our livers has created a demand for more > liver-boosting treatments. > > Liver Protection > > Naturopathic physicians wield a venerable weapon against liver damage > almost as old as time: milk thistle (Silybum Marianum) has been used > in traditional herbal medicine since the first century AD to protect > the liver. > > Clinical research in this century has confirmed its effectiveness and > safety; including more than 300 studies conducted since the late > 1960s, according to Steven Foster, author of 101 Medicinal herbs > (Interweave Press). > > Milk thistle seeds contain a bioflavonoid complex known as silymarin, > which possesses powerful antioxidant abilities. > Foster notes that standardized milk thistle seed preparations have > been shown to change the cell structure of the outer liver membrane, > which prevents toxic chemicals from entering the organ and stimulates > its capacity to generate new cells. > > Studies have shown milk thistle to be beneficial in the treatment of > liver ailments including cirrhosis, fatty liver, radiation toxicity > and viral hepatitis. (Altern Med Rev 3 (6), Dec. 1998: 410-21). > > Mother's Milk > > Named for the milky white juice the leaves exude when crushed, the > milk thistle plant is native to the Mediterranean and grow wild > throughout Europe, North America and Australia. Milk thistle's > technical name, > Marianum, derives from a legend that its leaf veins turned white > after being crushed by a drop of the Virgin Mary's breast milk. > Perhaps this is why many Europeans wet nurses used milk thistles in > their diets, believing that the cooked leaves increased lactation. > The healing properties of the plant's milky juice were first recorded > by the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, who noted that it was good > for " carrying off bile " . > By the 19th century, German doctors were using a tincture made from > milk thistle seeds to treat jaundice and other liver diseases. > > Fighting Free Radical Damage > > Milk thistle's ability to fight free radical damage is, in fact, many > times more potent than that of Vitamin E, according to Michael > Murray, ND, and Joseph Pizzorno, ND, authors of " Encyclopedia of > Natural Medicine " (Prima). > In addition to its antioxidant properties, milk thistle works in a > multitude of ways to fight liver damage. > > --·It prevents the depletion of glutathione (GSH), an amino acid > compound found in the liver which plays a vital role in > detoxification. > > --·It protects against liver harm by toxic chemicals such as carbon > tetrachloride and praseodymium nitrate. > > --·It inhibits the formation of live damaging leukotrienes, > inflammatory compounds produced when oxygen interacts with -- > polyunsaturated fatty acids. Milk thistle inhibits the enzyme > lipoxygenase, which catalyzes the formation of leukotrienes. > > --·It stimulates protein synthesis, which results in an increase in > the production of new liver cells to replace damaged old ones. > > Toxic Protection > > In addition to its well-documented healing properties for diseases, > milk thistle can actually help prevent liver damage when taken before > exposure to toxic chemicals (Min. Med. 72, 1985; 2679-88) > > Milk thistle is also useful for women who take hormones like > estrogen, > which can often contribute to a sluggishly performing liver. > So while no easy cure can solve liver disease, this strange- looking > herb does offer regenerative hope.~ > > Martin Wall, Botanical Services~ Energy Times (July, Aug. 1999) > > > > > JoAnn Guest > joguest@m... > Friendsforhealthnaturally > http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html > theaimcompanies > " Health is not a Medical Issue " > --- End forwarded message --- > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2003 Report Share Posted January 5, 2003 - " shar2 " <shar2 >How much Milk Thistle should one be taking does it say and in what form works best? I've heard that milk thistle is one of the herbs that is only effective when used as an extract made in alcohol. It needs the alcohol to draw the medicinal properties out of the seeds, otherwise they are not assimilated. Starris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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