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Click on a letter to see pictures and individual herb information with folklore usages. A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I-K - L - M - N-O - P - Q-R - S - T - U-V - W-Y Some herbs are known to react with your medication. Please consult your physician before starting on any herb.
Holy Thistle, Milk Thistle Carduus marianum, Carduus Silybum
---Synonyms---Milk Thistle, Holy Thistle Parts Used: Seeds Active Compounds: Flavolignans; the mixture of these is known as silymarin and composed mainly of silybin (=silibinin), with isosilybin, dihydrosilybin, silydianin, silychristin, and in some varieties at least, silandrin, silymonin, silyhermin and neosilyhermin.
---Medicinal Action and Uses--- Hepatic, galactogogue,
demulcent, cholagogue. A number of chemical components of herb are now being shown to have this protective effect on liver cells. They are all flavones and flavo-lignins, the best studied being silymarin. Silymarin has been shown to reverse the effects of highly toxic alkaloids, such phalloidine and a-amanitine from the Avenging Angel mushroom (Amanita phalloides) as well as protect liver cells from their impact. The pharmacodynamics, site and mechanism of action of silymarin are becoming well understood, providing insights into the metabolic basis of this herbs activity., an activity long known and used by medical herbalists. As its name implies, it promotes milk secretion and is perfectly safe to be used by all breast feeding mothers.
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