Side Effects of milk thistle: A Synthesis of Findings from 6 Studies

  1. Home
  2. Side Effects of milk thistle
This information is not medical advice and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician.Data sources and disclaimers (data limitations, copyright, etc.)The analysis on "Side Effects of milk thistle: A Synthesis of Findings from 6 Studies" on this page is based on PubMed data provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). However, NLM does not endorse or verify these analyses.

This analysis is based on research papers included in PubMed, but medical research is constantly evolving and may not fully reflect the latest findings. There may also be biases towards certain research areas.

This information is not medical advice and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician. If you have concerns about "Side Effects of milk thistle: A Synthesis of Findings from 6 Studies", please consult your doctor.

For NLM copyright information, please see Link to NLM Copyright Page
PubMed data is obtained via Hugging Face Datasets: Link to DatasetPlease check the disclaimer.
This page's analysis is based on PubMed data provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
Original Abstract of the Article

Major Research Findings

Milk thistle has been used as a cytoprotectant for the treatment of liver disease, for the treatment and prevention of cancer, and as a supportive treatment of Amanita phalloides poisoning.

Milk thistle is often used for the treatment of chemotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity.

Milk thistle may decrease the levels of antiretrovirals, and should be avoided in patients taking these medications. 1

Milk thistle has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, and has been shown to protect against salinomycin-induced toxicity.

Milk thistle has potential applications in the treatment of various cancers, and may be used to reduce the side effects and increase the anticancer effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, especially in gastrointestinal cancers.

Milk thistle has been shown to protect against cadmium-induced toxicity in pregnant rats and their fetuses. 3

Reasons for Side Effects

Milk thistle is rich in silybin, a flavonolignan with biological activities such as hepatoprotection, anticancer effects, antioxidant activity, and membrane-stabilizing functions.

Milk thistle can modulate the immune system and may be beneficial in the treatment of immune-related diseases, but it may also cause inadvertent side effects.

Milk thistle can be affected by toxigenic micro-fungi and contaminated by mycotoxins with adverse effects.

Common Side Effects

Gastrointestinal

Milk thistle may cause side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort and allergic reactions.

Liver

Milk thistle may affect liver enzyme function and may cause liver side effects.

Bleeding

Milk thistle may increase bleeding time and may increase the risk of bleeding.

Side Effect Management

Gastrointestinal

If you experience gastrointestinal discomfort after taking milk thistle, reduce your dosage or consult your doctor.

Liver

If you have liver disease, consult your doctor before taking milk thistle.

Bleeding

If you are prone to bleeding, consult your doctor before taking milk thistle.

Comparison Between Studies

Common Points

Many studies have shown that milk thistle has hepatoprotective effects. 6 3

Many studies have shown that milk thistle has antioxidant effects. 6 2 3

Differences

Research findings on whether milk thistle is effective in treating cancer are inconsistent.

Research findings on whether milk thistle affects antiretroviral levels are inconsistent. 1

The finding that milk thistle protects against cadmium-induced toxicity in pregnant rats and their fetuses is based on a single study. 3

Points to Note for Practical Application

Milk thistle is used for the treatment and prevention of liver disease, and as a supportive treatment of cancer.

Consult your doctor before taking milk thistle.

Limitations of Current Research

There is still not enough research on milk thistle.

Further research is needed on the potential of milk thistle to affect antiretroviral levels. 1

The finding that milk thistle protects against cadmium-induced toxicity in pregnant rats and their fetuses is based on a single study. 3

Future Research Directions

More research on milk thistle is needed.

Research is needed to investigate whether milk thistle affects antiretroviral levels. 1

Research is needed to investigate whether milk thistle protects against cadmium-induced toxicity in pregnant rats and their fetuses. 3

Conclusion

Milk thistle has been shown to have many pharmacological effects, including hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects. 6

However, there is still not enough research on milk thistle.

Consult your doctor before taking milk thistle.

Literature analysis of 6 papers
Positive Content
5
Neutral Content
0
Negative Content
1
Article Type
1
1
1
2
6
1.

Dietary supplement interactions with antiretrovirals: a systematic review.

Author: JallohMohamed A, GregoryPhilip J, HeinDarren, Risoldi CochraneZara, RodriguezAleah

HIV treatment
Drug-supplement interactions

This systematic review investigated interactions between dietary supplements and antiretrovirals, identifying several supplements that can significantly affect antiretroviral levels.

Journal ArticleAn article published in an academic or professional journal that reports original research or scholarly analysis.
ReviewAn article that critically examines existing research on a particular topic and summarizes the current state of knowledge in the field.
Systematic ReviewA review that systematically collects, evaluates, and integrates relevant research to answer a specific research question.

Language : English

2.

Antioxidative effects of silymarin on the reduction of liver complications of fingolimod in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A clinical trial study.

Author: GhiasianMasoud, NafisiHamid, RanjbarAkram, MohammadiYounes, AtaeiSara

Reduce liver complications
Reduce oxidative stress

This study evaluated the effects of silymarin, an extract from milk thistle, on reducing liver complications and oxidative stress associated with fingolimod, a medication for multiple sclerosis. Silymarin significantly reduced liver enzyme levels, oxidative stress markers, and improved antioxidant capacity in patients with multiple sclerosis taking fingolimod.

Journal ArticleAn article published in an academic or professional journal that reports original research or scholarly analysis.
Randomized Controlled TrialA clinical trial that randomly assigns participants to treatment and control groups to evaluate the effects of an intervention.

Language : English

4.

Unwanted effects of psychotropic drug interactions with medicinal products and diet supplements containing plant extracts.

Author: WorońJarosław, SiwekMarcin

psychotropic drug safety
HP interactions

Herbal preparations (HP) are associated with a significant risk of interactions with psychotropic drugs.

Journal ArticleAn article published in an academic or professional journal that reports original research or scholarly analysis.

Language : English

5.

Effects and tolerance of silymarin (milk thistle) in chronic hepatitis C virus infection patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Author: YangZongguo, ZhuangLiping, LuYunfei, XuQingnian, ChenXiaorong

HCV treatment

Silymarin is well tolerated in chronic HCV-infected patients.

Journal ArticleAn article published in an academic or professional journal that reports original research or scholarly analysis.
Meta-AnalysisA statistical technique that integrates the results of multiple studies to draw more general conclusions about a particular issue.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tResearch funding provided by government agencies outside the United States.
ReviewAn article that critically examines existing research on a particular topic and summarizes the current state of knowledge in the field.

Language : English

6.

Silymarin alleviates bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity and lipid peroxidation in mice.

Author: Razavi-AzarkhiaviKamal, Ali-OmraniMehdi, SolgiReza, BagheriPezhman, Haji-NoormohammadiMehdi, AmaniNahid, SepandMohammad-Reza

Attenuated bleomycin toxicity

The study investigated the effect of silymarin on oxidative and inflammatory parameters in the lungs of mice exposed to bleomycin. The study found that silymarin attenuated bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity by keeping oxidant-antioxidant balance and regulating inflammatory mediator release.

Journal ArticleAn article published in an academic or professional journal that reports original research or scholarly analysis.

Language : English

This site uses cookies. Visit our privacy policy page or click the link in any footer for more information and to change your preferences.