Milk thistle Fruits
FAMILY:
Asteraceae
PLACE OF ORIGIN:
Eastern Europe
NATURE OF THE PLANT:
Cultivated
DESCRIPTION:
These are dark and obovate achenes and compressed by papules of toothed bristles.
MAIN COMPONENTS:
silymarin and isomers (silybin-silidianin-silycrysine) up to 3% (for the Italian Pharmacopoeia IX it must contain at least 1%), essential oil, tyramine, histamime. From 16 to 28% fatty oil with high content of unsaturated fatty acids; mucilage, bitter resin acids, catechetical tannins - Vitamin C. E. K., organic acids; flavonoids (quercetin, taxifolin, deidrokampferol).
DIRECTIONS:
Antihepatotoxic, hepatoprotective action, antioxidant action, weakly spasmolytic. Due to the characteristics of bitter-tonic-choleretic, it was recommended to use it in the forms of gastric atonias. In the twenties the plant was studied as a vascular tonic capable of increasing blood pressure. The seeds are indicated to counteract cirrhosis and hepatic steatosis, acute and chronic hepatitis, arterial hypotension and hemorrhagic syndromes (nosebleeds, less. Metrorrhagia, bleeding hemorrhoids: the action of silymarin belongs to the chemical family of 2-phenylchromamanones and derives from the condensation of taxifolin with coniferyl alcohol. Silymarin consists of three stereoisomers, three flavolignans: Silybin, Silidianin and Silicristine. Silymarin after intestinal absorption, is eliminated in a small part by the renal emuntorium, while for the most part is concentrated in the liver cells and excreted through the bile in the intestine from which it is reabsorbed - enterohepatic delivery). The fruits are recognized a hepatoprotective activity and a regenerating action at the level of the hepatocyte. In fact, it seems that it significantly accelerates the regeneration process of the hepatic parenchyma as the synthesis of RNA by stimulation of RNA polymerase activity is increased. The antioxidant properties of silymarin have also suggested its use in some dermatological therapies and in the cosmetological field to counteract erythema, burns, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
INFUSION PREPARATION:
a teaspoon of fruits also shredded, infused in boiling water for 10-15 minutes; 3-4 cups a day, 1/2 before meals.