Europe is not only the cradle of Western civilization but it is where milk thistle, a supposedly ornamental plant that has medicinal properties came from. The ancients and even today’s doctors make use of milk thistle to cure hemorrhoid. The medicinal plant is made into capsules, tea, emollients and ointments. Before it was discovered as having medicinal properties, the ornamental plant is known for its big shiny spiked leaves and a white-vein pattern that’s unique to the plant alone.
Its Latin name is silybum marianum (from the asteraceae family). Its common names are: milk thistle, blessed milk thistle, Marian Thistle, Mary Thistle, Saint Mary’s Thistle, Mediterranean Milk Thistle, Variegated Thistle and Scotch Thistle.
Using milk thistle to cure hemorrhoid has long been a practice by herb gatherers, shamans, and medicine men in ancient Europe. But aside from this disease, milk thistle is also known for alleviating liver problems because it contains a flavonoid called Silymarin. Silymarin is known for regenerating damaged liver cells. This chemical is also found in bitter melon, which ranks second in potency to milk thistle. Flavonoids, including Silymarin work wonders for the body like antioxidants: they flush out free radicals and toxins from the body.
Silymarin is primarily the reason why physicians use milk thistle to cure the hemorrhoidal disease. Piles or hemorrhoids are basically swollen varicosities that develop in the rectal and anal areas. Silymarin is known to reduce the swelling of varicosities and helps to shrink the condition until they heal. Aside from hemorrhoids, milk thistle is also a very popular choice treatment for liver disorders, chronic hepatitis, depression, and hormonal glitches that cause menstrual problems in women.
Pain management especially in cancer or pre-operative patients calls for psychotropic preparations such as fentanyl, morphine, and nubain. These drugs can cause massive liver damage, so Silymarin extracted from the milk thistle blossoms are used as adjunct to anesthetic therapy to lessen damage to the liver.
Milk thistle is also cocktailed to the antidote for death cap mushroom poisoning. The neurotoxin that the mushroom produces targets the liver and can cause massive damage to it. There’s nothing to worry about, silymarin comes to the rescue to promote regeneration of damaged liver cells.
Studies show that milk thistle can be used safely as an adjunct to oral steroid therapies utilized by body builders. Aside from liver regeneration, the Silymarin ingredient in the herb can help curb low-density cholesterol levels in athletes.
Now, if you’re more of a party pooper and you love booze, try some milk thistle tea in between buckets of beer to keep you hydrated and to lessen the tendency to have a hangover in the morning. Milk thistle extracts mixed with tea or fruit juice doesn’t have a bad taste to mask, it’s good as water so it’s safe to mix with your drink when you head out to the club to party the night away.
Milk thistle extracts also benefit those who undergo chemotherapy sessions, HIV patients and other people who are immunosuppressed. It helps the spleen to and the lymphatic system to ward off potential infection. For beauty buffs, you’ll be glad to know that milk thistle has more potent Silymarin as antioxidant than vitamin E. If you’re hypersensitive to vitamin E which is bad news if you’re a woman who wants glowing healthy skin, then try milk thistle extract to eliminate harmful free radicals for a more radiant glow.
These are just some of the many benefits of milk thistle. It’s a wonder herb, what more could you ask for?
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