Main Article Content
Abstract
Herbs have been used from ancient times as they are the major source of traditional medicine which are safer than synthetic medicines. Silybum marianum is one of the plants from the Asteraceae family that are usually referred to as milk thistle. The local names for S. marianum in India include Doodh patra (Hindi), Ratrinta (Telugu). It is indigenous to Southern Europe, Anatolia, Southern Russia, and Northern Africa. Up to now, more than 20 types of flavonolignan components have been isolated from Silybum marianum. The primary active ingredient in plant seeds is silymarin, which is the most widely used herbal supplement in the US and may be found in extracts, powders, and capsules. Taxifolin with a number of flavonolignans, including silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silychristin, isosilychristin, and silydianin, combine to form silymarin which have been extensively studied because they have a variety of pharmacological properties including Anti-inflammatory, Anti-cancer, Antioxidant, and Hepatoprotective effects. Additionally, the plant is used to treat uterine diseases and acts as a galactagogue, which is an agent that causes milk secretion. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the plant’s botany, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and therapeutic uses.
Keywords
Article Details
References
- 1. Corchete P. Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn: the source of silymarin. In Bioactive molecules and medicinal plants. Berlin, Heidelberg: springer berlin Heidelberg; 2008 Oct 16 (pp. 123-148).
- 2. Sidhu MC, Saini P, Sidhu C, Saini P. Silybum marianum: a plant of high medicinal importance-a review. World J Pharm Res. 2012 Mar 10;1(2):72-86.
- 3. Cwalina-Ambroziak B, Wierzbowska J, Damsel M, Bowszys T. The effect of mineral fertilization on achenes yields and fungal communities isolated from the stems of milk thistle Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner. Acta Scientia rum Polonorum. Hortorum Cultus. 2012;11(4):157-68.
- 4. Das SK, Mukherjee S, Vasudevan DM. Medicinal properties of milk thistle with special reference to silymarin: An overview. Natural product radiance. 2008 Jan 1;7(2):182-92.
- 5. Bhattacharya S. Phytotherapeutic properties of milk thistle seeds: An overview. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and Research. 2011;1(1-2011):69-79.
- 6. Karkanis A, Bilalis D, Efthimiadou A. Cultivation of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.), a medicinal weed. Industrial Crops and Products. 2011 Jul 1;34(1):825-30.
- 7. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics. John Wiley&sond.1996, pp:366-368.
- 8. Elateeq AA, Sun Y, Nxumalo W, Gabr AM. Biotechnological production of silymarin in Silybum marianum L.: A review. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. 2020 Oct 1; 29:101775.
- 9. Won DH, Kim LH, Jang B, Yang IH, Kwon HJ, Jin B, Oh SH, Kang JH, Hong SD, Shin JA, Cho SD. In vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activity of silymarin on oral cancer. Tumor Biology. 2018 May;40(5):1010428318776170.
- 10. Emadi SA, Rahbardar MG, Mehri S, Hosseinzadeh H. A review of therapeutic potentials of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) and its main constituent, silymarin, on cancer, and their related patents. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences. 2022 Oct;25(10):1166.
- 11. Marceddu R, Dinolfo L, Carrubba A, Sarno M, Di Miceli G. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) as a novel multipurpose crop for agriculture in marginal environments: A review. Agronomy. 2022 Mar 17;12(3):729.
- 12. Pickova D, Ostry V, Toman J, Malir F. Presence of mycotoxins in milk thistle (Silybum marianum) food supplements: A review. Toxins. 2020 Dec 8;12(12):782.
- 13. Bijak M. Silybin, a major bioactive component of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaernt.)-Chemistry, bioavailability, and metabolism. Molecules. 2017 Nov 10;22(11):1942.
- 14. Montemurro P, Fracchiolla M, Lonigro A. Effects of some environmental factors on seed germination and spreading potentials of Silybum marianum Gaertner. Italian Journal of Agronomy. 2007 Sep 30;2(3):315-20.
- 15. Carrier DJ, Crowe T, Sokhansanj S, Wahab J, Barl B. Milk thistle, Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., flower head development and associated marker compound profile. Journal of herbs, spices & medicinal plants. 2003 Jan 6;10(1):65-74.
- 16. Abenavoli L, Capasso R, Milic N, Capasso F. Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future. Phytotherapy research. 2010 Oct;24(10):1423-32.
- 17. Bijak M, Szelenberger R, Saluk J, Nowak P. Flavonolignans inhibit ADP induced blood platelets activation and aggregation in whole blood. International journal of biological macromolecules. 2017 Feb 1; 95:682-8.
- 18. García-Herrera P, Sánchez-Mata MC, Cámara M, Fernández-Ruiz V, Díez-Marqués C, Molina M, Tardío J. Nutrient composition of six wild edible Mediterranean Asteraceae plants of dietary interest. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2014 Jun 1;34(2):163-70.
- 19. Davis-Searles PR, Nakanishi Y, Kim NC, Graf TN, Oberlies NH, Wani MC, Wall ME, Agarwal R, Kroll DJ. Milk thistle and prostate cancer: differential effects of pure flavonolignans from Silybum marianum on antiproliferative end points in human prostate carcinoma cells. Cancer research. 2005 May 15;65(10):4448-57.
- 20. Bhattacharya S. Phytotherapeutic properties of milk thistle seeds: An overview. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and Research. 2011;1(1-2011):69-79.
- 21. Kshirsagar A, Ingawale D, Ashok P, Vyawahare N. Silymarin: A comprehensive review. Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2009;3(5):126.
- 22. Ferenci P, Dragosics B, Dittrich H, Frank H, Benda L, Lochs H, Meryn S, Base W, Schneider B. Randomized controlled trial of silymarin treatment in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Journal of hepatology. 1989 Jul 1;9(1):105-13.
- 23. Agarwal R, Katiyar SK, Lundgren DW, Mukhtar H. Inhibitory effect of silymarin, an anti-hepatotoxic flavonoid, on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and mRNA in SENCAR mice. Carcinogenesis. 1994 Jun 1;15(6):1099-103.
- 24. Ramasamy K, Agarwal R. Multitargeted therapy of cancer by silymarin. Cancer letters. 2008 Oct 8;269(2):352-62.
- 25. Tyagi A, Agarwal C, Harrison G, Glode LM, Agarwal R. Silibinin causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human bladder transitional cell carcinoma cells by regulating CDKI–CDK–cyclin cascade, and caspase 3 and PARP cleavages. Carcinogenesis. 2004 Sep 1;25(9):1711-20.
- 26. Ramakrishnan G, Augustine TA, Jagan S, Vinodhkumar R, Devaki T. Effect of silymarin on N-nitrosodiethylamine induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Experimental oncology. 2007.
- 27. Kiruthiga PV, Shafreen RB, Pandian SK, Devi KP. Silymarin protection against major reactive oxygen species released by environmental toxins: exogenous H2O2 exposure in erythrocytes. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology. 2007 Jun;100(6):414-9.
- 28. Scott Luper ND. A review of plants used in the treatment of liver disease: part 1. Alternative medicine review. 1998;3(6):410-21.
- 29. Škottová N, Večeřa R, Urbánek K, Váňa P, Walterová D, Cvak L. Effects of polyphenolic fraction of silymarin on lipoprotein profile in rats fed cholesterol-rich diets. Pharmacological research. 2003 Jan 1;47(1):17-26.
- 30. Sobolová L, Škottová N, Večeřa R, Urbánek K. Effect of silymarin and its polyphenolic fraction on cholesterol absorption in rats. Pharmacological research. 2006 Feb 1;53(2):104-12.
- 31. Heo E, Kim DK, Oh SH, Lee JK, Park JH, Chung HS. Effect of prophylactic use of silymarin on anti-tuberculosis drugs induced hepatotoxicity. Tuberculosis and respiratory diseases. 2017 Jul 3;80(3):265-9.
- 32. Hughes C, Hydrie MZ, Vohra S. Interactions between antiretrovirals and natural health products. In Health of HIV Infected People 2015 Jan 1 (pp. 255-273). Academic Press.
References
1. Corchete P. Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn: the source of silymarin. In Bioactive molecules and medicinal plants. Berlin, Heidelberg: springer berlin Heidelberg; 2008 Oct 16 (pp. 123-148).
2. Sidhu MC, Saini P, Sidhu C, Saini P. Silybum marianum: a plant of high medicinal importance-a review. World J Pharm Res. 2012 Mar 10;1(2):72-86.
3. Cwalina-Ambroziak B, Wierzbowska J, Damsel M, Bowszys T. The effect of mineral fertilization on achenes yields and fungal communities isolated from the stems of milk thistle Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner. Acta Scientia rum Polonorum. Hortorum Cultus. 2012;11(4):157-68.
4. Das SK, Mukherjee S, Vasudevan DM. Medicinal properties of milk thistle with special reference to silymarin: An overview. Natural product radiance. 2008 Jan 1;7(2):182-92.
5. Bhattacharya S. Phytotherapeutic properties of milk thistle seeds: An overview. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and Research. 2011;1(1-2011):69-79.
6. Karkanis A, Bilalis D, Efthimiadou A. Cultivation of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.), a medicinal weed. Industrial Crops and Products. 2011 Jul 1;34(1):825-30.
7. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics. John Wiley&sond.1996, pp:366-368.
8. Elateeq AA, Sun Y, Nxumalo W, Gabr AM. Biotechnological production of silymarin in Silybum marianum L.: A review. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. 2020 Oct 1; 29:101775.
9. Won DH, Kim LH, Jang B, Yang IH, Kwon HJ, Jin B, Oh SH, Kang JH, Hong SD, Shin JA, Cho SD. In vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activity of silymarin on oral cancer. Tumor Biology. 2018 May;40(5):1010428318776170.
10. Emadi SA, Rahbardar MG, Mehri S, Hosseinzadeh H. A review of therapeutic potentials of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) and its main constituent, silymarin, on cancer, and their related patents. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences. 2022 Oct;25(10):1166.
11. Marceddu R, Dinolfo L, Carrubba A, Sarno M, Di Miceli G. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) as a novel multipurpose crop for agriculture in marginal environments: A review. Agronomy. 2022 Mar 17;12(3):729.
12. Pickova D, Ostry V, Toman J, Malir F. Presence of mycotoxins in milk thistle (Silybum marianum) food supplements: A review. Toxins. 2020 Dec 8;12(12):782.
13. Bijak M. Silybin, a major bioactive component of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaernt.)-Chemistry, bioavailability, and metabolism. Molecules. 2017 Nov 10;22(11):1942.
14. Montemurro P, Fracchiolla M, Lonigro A. Effects of some environmental factors on seed germination and spreading potentials of Silybum marianum Gaertner. Italian Journal of Agronomy. 2007 Sep 30;2(3):315-20.
15. Carrier DJ, Crowe T, Sokhansanj S, Wahab J, Barl B. Milk thistle, Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., flower head development and associated marker compound profile. Journal of herbs, spices & medicinal plants. 2003 Jan 6;10(1):65-74.
16. Abenavoli L, Capasso R, Milic N, Capasso F. Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future. Phytotherapy research. 2010 Oct;24(10):1423-32.
17. Bijak M, Szelenberger R, Saluk J, Nowak P. Flavonolignans inhibit ADP induced blood platelets activation and aggregation in whole blood. International journal of biological macromolecules. 2017 Feb 1; 95:682-8.
18. García-Herrera P, Sánchez-Mata MC, Cámara M, Fernández-Ruiz V, Díez-Marqués C, Molina M, Tardío J. Nutrient composition of six wild edible Mediterranean Asteraceae plants of dietary interest. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2014 Jun 1;34(2):163-70.
19. Davis-Searles PR, Nakanishi Y, Kim NC, Graf TN, Oberlies NH, Wani MC, Wall ME, Agarwal R, Kroll DJ. Milk thistle and prostate cancer: differential effects of pure flavonolignans from Silybum marianum on antiproliferative end points in human prostate carcinoma cells. Cancer research. 2005 May 15;65(10):4448-57.
20. Bhattacharya S. Phytotherapeutic properties of milk thistle seeds: An overview. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and Research. 2011;1(1-2011):69-79.
21. Kshirsagar A, Ingawale D, Ashok P, Vyawahare N. Silymarin: A comprehensive review. Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2009;3(5):126.
22. Ferenci P, Dragosics B, Dittrich H, Frank H, Benda L, Lochs H, Meryn S, Base W, Schneider B. Randomized controlled trial of silymarin treatment in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Journal of hepatology. 1989 Jul 1;9(1):105-13.
23. Agarwal R, Katiyar SK, Lundgren DW, Mukhtar H. Inhibitory effect of silymarin, an anti-hepatotoxic flavonoid, on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and mRNA in SENCAR mice. Carcinogenesis. 1994 Jun 1;15(6):1099-103.
24. Ramasamy K, Agarwal R. Multitargeted therapy of cancer by silymarin. Cancer letters. 2008 Oct 8;269(2):352-62.
25. Tyagi A, Agarwal C, Harrison G, Glode LM, Agarwal R. Silibinin causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human bladder transitional cell carcinoma cells by regulating CDKI–CDK–cyclin cascade, and caspase 3 and PARP cleavages. Carcinogenesis. 2004 Sep 1;25(9):1711-20.
26. Ramakrishnan G, Augustine TA, Jagan S, Vinodhkumar R, Devaki T. Effect of silymarin on N-nitrosodiethylamine induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Experimental oncology. 2007.
27. Kiruthiga PV, Shafreen RB, Pandian SK, Devi KP. Silymarin protection against major reactive oxygen species released by environmental toxins: exogenous H2O2 exposure in erythrocytes. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology. 2007 Jun;100(6):414-9.
28. Scott Luper ND. A review of plants used in the treatment of liver disease: part 1. Alternative medicine review. 1998;3(6):410-21.
29. Škottová N, Večeřa R, Urbánek K, Váňa P, Walterová D, Cvak L. Effects of polyphenolic fraction of silymarin on lipoprotein profile in rats fed cholesterol-rich diets. Pharmacological research. 2003 Jan 1;47(1):17-26.
30. Sobolová L, Škottová N, Večeřa R, Urbánek K. Effect of silymarin and its polyphenolic fraction on cholesterol absorption in rats. Pharmacological research. 2006 Feb 1;53(2):104-12.
31. Heo E, Kim DK, Oh SH, Lee JK, Park JH, Chung HS. Effect of prophylactic use of silymarin on anti-tuberculosis drugs induced hepatotoxicity. Tuberculosis and respiratory diseases. 2017 Jul 3;80(3):265-9.
32. Hughes C, Hydrie MZ, Vohra S. Interactions between antiretrovirals and natural health products. In Health of HIV Infected People 2015 Jan 1 (pp. 255-273). Academic Press.