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Silybum marianum - Milk thistle

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Milk thistle, Silybum marianum

Milk thistle is a genus of two species of thistles in the daisy family. The plants are native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. One species has been introduced elsewhere, including in North America.

Uses

Chronic hepatitis, Cirrhosis of the liver., Diabetes, Liver disorders, Skin eruptions, Blotches, Pimples, Diarrhea, Sore throats

Parts Used

Young stalks, Leaves, Roots, Flowers.

Chemical Composition

Silymarin, a flavonoid complex that can be extracted from the seeds of milk thistle, is composed of three isomers7. Silymarin is typically extracted with 95% ethanol, yielding a bright yellow fluid, although one of the most studied and used milk thistle products, Legalon® (Madeus, Germany), is prepared via extraction with ethyl acetate[1]

Common names

Language Common name
Kannada
Hindi
Malayalam
Tamil
Telugu
Marathi NA
Gujarathi NA
Punjabi NA
Kashmiri NA
Sanskrit
English Milk thistle


Properties

Reference: Dravya - Substance, Rasa - Taste, Guna - Qualities, Veerya - Potency, Vipaka - Post-digesion effect, Karma - Pharmacological activity, Prabhava - Therepeutics.

Dravya

Rasa

Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Tikshna (Sharp)

Veerya

Ushna (Hot)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Kapha, Vata

Prabhava

Habit

Biennial plant

Identification

Leaf

Kind Shape Feature
Simple The leaves of the milk thistle are oblong to lanceolate in shape

[2]

Flower

Type Size Color and composition Stamen More information
Unisexual 4 and 12 cm Yellow 5-20 Milk thistle flower heads average between 4 and 12 cm. long and wide, and are light purple in colour

Fruit

Type Size Mass Appearance Seeds More information
General 7–10 mm clearly grooved lengthwise, Lowest hooked hairs aligned towards crown - - {{{6}}}

Other features

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

Where to get the saplings

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.) is the most researched plant for the treatment of liver disease. Its therapeutic properties are due to the presence of silymarin, a mixture of three flavonolignans (silybin, silydianin and silycristin).[3]

Commonly seen growing in areas

Mediterranean regions, Meadows, Borders of forests.

Photo Gallery

References

External Links