Milk thistle flavonoids in the treatment of liver diseases

How to take milk thistle powder correctly

Powder is flour that is obtained after grinding the seeds of a plant. In medicine it is called meal. When purchasing ready-made meal at the pharmacy, packaged in a box or bag, make sure that the product was received recently by assessing the date of manufacture. Also, make sure that the packaging protects the contents from light. Exposure to sunlight has a detrimental effect on the beneficial substances of the powder, depriving it of its healing power.

For liver diseases, the daily dose is calculated based on one’s own weight: the patient needs 1 g of powder per 1 kg of weight. The resulting value is divided into 5 equal parts - 5 meals. You can consume the powder with water at intervals of 4-5 hours.

You can prepare the powder yourself by purchasing plant seeds. You can grind them in a coffee grinder, blender or using a mortar.

Release form and composition

The following dosage forms of Milk Thistle are produced:

• Tablets (60 or 90 pieces in polymer jars; 10, 15 or 20 pieces in blister packs, 3 or 10 packs in a cardboard pack);
• Capsules with milk thistle extract (30, 60 or 90 pieces in polymer jars);
• Powder for oral administration (in polypropylene bags);
• Oil for oral administration (50 ml bottles).

1 capsule contains the active ingredient: milk thistle extract – 0.3 g.

1 tablet contains:

• Active ingredient: dry milk thistle extract – 0.065 or 0.5 g;
• Auxiliary components: calcium stearate, talc, microcrystalline cellulose.

The powder contains the active ingredient silibinin (milk thistle fruit extract).

The oil for oral administration contains the following active ingredients:

• Fats – 10.9% (including fatty acids: palmitic – 12.36%, stearic – 4.45%, oleic – 23.4%, linoleic – 55.6%, linolenic – 3.0%);
• Protein – 17.4%;
• Essential oils – about 1%;
• Minerals;
• Carotenoids;
• Mono- and disaccharides;
• Tocopherols;
• Enzymes;
• Biogenic amines.

How to take milk thistle meal to cleanse the liver

As a cleanser I use a decoction made from fresh meal. To increase the beneficial properties of the drug, you need to prepare the powder yourself, rather than buying ready-made ones.

Having crushed 30 g of seeds, they need to be filled with three glasses of water and put on fire to boil. The mixture should be cooked for a long time until half of the liquid has boiled away. After which the broth must be filtered, clearing it of sediment. Take 1 tablespoon orally every hour before meals. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks. After which it is recommended to take tests for liver enzymes to assess the result of treatment. If necessary, you can take a break of 2 weeks, after which the course is repeated.

Contraindications and negative reactions

A contraindication for taking milk thistle oil is individual intolerance. But in practice this fact is rare. That is why it is generally accepted that there are no prohibitions on taking a natural product as a dietary supplement.

Milk thistle oil should be used with caution during pregnancy and lactation. This is due to the rich composition of the natural product. During critical periods, a woman should take a dietary supplement only after consulting a doctor. In particular, it can often be prescribed to prevent toxicosis during late pregnancy.

Due to the good tolerance of milk thistle oil, negative reactions due to its use are rarely observed. Sometimes hypersensitivity may cause allergic skin reactions. They manifest themselves as a rash with or without itching, redness and irritation of local areas of the skin.

Rarely, unpleasant disruptions in the digestive system may occur. They are associated with nausea with a gag reflex, abdominal pain, and excessive accumulation of gases in the intestines. Such symptoms are usually accompanied by headaches of varying intensity and localization.

Overdose has not been confirmed in practice. But theoretically, after taking a large number of capsules, the intensity of negative side effects may increase.

Contraindications

Herbal origin does not mean that the drug is completely safe when taken endlessly without control. The seeds contain a large amount of phosphorus, which can negatively affect the function of the heart valve. Therefore, in case of any chronic disorders of the cardiovascular system or an acute period of the disease, you should consult a specialist.

In addition, self-medication with milk thistle is contraindicated in people with:

• individual intolerance to drugs;
• exacerbation of pancreatitis;
• epilepsy;
• shortness of breath.

Peculiarities

Milk thistle oil is a unique natural product in its composition. It has a huge range of healing properties. In addition, it is important that the product has a minimum number of contraindications. Milk thistle oil is most often used as a hepaprotective agent. In addition, it strengthens the body’s defenses against various external negative factors.

Milk thistle oil has a yellowish-green hue. The natural product has a pleasant taste and smell. The benefits of milk thistle oil are associated with its rich composition. The product contains flavonoids of the silymarin group. These substances have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver, promoting the renewal and restoration of its cells. Silymarin reduces the risk of liver damage from toxic substances.

In addition, milk thistle oil contains all existing fat-soluble vitamins. This:

• Vitamin D, which promotes the absorption of phosphorus and calcium, and also strengthens the immune system.
• Vitamin K, which regulates blood clotting.
• Tocopherols that protect the body from the action of free radicals and support the proper functioning of the reproductive and cardiovascular systems.
• Carotenoids that ensure growth, support vision function and normalize metabolism.

The important components of milk thistle oil are:

• B vitamins. They are involved in many processes in the human body, in particular they contribute to the synthesis of hemoglobin. In addition, these substances normalize the functioning of the nervous system.
• Unsaturated fatty acids. These substances prevent the development of strokes and heart attacks and minimize the risks of atherosclerosis.

Milk thistle oil contains compounds of minerals important for the body, in particular zinc, selenium, magnesium, etc. They are important for the correct functioning of various processes, and maintain internal organs and systems in good condition.

How much does milk thistle cost?

The cost of the drug directly depends on the name of the manufacturer and the dosage form.

Domestic producers selling seeds in plastic bags ask for no more than 50 rubles per package. Foreign companies for the same seeds can charge a price that is one and a half to two times higher than the cost of the Russian equivalent.

Ready meal (powder), prepared by grinding seeds, costs about 115 rubles per 100 g of product.

And milk thistle oil can be bought at a cost of 80 rubles per 100 ml, or 450 rubles per 50 ml - depending on the name of the manufacturer’s brand.

Recommendations

The recommended dosage involves taking capsules three times a day. One-time quantity – 4 capsules. Taking milk thistle oil must be discussed with your doctor. The duration of the course is no longer than 2 months. After a break, you are allowed to repeat taking milk thistle oil capsules. However, it is not recommended to use the dietary supplement more than 3 times a year. If there is no positive effect when taking the product during the first weeks, then you should discard it.

Milk thistle oil should be stored at a temperature not exceeding 18°C ​​in a dry place. It is important to exclude children from accessing dietary supplements. The shelf life of the natural product is 2 years. It is strictly prohibited to take expired medication.

Indications for use

• Diseases of the biliary tract: cholelithiasis, dyskinesia, cholangitis, cholecystitis;
• Gallbladder diseases;
• Liver cirrhosis (as part of complex treatment);
• Chronic hepatitis;
• Toxic liver damage of various origins: heavy metal compounds, halogen-containing hydrocarbons, alcohol, drugs (for prevention and therapy);
• Conditions after infectious and toxic hepatitis;
• Dystrophy and fatty infiltration of the liver;
• Lipid metabolism disorders.

Additionally for oil:

• Dysbacteriosis;
• Haemorrhoids;
• Phlebeurysm;
• Disturbances of metabolic and reparative processes in the body;
• Atherosclerosis.

Best before date

24 months

Vitamins with similar effects

• Betulanorm (Capsule)
• For the genitourinary system Life formula (Capsule)
• Coffeeberry (Capsule)
• Sana-Sol - Vitamin C (Oral tablets)
• Pancreavit (Capsule)
• St. John's wort (Oral tablets)

Description of the vitamin Biokor milk thistle tablets is intended for informational purposes only. Before starting to use any drug, it is recommended to consult a doctor and read the instructions for use. For more complete information, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions. Do not self-medicate; EUROLAB is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of information posted on the portal. Any information on the project does not replace consultation with a specialist and cannot be a guarantee of the positive effect of the drug you use. The opinions of EUROLAB portal users may not coincide with the opinions of the site Administration.

Are you interested in vitamin Milk thistle tablets “Biocor”? Do you want to know more detailed information or do you need a doctor's examination? Or do you need an inspection? You can make an appointment with a doctor - the Euro lab is always at your service! The best doctors will examine you, advise you, provide the necessary assistance and make a diagnosis. You can also call a doctor at home . Euro lab clinic is open for you around the clock.

Attention! The information presented in the vitamins and dietary supplements section is intended for informational purposes and should not be a basis for self-medication. Some of the drugs have a number of contraindications. Patients need to consult a specialist!

If you are interested in any other vitamins, vitamin-mineral complexes or dietary supplements, their descriptions and instructions for use, their analogues, information about the composition and form of release, indications for use and side effects, methods of use, dosages and contraindications, notes about the prescription of the drug for children, newborns and pregnant women, price and consumer reviews, or you have any other questions and suggestions - write to us, we will definitely try to help you.

AUTHENTICITY

External signs

Whole raw materials. The fruits are egg-shaped achenes, slightly compressed on the sides, 5 to 8 mm long, 2 to 4 mm wide. The apex is obliquely truncated with a protruding blunt thick remnant of a style and a pointed ridge around it or without a remnant of a style. The base of the achene is blunt, the scar is slit-like or rounded. The surface is smooth, sometimes longitudinally wrinkled, shiny or matte, often spotted. On a cross section of the fruit under a magnifying glass (10×) or a stereomicroscope (16×), the pericarp, tightly closed with the seed coat, and 2 cotyledons of the embryo are visible. The color is from black to light brown, sometimes with a lilac tint, the ridge is lighter. The smell is weak. The taste of the water extract is slightly bitter.

Microscopic signs

Whole raw materials. On transverse and longitudinal sections of the achenes, cotyledons should be visible, surrounded by a thick layer of tightly fused sclereids, noticeable by their natural yellow color. A cross section of the pericarp shows a layer of cuticle covering a heterogeneous epidermis, which from the base of the achene is represented by small thick-walled, slightly porous cells, from the apex of the achene turning into elongated thick-walled cells covered with a thick layer of cuticle. There are no stomata in the epidermis of the fetus. Directly behind the epidermis there is a pigment layer consisting of 1 row of thin-walled, loose cells with brown contents. This is followed by a layer of fibrous mesocarp cells from 1 to 10 rows, stained yellow with aniline sulfate. Further behind the layer of fibrous cells is the seed coat, represented by a thick layer of elongated sclereids with thickened walls. Behind the layer of sclereids, in the shell of the achene, is the fetal parenchyma, represented by dilapidated collapsed cells. The peel is fused with the parenchyma of the inner part of the fruit and consists of several rows of collapsed cells of the seed coat parenchyma, as well as a remnant of the endosperm fused to it, represented by one row of large cells filled with aleurone grains. The bulk of the seed consists of large cotyledons, made of thin-walled cells of storage parenchyma (elongated shape).

The cells of the cotyledons contain fatty oil and round-shaped aleurone grains. Small druses of calcium oxalate are often found in the cells of the storage parenchyma.

Milk thistle fruit. Cross section of peel

Figure – Milk thistle fruit. Cross section of the peel.

1 – cuticle, 2 – palisade-like elongated cells of the epidermis, 3 – pigment layer, 4 – fibrous cells, 5 – sclereids, 6 – collapsed fetal parenchyma cells, 7 – collapsed seed coat parenchyma cells, 8 – endosperm residue (100×)

Useful properties of milk thistle

Milk thistle seeds are effective for weight loss, for treating liver diseases, in the fight against skin problems and other ailments. They have general strengthening properties, increase immunity, and accelerate tissue regeneration.

An oil is also prepared from milk thistle, which is effectively used for diabetes, psoriasis and the treatment of various allergies.

Milk thistle is also used for weight loss. It removes toxins and reduces bad cholesterol levels. In the absence of harmful substances in the body, with normal functioning of the digestive system, you will not need to often visit a cosmetologist or buy expensive skin and hair care products.

Milk thistle gives a fresh complexion, absence of rashes and other inflammatory manifestations, strong hair, hard nail plates, good appetite, a boost of energy for the whole day, increased mental performance and physical performance for athletes.