What is the difference between silymarin and silibinin?
Silibinin (INN), also known as silybin (both from Silybum, the generic name of the plant from which it is extracted), is the major active constituent of silymarin, a standardized extract of the milk thistle seeds, containing a mixture of flavonolignans consisting of silibinin, isosilibinin, silychristin, silidianin.
What does milk thistle do for cancer?
Several small studies have looked at whether milk thistle can be used to decrease side effects of cancer treatment. A randomized clinical trial in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia found that silymarin decreased the side effects of chemotherapy on the liver without harming the cancer treatment.
Can breast cancer survivors take milk thistle?
Hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Milk thistle extracts might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use these extracts.
What is silibinin used for?
Silibinin is a flavonolignan with hepatoprotective effects used to treat toxic liver damage and as an adjunct in the management of chronic conditions such as cirrhosis and hepatitis.
What supplement is good for cancer patients?
8 best supplements for cancer
- Ground flax seed. Most people use fish oil supplements to enhance the amount of omega-3’s in their diet.
- Garlic. Garlic is a great choice when it comes to giving your body a little extra protection.
- Ginger.
- Green tea.
- Selenium.
- Turmeric.
- Vitamin D.
- Vitamin E.
Does milk thistle interfere with chemotherapy?
Other studies suggest milk thistle may reduce chemotherapy-induced hepatotoxicity in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, as well as improve capecitabine-induced hand-foot syndrome and radiation therapy-induced mucositis.
Is silybin good for your liver?
Silybin phytosome, at a dose ranging from 240 mg/d to 942 mg t.i.d. (the highest dose used in patients with liver damage) was well tolerated without adverse effects and significantly improved liver damage as expressed by transaminase levels, oxidative stress (serum malondialdehyde levels) and both ferritin serum levels …
Does milk thistle lower estrogen levels?
Sure enough: in one recent study, an herbal conglomerate featuring milk thistle as one of the active participants actually increased estrogen metabolism, effectively reducing the amount of active estrogen by speeding up its clearance from the body.
Does silymarin increase estrogen?
Silymarin is a selective estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) agonist and has estrogenic effects in the metaphysis of the femur but no or antiestrogenic effects in the uterus of ovariectomized (ovx) rats. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2003 Aug;86(2):179-88. doi: 10.1016/s0960-0760(03)00270-x.
What are the side effects of silymarin?
Some of the common side effects of Silymarin are:
- Nausea.
- Diarrhea.
- Intestinal gas.
- Fullness or pain in the stomach.
- Loss of appetite.
- Rashes and itching.
Is silibinin the same as milk thistle?
Silibinin is an active ingredient of milk thistle, which has historically been used in Chinese medicine and is now gaining recognition in Western medicine for treatment of liver disease and diabetes.
What supplements should cancer patients avoid?
Echinacea, curcumin, St. John’s wort, valerian root, and allium (an extract of garlic) — all are examples of herbal supplements that can disrupt the toxicity-efficacy balance of chemotherapy. In addition, the doses of herbal supplements are not standardized.