Silymarin: Nature's Potent Liver Remedy

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Silymarin: Nature's Potent Liver Remedy

Introduction

www.doctormurray.com

 

Toxic substances are everywhere. In the air we breathe, the food we

eat, and the water we drink. Even our bodies and the bacteria in the

intestines produce toxic substances. These toxins can damage the

body in an insidious and cumulative way. Your ability to detoxify

these harmful chemicals is a major factor in determining your level

of health.

 

When the detoxification system becomes overloaded, toxic metabolites

accumulate, and we become progressively more sensitive to other

chemicals. This accumulation of toxins can wreak havoc on our normal

metabolic processes.

 

Enhancing detoxification primarily involves promoting improved liver

function. Our modern environment seriously overloads our liver,

resulting in increased levels of circulating toxins in the blood,

which

damage most of our body's systems. A toxic liver sends out alarm

signals, which manifest as psoriasis, acne, chronic headaches,

inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and chronic fatigue.

 

Are You Toxic?

 

Diagnosing toxicity can involve measuring hair, blood, or fatty

tissue for suspected chemicals. However, perhaps the best

recommendation that I can give you to help you determine if your

liver is functioning up to

par is to look over the following list. If any factor applies to

you, I recommend following the guidelines for improving liver

function given below:

 

Are you more than 20 pounds overweight?

Do you have diabetes?

Have you or do you have of gallstones?

Do you have a history of heavy alcohol or drug use?

Dou you have psoriasis?

 

Are you taking natural or synthetic steroid hormones like

Anabolic steroids?

Estrogens?

Oral contraceptives?

 

Have you been exposed to high levels of certain chemicals or drugs

like:

 

Cleaning solvents?

Pesticides?

Antibiotics?

Diuretics?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?

Thyroid hormone?

Do you or have you ever had hepatitis?

 

Why is the liver so important in detoxification?

The liver is a complex organ that plays a key role in most metabolic

processes, especially detoxification. The liver is constantly

bombarded with toxic chemicals, both those produced internally and

those coming from the environment. The metabolic processes that make

our bodies run normally produce a wide range of toxins for which the

liver has evolved

efficient neutralizing mechanisms. However, the level and type of

internally produced toxins increases greatly when metabolic

processes go awry, typically as a result of nutritional

deficiencies.

 

Many of the toxic chemicals the liver must detoxify come from our

environment: the content of our bowel, the food we eat, the water we

drink, and the air we breath. The polycyclic hydrocarbons (e.g.,

DDT;

dioxin; 2,4,5-T; 2,4-D; PCB; and PCP), which are components of

various

herbicides and pesticides, are one example. Yet, as mentioned above,

even those eating unprocessed organic foods need an effective

detoxification system because even organically grown foods contain

naturally occurring toxic constituents.

 

The liver plays several roles in detoxification: It filters the

blood to remove large toxins, synthesizes and secretes bile full of

cholesterol and other fat-soluble toxins, and enzymatically

disassembles unwanted chemicals.

 

How does the liver get rid of toxins?

 

Once the liver has modified a toxin, it needs to be eliminated from

the body as soon as possible. One of the primary routes of

elimination is through the bile. However, when the excretion of bile

is inhibited (a

condition called cholestasis), toxins stay in the liver longer.

Cholestasis has several causes, including obstruction of the bile

ducts and impairment of bile flow within the liver. The most common

cause of obstruction of the bile ducts is the presence of gallstones.

 

Currently, it is conservatively estimated that 20 million people in

the U.S. have gallstones. Nearly 20% of the female and 8% of the

male population over the age of 40 are found to have gallstones on

biopsy and approximately

500,000 gallbladders are removed because of stones each year in the

U.S. The prevalence of gallstones in this country has been linked to

the high-fat, low-fiber diet consumed by the majority of Americans.

 

Impairment of bile flow within the liver can be caused by a variety

of agents and conditions, as listed in Table 2. These conditions are

often associated with alterations of liver function in laboratory

tests (serum

bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, LDH, GGTP, etc.) signifying

cellular damage. However, relying on these tests alone to evaluate

liver function is not adequate, since, in the initial or subclinical

stages of many problems with liver function, laboratory values

remain normal.

Among the symptoms people with enzymatic damage may complain of are

fatigue, general malaise, digestive disturbances, allergies and

chemical sensitivities, premenstrual syndrome, and constipation.

 

Causes of Cholestasis

Presence of gallstones

Alcohol

Endotoxins

Hereditary disorders such as Gilbert's syndrome

Hyperthyroidism or thyroxine supplementation

Viral hepatitis

Pregnancy

Certain chemicals or drugs:

 

Natural and synthetic steroidal hormones:

 

[comp: indent all following entries]Anabolic steroids

Estrogens

Oral contraceptives [all the following are not hormones and should

not be indented]

 

Aminosalicylic acid

Chlorothiazide

Erythromycin estolate

Mepazine Phenylbutazone

Sulphadiazine

Thiouracil

Perhaps the most common cause of cholestasis and impaired liver

function

is alcohol ingestion. In some especially sensitive individuals, as

little as 1 oz of alcohol can produce damage to the liver, which

results

in fat being deposited within the liver. All active alcoholics

demonstrate fatty infiltration of the liver.

 

What do you recommend to support the liver and proper detoxification?

A rational approach to aiding the body's detoxification involves:

(1)

eating a diet which focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole

grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds; (2) adopting a healthy lifestyle

including avoiding alcohol and exercising regularly; (3) taking a

high potency multiple vitamin and mineral supplement; (4) using

special

nutritional and herbal supplements to protect the liver and enhance

liver function; and (5) going on a 3 day fresh juice fast at the

change of each season.

 

How does diet impact detoxification?

The first step in supporting proper liver function is following a

health promoting diet low in animal foods and sugar, and high in

whole planfoods such as vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fruits,

nuts, and seeds. Such a diet will provide a wide range of essential

nutrients the liver needs to carry on its important functions. If

you want to have ahealthy liver, there are three things you

definitely want to stay away from:

(1) saturated fats;

(2) refined sugar;

 

(3) alcohol. A diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of

developing fatty infiltration and/or cholestasis. In contrast, a

diet rich in dietary fiber, particularly the water-soluble fibers,

promotes increased bile secretion.

 

Special foods rich in factors which help protect the liver from

damage and improve liver function include: high sulfur containing

foods likegarlic, legumes, onions, and eggs; good sources of water-

soluble fiberssuch as pears, oat bran, apples, and legumes; cabbage

family vegetables especially broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and

cabbage; and artichokes, beets, carrots, dandelion, and many herbs

and spices like turmeric,cinnamon, and licorice.

 

Can I drink alcohol or is it always harmful to the liver at any

level?

Alcohol stresses detoxification processes and can lead to liver

damage and immune suppression, but it is related to how much you

drink and how healthy your liver is. Avoid alcohol if you suffer

from impaired liver function and only drink in moderation (no more

than two glasses of wineor beer, no more than 2 ounces of hard

liquor per day).

 

What supplements should I take to support the liver?

A high potency multiple vitamin and mineral is a must in trying to

dealwith all the toxic chemicals we are constantly exposed to.

Antioxidant

vitamins like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E are obviously

quite important in protecting the liver from damage as well as

helping

in detoxification mechanisms, but even simple nutrients like B

vitamins,

calcium, and trace minerals are critical in the elimination of heavy

metals and other toxic compounds from the body.1-3

 

Choline, betaine, methionine, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin

B12

are important. These nutrients are referred to as " lipotropic

agents. "

Lipotropic agents are compounds which promote the flow of fat and

bile

to and from the liver. In essence, they produce a " decongesting "

effect

on the liver and promote improved liver function and fat metabolism.

 

Formulas containing lipotropic agents are very useful in enhancing

detoxification reactions and other liver functions. Lipotropic

formulas

have been used for a wide variety of conditions by nutrition-

oriented

physicians including a number of liver disorders including

hepatitis,

cirrhosis, and chemical-induced liver disease.

 

Most major manufacturers of nutritional supplements offer lipotropic

formulas. The important thing, when taking a lipotropic formula, is

to

take enough of the formula to provide a daily dose of 1,000 mg of

choline and 1,000 mg of either methionine and/or cysteine.

 

Are there any herbs that I can take to support my liver and proper

detoxification?

There is a long list of plants that exert beneficial effects on

liver

function. However, the most impressive research has been done on a

special extract of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) known as

silymarin -

a group of flavonoid compounds. These compounds exert tremendous

effect

on protecting the liver from damage as well as enhancing

detoxification

processes.

 

Silymarin prevents damage to the liver by acting as an antioxidant.4

Silymarin is many times more potent in antioxidant activity than

vitamin

E and vitamin C. The protective effect of silymarin against liver

damagehas been demonstrated in a number of experimental studies.

Experimental liver damage in animals is produced by extremely toxic

chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride, amanita toxin,

galactosamine, and praseodymium

nitrate. Silymarin has been shown to protect against liver damage by

all of these agents.

 

Besides acting as an antioxidant, are there other ways in that

silymarin aids detoxification?

 

One of the key manners in which silymarin enhances detoxification

reaction is preventing the depletion of glutathione. As discussed

above, the level of glutathione in the liver is critically linked to

the liver's ability to detoxify. The higher the glutathione content,

the greater the liver's capacity to detoxify harmful chemicals.

 

Typically,

when we are exposed to chemicals which can damage the liver

including

alcohol, the concentration of glutathione in the liver is

substantially reduced. This reduction in glutathione makes the liver

cell susceptible to damage. Silymarin not only prevents the

depletion of glutathione

induced by alcohol and other toxic chemicals, but has been shown to

increase the level of glutathione of the liver by up to 35%.5 Since

the

ability of the liver to detoxify is largely related to the level of

glutathione in the liver, the results of this study seem to indicate

that silymarin can increase detoxification reactions by up to 35%.

 

Can silymarin help in hepatitis and other liver disorders?

Yes. In human studies, silymarin has been shown to have positive

effects

in treating liver diseases of various kinds, including hepatitis;

cirrhosis; fatty infiltration of the liver (chemical and alcohol

induced

fatty liver); and inflammation of the bile duct.6-9

 

What is the form of silymarin that you recommend?

Recently, a new form of silymarin has emerged that may provide the

greatest benefit. The new form binds silybin the key component of

silymarin to phosphatidylcholine, the key component of our cellular

membranes throughout the body. The result is a product known as

SILIPHOS (available from Natural Factors as Silybin Phytosome).

Current research indicates that SILIPHOS™ is better absorbed and

produces better results than other silymarin or milk thistle

extracts.

 

What is the evidence to support the claim that SILIPHOS™ is better?

Several human and animal studies have shown SILIPHOS™ is better

absorbed. In one study, the excretion of silybin in the bile was

evaulated in patients undergoing gallbladder removal because of

gallstones. A special drainage tube, the T-tube, was used to get the

samples of bile necessary. Patients were given either a single oral

dose

of the SILIPHOS™ or silymarin. The amount of silybin recovered in

the

bile within 48 hours was 11% for the SILIPHOS™ group and 3% for

silymarin group.10

 

One of the significant features of this study is the fact that

silymarin

has been shown to improve the solubility of the bile. Since more

silymarin is being delivered to the liver and gallbladder when the

phosphatidylcholine-bound silymarin is used, this form is the ideal

form

for individuals with gallstones or fatty-infiltration of the liver -

two conditions characterized by decreased bile solubility.

 

In another study designed to assess the absorption of SILIPHOS™,

plasma

silybin levels were determined after administration of single oral

doses

of SILIPHOS™ and a similar amount of silymarin to 9 healthy

volunteers.

The authors concluded SILIPHOS™ was absorbed roughly 7 times greater

than regular milk thistle extracts standardized to contain silymarin

(70-80%).11

 

Are there any studies showing better results with SILIPHOS™?

Several clinical studies have also shown SILIPHOS™ to produce better

results than regular silymarin extracts.12-14 In one study of 232

patients with chronic hepatitis (viral, alcohol, or drug induced)

treated with SILIPHOS™ at a dosage either 120 mg twice daily or 120

mg

three times daily for up to 120 days, liver function returned to

normal

faster in the patients taking SILIPHOS™ compared to a group of

controls

(49 treated with a commercially available milk thistle extract

standardized to contain 70% silymarin; 117 untreated or given

placebo).14,

 

Better results were also seen in a preliminary study in patients

with

chronic viral hepatitis (3 with hepatitis B, 3 with both hepatitis B

and

hepatitis C, and 2 with hepatitis C) given SILIPHOS™ for 2 months.12

After treatment, serum malondialdehyde levels (an indicator of lipid

peroxidation) decreased by 36%, and the quantitative liver function

evaluation, as expressed by galactose elimination capacity,

increased by

15%. A statistically significant reduction of liver enzymes was also

seen: AST decreased 17% and ALT decreased 16%.

 

In another study designed primarily to evaluate the dose-response

relationship of SILIPHOS™ , positive effects were again displayed at

a

level better than those reported for milk thistle extracts

containing

70-80% silymarin.13 In the study, patients with chronic due to

either a virus or alcohol were given different doses of SILIPHOS™ :

20

patients received 80 mg twice daily, 20 pts received 120 mg twice

daily,

and 20 patients received 120 mg three times daily for two weeks. At

all

tested doses, SILIPHOS™ produced a remarkable and statistically

significant decrease of mean serum and total bilirubin levels.

 

When used

at the dose of 240 or 360 mg per day, it also resulted in a

remarkable

and statistically significant decrease of the ALT and GGTP liver

enzymes. These results indicate that even short-term treatment of

viral

or alcohol-induced hepatitis with relative low doses of

phosphatidylcholine bound silymarin can be effective, but for the

best

results higher doses are indicated.

 

How does SILIPHOS™ compare with Milk Thistle Phytosome?

Milk Thistle Phytosome is a less potent version as it contains all

three

flavonoids of silymarin and the ratio of to phosphatidylcholine to

silymarin is 2:1. In comparison, SILIPHOS™ contains only silybin is

the

most potent of these active substances of silymarin in a one to one

ratio with phosphatidylcholine. One 150 mg capsule of Milk Thistle

Phytosome is slightly less potent than the 120 mg capsule of

SILIPHOS™.

 

What is the dosage recommendation for SILIPHOS™ ?

For general support for the liver and detoxification, 120 mg of

SILIPHOS™ is recommended. When additional support is needed, the

dosage

recommendation is 240 to 360 mg per day.

 

Summary

Detoxification of harmful substances is a continual process in the

body.

The ability to detoxify and eliminate toxins largely determines an

individual's health status. A number of toxins (heavy metals,

solvents,

pesticides, microbial toxins, etc.) are known to cause significant

health problems. Milk thistle extracts standardized for silymarin

content (usually 70-80%) can dramatically improve the liver's

ability to

detoxify harmful compounds and function more optimally. A new form

of

silymarin, SILIPHOS™, is proving to be even more effective.

 

References:

 

Flora SJS, Singh S and Tandon SK: Prevention of lead intoxication by

vitamin B complex. Z Ges Hyg 30:409-11, 1984.

Shakman RA: Nutritional influences on the toxicity of environmental

pollutants: A review. Arch Env Health 28:105-33, 1974.

Flora SJS, et al.: Protective role of trace metals in lead

intoxication.

Toxicology Letters 13:51-6, 1982.

Hikino H, et al.: Antihepatotoxic actions of flavonolignans from

Silybum

marianum fruits. Planta Medica 50:248-50, 1984.

Valenzuela A, et al.: Selectivity of silymarin on the increase of

the

glutathione content in different tissues of the rat. Planta Med

55:420-2, 1989.

Canini F, Bartolucci, Cristallini E, et al.: Use of silymarin in the

treatment of alcoholic hepatic steatosis. Clin Ter 114:307-14, 1985.

Salmi HA and Sarna S: Effect of silymarin on chemical, functional,

and

morphological alteration of the liver. A double-blind controlled

study.

Scand J Gastroenterol 17:417-21, 1982.

Boari C, et al.: Occupational toxic liver diseases. Therapeutic

effects

of silymarin. Min Med 72:2679-88, 1985.

Ferenci P, et al.: Randomized controlled trial of silymarin

treatment in

patients with cirrhosis of the liver. J Hepatol 9:105-13, 1989.

Schandalik R, Gatti G, and Perucca E: Pharmacokinetics of silybin in

bile following administration of silipide and silymarin in

cholecystectomy patients. Arzneim Forsch 42(7):964-8, 1992.

Barzaghi N, et al.: Pharmacokinetic studies on IdB 1016, a

silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex, in healthy human subjects. Eur

J

Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 15(4):333-8, 1990.

Mascarella S, et al.: Therapeutic and antilipoperoxidant effects of

silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex in chronic liver disease:

Preliminary results. Curr Ther Res 53(1):98-102, 1993.

Vailati A, et al.: Randomized open study of the dose-effect

relationship

of a short course of IdB 1016 in patients with viral or alcoholic

hepatitis. Fitoterapia 44(3):219-28, 1993.

Marena C and Lampertico: Preliminary clinical development of

silipide: A

new complex of silybin in toxic liver disorders. Planta Medical

57(S2):A124-5, 1991.

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest