> >A herb; supposedly useful for liver detox.

> Does one need one's liver "detoxed" -- unless one
> drinks a lot of {*filter*}, that is?

>Dorothy

> > Please, tell me at once !
> > Flavio

> Here's a nice review. Summary....probably won't hurt you, and might help.

> {*filter*} 2001;61(14):2035-63

> The use of silymarin in the treatment of liver diseases.

> Saller R, Meier R, Brignoli R.

> Abteilung Naturheilkunde, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.

> The high prevalence of liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis and
> cirrhosis underscores the need for efficient and cost-effective
treatments.
> The potential benefit of silymarin (extracted from the seeds of Silybum
> marianum or milk thistle) in the treatment of liver diseases remains a
> controversial issue. Therefore, the objective of this review is to assess
> the clinical efficacy and safety of silymarin by application of systematic
> approach. 525 references were found in the databases, of which 84 papers
> were retained for closer examination and 36 were deemed suitable for
> detailed analysis. Silymarin has metabolic and cell-regulating effects at
> concentrations found in clinical conditions, namely carrier-mediated
> regulation of cell membrane permeability, inhibition of the 5-lipoxygenase
> pathway, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of the R-OH type and
> action on DNA-expression, for example, via suppression of nuclear factor
> (NF)-kappaB. Pooled data from case record studies involving 452 patients
> with Amanita phalloides poisoning show a highly significant difference in
> mortality in favour of silibinin [the main isomer contained in silymarin]
> (mortality 9.8% vs 18.3% with standard treatment; p < 0.01). The available
> trials in patients with toxic (e.g. solvents) or iatrogenic (e.g.
> antispychotic or tacrine) liver diseases, which are mostly outdated and
> underpowered, do not enable any valid conclusions to be drawn on the value
> of silymarin. The exception is an improved clinical tolerance of tacrine.
In
> spite of some positive results in patients with acute viral hepatitis, no
> formally valid conclusion can be drawn regarding the value of silymarin in
> the treatment of these infections. Although there were no clinical
> end-points in the four trials considered in patients with {*filter*}ic liver
> disease, histological findings were reported as improved in two out of two
> trials, improvement of prothrombin time was significant (two trials
pooled)
> and liver transaminase levels were consistently lower in the
> silymarin-treated groups. Therefore, silymarin may be of use as an
adjuvant
> in the therapy of {*filter*}ic liver disease. Analysis was performed on five
> trials with a total of 602 patients with liver cirrhosis. The evidence
shows
> that, compared with placebo, silymarin produces a nonsignificant reduction
> of total mortality by -4.2% [odds ratio (OR) 0.75 (0.5 - 1.1)]; but that,
on
> the other hand, the use of silymarin leads to a significant reduction in
> liver-related mortality of-7% [OR: 0.54 (0.3 - 0.9); p < 0.01]. An
> individual trial reported a reduction in the number of patients with
> encephalopathy of -8.7% (p = 0.06). In one study of patients with
> cirrhosis-related diabetes mellitus, the insulin requirement was reduced
> by -25% (p < 0.01). We conclude that available evidence suggests that
> silymarin may play a role in the therapy of ({*filter*}ic) liver cirrhosis.
> Silymarin is has a good safety record and only rare case reports of
> gastrointestinal disturbances and allergic skin rashes have been
published.
> This review does not aim to replace future prospective trials aiming to
> provide the 'final' evidence of the efficacy of silymarin.

>>A herb; supposedly useful for liver detox.

>Does one need one's liver "detoxed" -- unless one
>drinks a lot of {*filter*}, that is?