milk thistle

Hsp70 (heat shock protein 70) plays critical roles in cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. Recently, accumulating evidences have demonstrated the cancer promoting effects of Hsp70 in bladder cancer. The development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting Hsp70 thus received great attention from researchers. In this study, we demonstrated that silibinin, a natural polyphenolic flavonoid isolated from the milk thistle, targeted Hsp70 by inhibiting its transcription in bladder cancer cells. We also demonstrated that knockdown of endogenous Hsp70 enhanced silibinin-induced apoptosis, while overexpression of exogenous Hsp70 could partially reverse the effects of silibinin-induced cell apoptosis...

INTRODUCTION: The scientific community and consumers are increasingly interested in the potential cholesterol-lowering effect of various nutraceuticals and their combinations. The aim of our study was to test the short-term effect of a new lipid-lowering nutraceutical formulation in mildly hypercholesterolemic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We consecutively enrolled 80 mildly hypercholesterolemic patients with low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) between 130 and 190 mg/dl with a low-estimated cardiovascular disease risk...

7-Ketocholesterol and 7β-hydroxycholesterol are most often derived from the autoxidation of cholesterol. Their quantities are often increased in the body fluids and/or diseased organs of patients with age-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease, age-related macular degeneration, and sarcopenia which are frequently associated with a rupture of RedOx homeostasis leading to a high oxidative stress contributing to cell and tissue damages. On murine cells from the central nervous system (158N oligodendrocytes, microglial BV-2 cells, and neuronal N2a cells) as well as on C2C12 murine myoblasts, these two oxysterols can induce a mode of cell death which is associated with qualitative, quantitative, and functional modifications of the peroxisome...

Phytosterols, which are produced in plants, are structurally similar to cholesterol. Their basic structures consist of a cyclo pentano-perhydrophenanthrene nucleus composed of 3 hexane rings and of a pentane ring with an alkyl side chain. There are around more than 250 phytosterols and related compounds that have been identified in natural resources. Among them, spinasterol and schottenol, its dihydro analog, are often found in seeds, and consequently in seed oils, and in other botanical parts of some plant families such as Sapotaceae, Cactaceae, and Cucurbitaceae...

Silymarin, extracted from milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ), is esteemed for its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic properties, notably within liver-related contexts. Nevertheless, a comprehensive grasp of its effects on liver enzymes remains elusive. This systematic review aims to scrutinize the influence of silymarin supplements on liver enzyme levels, elucidating its potential for hepatoprotection. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we systematically reviewed pertinent studies in PubMed/MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online)...

BACKGROUND: Obesity in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) can lead to various liver pathologies. In other species, reduced caloric intake and weight loss improve prognosis, and, often, hepatoprotectants are used to halt or reverse hepatocellular damage from fat deposition in the liver. There are no published therapies for reducing hepatocellular damage in obese marmosets. METHODS: Fifteen obese marmosets were used to evaluate the ability of caloric restriction and pharmacologic therapy (S-adenosylmethionine + milk thistle extract, or SMT), alone and combined, to reduce elevated liver enzymes...

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection drove the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, causing a huge loss of human life and a negative impact on economic development. It is an urgent necessity to explore potential drugs against viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2. Silymarin, a mixture of herb-derived polyphenolic flavonoids extracted from the milk thistle, possesses potent antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Accumulating research studies have demonstrated the killing activity of silymarin against viruses, such as dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and hepatitis C virus...

This study investigated the effects of silibinin, derived from milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ), on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced morphological changes in mouse macrophages. Silibinin was treated at various doses and time points to assess its effects on macrophage activation, including morphological changes and phagocytosis. Silibinin effectively inhibited LPS-induced pseudopodia formation and size increase, while unstimulated cells remained round. Silibinin's impact on phagocytosis was dose- and time-dependent, showing a decrease...

In this present study, an oil press was used to process 200 g each of sesame, pumpkin, flax, milk thistle, hemp and cumin oilseeds in order to evaluate the amount of oil yield, seedcake, sediments and material losses (oil and sediments). Sesame produced the highest oil yield at 30.60 ± 1.69%, followed by flax (27.73 ± 0.52%), hemp (20.31 ± 0.11%), milk thistle (14.46 ± 0.51%) and pumpkin (13.37 ± 0.35%). Cumin seeds produced the lowest oil yield at 3.46 ± 0.15%. The percentage of sediments in the oil, seedcake and material losses for sesame were 5...

The aim of this study was the chemical, microbiological, textural, and sensory characterization of pilot-scale prototypes of an Italian ewe's raw milk cheese (Caciofiore) curdled with commercial Cynara cardunculus rennet, used as a control, and crude extracts obtained from flowers of either spontaneous or cultivated Onopordum tauricum. Hence, the control and experimental cheese prototypes produced in two rounds of cheesemaking trials were assayed, at the end of their 60-day maturation, for the following features: pH, titratable acidity, dry matter, fat, total and soluble nitrogen (TN and SN, respectively), ash, salt, protein, lactose, viable plate counts and composition of the bacterial and fungal populations, color, texture, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and olfactory attributes by sensory analysis (the latter for the sole prototypes curdled with the commercial rennet and the extract obtained from cultivated O...

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by chronic relapsing intestinal inflammation that causes digestive system dysfunction. For years, researchers have been working to find more effective and safer therapeutic strategies to treat these diseases. Silibinin (SIL), a flavonoid compound extracted from the seeds of milk thistle plants, possesses multiple biological activities and is traditionally applied to treat liver diseases. SIL is also widely used in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases attributed to its excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects...

Keloid scars are fibro-proliferative conditions characterized by abnormal fibroblast proliferation and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. The mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in keloid disease. Silibinin, a natural flavonoid isolated from the seeds and fruits of the milk thistle, is known to inhibit the mTOR signaling pathway in human cervical and hepatoma cancer cells. However, the mechanisms underlying this inhibitory effect are not fully understood...

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent form of liver cancer that causes significant mortality in numerous individuals worldwide. This study compared the effects of milk thistle (MT) and nano-milk thistle (N-MT) on the expression of the genes that participate in apoptosis and cell cycle pathways in Huh-7 and HepG2 cells. METHODS: IC50 values of MT and N-MT were determined using the MTT assay. Huh-7 and HepG2 cell lines (containing mutant and wild-type TP53 gene, respectively) were incubated with MT and N-MT for 24h and 48h and the impact of MT and N-MT on the proliferation of these cell lines was evaluated through a comparative analysis...

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents an inflammatory subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome triggers pyroptosis, thus propelling the progression from simple steatosis to NASH. Silibinin, a hepatoprotective compound derived from milk thistle, exerts diverse hepatoprotective effects. However, the direct impact of silibinin on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and its ability to mitigate pyroptosis remain uncertain. To address this, we utilized an in vitro model of NASH, employing HepG2 cells treated with deoxycholic acid (DCA) and free fatty acids...

BACKGROUND: Several metallic elements with high atomic weight and density are serious systemic toxicants, and their wide environmental distribution increase the risk of their exposure to human. Silymarin (SL), a polyphenol from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) plant has shown protective role against heavy metal toxicity. However, its low aqueous solubility and rapid metabolism limits its therapeutic potential in clinic. METHODS: We compared the role of silymarin nanoliposomes (SL-L) against cadmium (Cd) toxicity in normal MRC-5 and A 549 cancer cells...

Plant foods are receiving increasing attention as a valuable source of health beneficial compounds. Understanding the impact of growing conditions on the quality of milk thistle is critical for determining appropriate agro-ecological and agro-economic parameters for its production and, subsequently, food products rich in health-beneficial compounds. For this purpose, a randomized milk thistle cultivation trial was established in the experimental field of Agritec Plant Research Plc. in Šumperk, Czech Republic, and carried out for two subsequent growing seasons in 2020 and 2021...

Silymarin, a mixture of diastereomeric and regioisomeric flavonolignans from milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) fruits, is known to possess a panel of pharmacological activities. However, due to low water solubility and extensive phase II metabolism, the oral bioavailability of the flavonolignans is limited. Since their interaction with gut microbiome is likely due to their predominantly fecal excretion route, the biotransformation of milk thistle flavonolignans by gut microorganisms was studied. A 1:1 mixture of the two main silymarin flavonolignans silybins A and B was incubated in human fecal suspension from one donor for 24 h under anoxic conditions...

Milk coagulation is a process used for the formulation of different dairy products such as cheese. In this process, milk undergoes changes in its chemical stability thanks to acidification or enzymatic reactions. Traditionally, milk coagulation has been carried out with rennet of animal origin, but recently, the research of new types of rennet such as microbial rennet and vegetable rennet has increased. This study aims to present an organized review of the most relevant information on lactic coagulation, its relationship with vegetable rennets, and the importance of the botanical genus Cynara in the extraction of vegetable rennets, focusing on the coagulant potential of artichoke ( Cynara scolymus )...

BACKGROUND: The green approaches for the synthesis of nanoparticles are gaining significant importance because of their high productivity, purity, low cost, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. METHODS: The aim of the current study is the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using seed extracts of Silybum marianum , which acts as a reducing and stabilizing agent. central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM) optimized synthesis parameters (temperature, pH, reaction time, plant extract, and salt concentration) for controlled size, stability, and maximum yields of ZnO-NPs...

Milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ) belongs to the Asteraceae family and is a medicinal plant native to the Mediterranean Basin. Silymarin in achene is a widely used herbal product for chronic liver disease. There is growing interest in natural medicine using milk thistle in Korea, but the raw material completely relies on imports. Despite its economic importance, phenotypic evaluations of native resources of milk thistle in Korea have not been carried out. In addition, genomic research and molecular marker development are very limited in milk thistle...