Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)

The extract of this herb is silymarin which consists of three flavonoids: silybin (about 75%), silydianin, and silychristine. Silymarin has potent antioxidant, antiphlogistic, antiangiogenic, and antitumor activities. A 92% reduction in UVB-induced murine skin tumors was produced with topical silymarin (44). Topical silybin decreased the formation of pyrimidine dimers and UVB-induced apotosis was enhanced in mice (45). It also inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (46). Other active molecules in milk thistle include fatty oil which accounts for 20-30% flavonoids including apigenin and quercetin, steroids such as beta- sitosterol, fumaric acid, and polyynes. This herb is administered as a comminuted drug for liquid extracts and tinctures for infusion. No allergic reactions have been reported (3).