Positive Health Online

Abstract

WILASRUSMEE and colleagues, Department of Surgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA, kittur@upstate.edu, have shown an immunostimulatory effect of milk thistle extract.

Background

Many herbal products are used for their effects on the immune system. Milk thistle is known to inhibit the growth of certain tumours, although the mechanism of this action remains unknown. The authors have previously shown that milk thistle extracts stimulate neurones in culture. Since other drugs that affect nerve cells tend to affect the immune system as well, the effects of milk thistle extracts on the immune system were investigated.

Methodology

Standardized milk thistle extract was used in a mouse lymphocyte proliferation assay in vitro. All tests were performed in triplicate and carried out twice.

Results

Milk thistle is immunostimulatory in vitro. Lymphocyte proliferation was consistently increased. The effect was associated with an increase in interferon-gamma, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. The effect increased in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusion

This study has shown a novel effect of milk thistle on the immune system. It may be of benefit in increasing immunity to infectious diseases.

References

Wilasrusmee C, Kittur S, Shah G, Siddiqui J, Bruch D, Wilasrusmee S, Kittur DS. Immunostimulatory effect of Silybum Marianum (milk thistle) extract. Medical Science Monitor 8 (11): BR439-BR443, Nov 2002.

Comment

The above research demonstrates the powerful role that herbal medicines can play in treating serious, life-threatening diseases such as HIV, as well as their utility in the more practical applications, i.e. anti-fungals and immune-enhancement properties.