Silymarin and silybin are two of the major bioactive constituents of St Mary’s thistle which display potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activity. These are useful in reducing neurological injury induced by ischemic stroke.
The Science
The major pathological mechanism underlying ischemic / reperfusion injury to brain tissue is a phenomenon known as ‘excitotoxicity’ in which excessive release of glutamate (which builds up in the extracellular spaces after stroke onset) causes an inappropriate activation of ionotropic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain. Basically it excites neurons to death via the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). A number of free radical producing enzyme systems are involved. It is these ROS and reactive nitrogen species damage brain tissue via lipid peroxidation or protein nitrosylation of cell organelles and cell membranes, as well as by direct attacks on DNA.
What does silymarin help?
It reduces ischemic damage to the brain as well as protecting the kidneys, myocardium and liver from these types of injury. It works far better given prior to injury. I’ve put it in my liver tonic (See the Patient Handbook on this website) and personally this is one of my formulae I take all the time, aware of its indirect modulation of early inflammatory signals.
