Silymarin: a review on paving the way towards promising pharmacological agent

Abstract

ABSTRACTAdvancements in the field of research and development have paved toward the use of herbal agents to cure and control health maladies. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) is one of the herbs that possess pharmacological and therapeutic attributes. Various bioactive components in milk thistle have a key role in pathological conditions like blood-related disorders, hepatic ailments, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and carcinomas. Among various bioactive components, silymarin is an active agent which isa standardized mixture of flavonolignans (70%–80%) along with silybin, silydianin, and silychristin, with silybin being the main active chemical component. Silymarin has been used medicinally to treat liver disorders, including acute and chronic viral hepatitis, toxin/drug-induced hepatitis, cirrhosis, and alcoholic liver diseases. Traditionally, the plant was employed to increase human reproduction ability, possess reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, has UV-induced skin damage protection, maintains the menstrual cycle, lessen viral infection, decrease fibrosis, and blood glucose as well as improve functions of the liver, pancreas, and reproductive cells. This review summarizes the basic as well as advanced therapeutic effects of silymarin which will ultimately lead researchers in developinphytopharmaceutical-based complementary medicine.

Keywords

• Herbs
• ntrition
• pharmacological
• silybum marianum
• health modalities
• therapeutic potential