LiverPro Milk Thistle Extract (Helps regeneration of damaged liver tissue) Scientific Support German Commission E approved the internal use of crude milk thistle fruit preparations for dyspeptic complaints. Standardized extracts (usually ranging in silymarin concentration from 70 to 80%) are approved for toxic liver damage and as a supportive treatment for chronic inflammatory liver disease and hepatic cirrhosis. Silymarin is known to protect the liver by altering and strengthening the structure of outer cell membranes of hepatocytes (liver cells), preventing toxins from entering the liver cells, and by stimulating the regenerative ability of the liver and the formation of new hepatocytes through the activation of an enzyme nucleolar polymerase A, which leads to the increase in ribosomal protein synthesis and cell division. Silymarin, as an anti-oxidant, may also reduce damages to liver cells caused by chronic use of certain prescription drugs. The silybin component of sillymarin has been related to cholesterol-lowering effects. Through the capability to increase bile solubility, sylimarin may also help prevent or alleviate gallstones. There is a very large and impressive body of scientific evidence to support the therapeutic utility of milk thistle for various indications related to the liver. The name silymarin is a general term for the active chemicals, known as flavonolignans, which are found only in the seeds of milk thistle plant. Heavy metals and many drug poisons cause liver toxicity through the production of free radicals, and more specifically, lipid peroxidation. Silymarin has been shown to combat lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats. Likewise, it has been demonstrated that silymarin may hasten the restoration of liver cells in damaged liver tissue. For all of you beer-guzzlers out there, ethyl alcohol (the good kind) causes liver damage through its nasty little habit of depleting glutathione levels. Silymarin and silybin actually elevated glutathione levels in rats given alcohol (DISCLAIMER: these rats were not allowed to drive after drinking). Furthermore, in rabbits with liver damage, animals given silymarin had increased survival times relative to those that did not receive the extract. The results of animal studies have been repeated in large, well-controlled human trials. Subjects with liver damage caused by chronic alcoholism, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or other toxicities were significantly benefited by treatment with silymarin. However, silymarin appears to have its most profound effect in those with less severe liver damage. As a liver cholesterol-lowering agent, rats that were given silybin had significantly lower cholesterol levels in their bile relative to rats given placebo. It is hypothesized that silybin exerts this effect via reduced cholesterol synthesis by the liver. Regarding its less publicized claims, topical silymarin applied to the ears of mice with dermatitis caused a decrease in inflammation. Silymarin has also been shown to decrease histamine release from cells. Furthermore, following oxygen supply depletion to the liver, administration of silybin to rats decreased the severity of cell death caused by the lack of oxygen. Suggested Serving Take 1-2 capsules 2 times per day. Specification 60, 90 capsules/bottle