Silymarin (Legalon): Clinically Proven Supportive Treatment in Chronic Liver Diseases
08 Sep 2023
The
liver is truly an amazing organ. It is considered the largest, solid internal
organ1, it carries out highly complex roles in digestion, immunity,
blood volume regulation, endocrine control, and protein, lipid and cholesterol
metabolism, among others.2
People have also been treating liver conditions with silymarin for a very long time.3 Silymarin is the active extract of the seeds and fruits of Silybum marianum, milk thistle, a plant that has been used for centuries in treating liver diseases.3
Silymarin (Legalon): Backed by Studies
However, not all silymarin preparations are equal. The proprietary formulation Eurosil 85 of the Silymarin (Legalon) contains a clinically researched extract of milk thistle and has been shown in clinical studies to support liver function in alcohol-induced liver disease. 4
Silymarin exerts its hepatoprotective effects by working on several mechanisms of action: (a) it reduces oxidative stress by acting as an antioxidant, free radical scavenger, and regulator of the intracellular glutathione; (b) silymarin also has an antifibrotic effect by preventing the activation of stellate liver cells that leads to fibrosis; (c) it inhibits inflammatory mediators and especially Kupffer cells, which are active in fibrogenesis; (d) lastly, silymarin acts as a cell membrane stabilizer and permeability regulator, preventing toxic agents from entering hepatocytes.3
In a narrative review by Gillessen and Schmidt, Silymarin (Legalon) was shown to have positive effects as supportive treatment in liver diseases, such as NAFLDa, AFLDb, and chronic DILIc including cirrhosis.3
Silymarin is well tolerated, with a low incidence of adverse events reported in clinical trials.3
Availability in the Philippines
Silymarin (Legalon) 70mg is locally available over the counter as high quality3,5 capsule when compared with silymarin food supplements that have no therapeutic claims. It also comes in prescription-strength 140mg capsule, a clinically-proven and well-documented liver-specific antioxidant preparation for the supportive treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver such as NAFLDa, AFLDb, chronic DILIc, and cirrhosis.3,6
People have also been treating liver conditions with silymarin for a very long time.3 Silymarin is the active extract of the seeds and fruits of Silybum marianum, milk thistle, a plant that has been used for centuries in treating liver diseases.3
Silymarin (Legalon): Backed by Studies
However, not all silymarin preparations are equal. The proprietary formulation Eurosil 85 of the Silymarin (Legalon) contains a clinically researched extract of milk thistle and has been shown in clinical studies to support liver function in alcohol-induced liver disease. 4
Silymarin exerts its hepatoprotective effects by working on several mechanisms of action: (a) it reduces oxidative stress by acting as an antioxidant, free radical scavenger, and regulator of the intracellular glutathione; (b) silymarin also has an antifibrotic effect by preventing the activation of stellate liver cells that leads to fibrosis; (c) it inhibits inflammatory mediators and especially Kupffer cells, which are active in fibrogenesis; (d) lastly, silymarin acts as a cell membrane stabilizer and permeability regulator, preventing toxic agents from entering hepatocytes.3
In a narrative review by Gillessen and Schmidt, Silymarin (Legalon) was shown to have positive effects as supportive treatment in liver diseases, such as NAFLDa, AFLDb, and chronic DILIc including cirrhosis.3
Silymarin is well tolerated, with a low incidence of adverse events reported in clinical trials.3
Availability in the Philippines
Silymarin (Legalon) 70mg is locally available over the counter as high quality3,5 capsule when compared with silymarin food supplements that have no therapeutic claims. It also comes in prescription-strength 140mg capsule, a clinically-proven and well-documented liver-specific antioxidant preparation for the supportive treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver such as NAFLDa, AFLDb, chronic DILIc, and cirrhosis.3,6