The herb St Mary’s thistle can help to prevent scar tissue forming in the liver. This is referred to as anti-fibrotic activity.

This is quite a remarkable ability of this extraordinary herb. It is a very valuable function because scarring in the liver is what causes most damage in several different liver conditions.

The ability of St Mary’s thistle to inhibit scarring in the liver was first demonstrated in clinical trials on rats whose bile ducts were blocked for research purposes. This condition would normally lead to a build up of pressure within the liver and eventual scarring. Rats given St Mary’s thistle experienced far less scarring.

Subsequent studies have also been done on humans. One such study involved 998 people with liver disease due to a variety of factors, including alcohol abuse, drugs, chronic active hepatitis B or C, or chemical exposure. Participants were given 140mg of silymarin (equivalent to approximately 60mg of silibin) three times daily for 3 months. Results showed a significant reduction in amino terminal pro-collagen III peptide (PIIINP), an indicator of fibrosis. In 19 percent of the patients, the reading had dropped to the normal range seen in healthy people.

If you can reduce the degree of scarring in your liver, you can reduce the harmful consequences of liver diseases on your wellbeing. St Mary’s thistle is found in LivaTone and LivaTone Plus, which are available in capsules and powder.

References
Abenavoli L, Capasso R, Milic N, Capasso F. Milk Thistle in Liver Diseases. Phytotherapy Research Oct 2010; Volume 24, Issue 10 1423 - 1432.
Boigk G, Stroedter L, Herbst H, et al. Silymarin retards collagen accumulation in early and advanced biliary fibrosis secondary to complete bile duct obliteration in rats.  Hepatology 1997;26:643-649