Milk Thistle seeds were consumed by European wet nurses to insure a healthy milk supply. The heads of this Thistle formerly were eaten, boiled, treated like those of the Artichoke. Milk Thistle seeds help stimulate protein synthesis in the liver. They even can help reverse the damage done from eating poisonous mushrooms or from carbon tetrachloride, which destroy liver cells and usually cause death. When Milk Thistle seeds are used within 48 hours, the survival rate is almost 100%. When fed to animals that had partial hepatectomies, their livers grew back more quickly. Milk Thistle is a good supplement to use to protect the liver when needing to take pharmaceutical drugs. Primary chemical constituents of Milk Thistle include flavolignans ( silymarin ), tyramine, histamine, gamma linoleic acid, essential oil, mucilage, and bitter principle. The dried fruit of Milk Thistle contains the flavonoid complex known as silymarin - the constituent responsible for the medical benefits of the plant. Milk Thistle can be used to increase the secretion and flow of bile from the liver and gall-bladder. Its traditional use as a liver tonic has been supported by research showing that it contains constituents which protect liver cells from chemical damage. It is used in a whole range of liver and gall bladder conditions including hepatitis and cirrhosis. Historically, this herb has been used in Europe as a liver tonic, and current phytotherapy indicates its use in a whole range of liver and gallbladder conditions including hepatitis and cirrhosis. It may also have value in the treatment of chronic uterine problems. A wealth of research done in Germany is revealing exciting data about reversal of toxic liver damage as well as protection from potential hepato-toxic agents. The mechanism of action of silymarin is becoming well understood, providing insights into the metabolic basis of this herbs activity. As its name implies, it promotes milk secretion and is perfectly safe to be used by all breast feeding mothers. |
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Kudzu is a coarse, high-climbing, twining, trailing, perennial vine, native to Japan and China. It also grows in the Southeastern portions of the United States where it helps to control soil erosion, fix nitrogen into the soil, and feed cattle. This herb quickly overgrows its boundaries, and a single vine can grow up to 100 feet in one season, taking over and killing other plants along its path. It can literally grow through rocks. Despite the many important uses of this plant, it is often considered a noxious weed, yet continues to be imported from Asia to be sold as both food and medicine. The genus is named after the Swiss botanist, M. N. Pueraria. Kudzu root has been known for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. The first written mention of the plant as a medicine is in the ancient herbal text of Shen Nong ( circa A.D.100 ). In traditional Chinese medicine, Kudzu Root is used in prescriptions for the treatment of "wei", or "superficial" syndrome ( a disease that manifests just under the surface - mild, but with fever ), thirst, headache, and stiff neck with pain due to high blood pressure. It was also recommended for allergies, migraine headaches, measles eruptions in children, and diarrhea. It was also used as a treatment for angina pectoris. The roots provide a fiber for the textile industry. The process for extracting the starch from the roots is tedious and can take up to 120 days, during which it is chopped, washed, pounded into a mass, and filtered up to 50 times. The primary chemical constituents of Kudzu include starch, isoflavonoids, puerarin, daidzein, and phytoestrogens. Kudzu Root is high in isoflavones, such as daidzein, as well as isoflavone glycosides, such as daidzin and puerarin. Depending on its growing conditions, the total isoflavone content varies from 2-12%, with puerarin in the highest concentration, followed by daidzin and daidzein. It has some demulcent properties, making it useful for thirst and dryness. Also, the flowers have been shown to be effective in lessening the desire for alcohol, and thus are used in the treatment of alcoholism. This herb also helps counteract poisons. When Kudzu is roasted in a dry pan, it makes an excellent tonic for the spleen, and helps treat diarrhea. Kudzu is cooked as food in China, where it is used as a thickening agent in making sauces, soups and puddings. It can be used as a starch for people who do not digest grains well. The young leaves, shoots, and flowers can be steamed or sautéed as a vegetable. They may also be pickled. The common name Kudzu also includes the species Pueraria thunbergiana , which is used interchangeably with Pueraria lobata.
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