Milk Thistle Restores Glutathione Levels

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Hello,

Here is an explanation of why Milk Thistle is good for the liver. The goal is

to increase one's glutathione for liver health.

Joan

http://www.curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1348583

Milk Thistle Restores Glutathione Levels

Date: 2/2/2009 5:08:25 PM ( 22 mon ) ... viewed 1104 times

thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder. patients who suffer from it exibit very

low glutathione levels. however! when those patients are treated with slymarin,

a milk thistle extract, their levels shoot right up to normal!

its clear milk thistle is good for glutathione levels.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL & _udi=B6W7N-4JVSRXD-1 & _user=1\

0 & _rdoc=1 & _fmt= & _orig=search & _sort=d & view=c & _acct=C000050221 & _version=1 & _urlVers\

ion=0 & _userid=10 & md5=4090e95c68c9d3f25959bd10913d98ab

Abstract

Iron toxicity in & #946;-thalassemia major is the main cause of oxidative stress

and cell mediated immune deficiencies. Despite indicative signs of severe

oxidative deficiencies associated with & #946;-thalassemia major, such as

decreased level of plasma antioxidants and depletion of erythrocyte glutathione,

little is known about intracellular redox status of immune cells. Since

glutathione is a primary intracellular antioxidant and plays an essential role

in several functions in T cells, in this study intracellular glutathione (GSH)

levels as well as proliferation of PHA-activated peripheral blood mononuclear

cells (PBMC) were investigated in 28 & #946;-thalassemia major patients and 28

healthy age-matched individuals. Considering the potential benefits of

flavonoids in the therapy of oxidative stress, the effects of silymarin on the

GSH levels and proliferation of PBMC from normal and thalassemia individuals

were further examined.

Quantitative determination of intracellular GSH and proliferative response of

PBMC to PHA were performed before and after 72 h incubation of PBMC with various

concentrations of silymarin (0, 5, 10, or 20 & #956;g/ml). Results demonstrated a

significant reduction of GSH and proliferation in & #946;-thalassemia major

cells; however treatment with silymarin led to restoration of both GSH levels

and PBMC proliferation in thalassemia patients.

Considerably low levels of GSH and depressed proliferative response of PBMC in

& #946;-thalassemia major may be responsible for the cell mediated immune

abnormalities in iron overload conditions. Moreover, the GSH restoration and

improvement of PBMC growth by silymarin is a possible explanation for its

recently reported antioxidant and immunostimulatory activities. These data

suggest the benefit of using flavonoids to normalize immune dysfunction in

& #946;-thalassemia major. The immunomodulatory effects of silymarin in

& #946;-thalassemia major are currently under further investigation in a double

blind clinical trial.

Keywords: Silymarin; Silybum marianum; Glutathione; & #946;-thalassemia major;

Oxidative stress; Immune response

Article Outline