Positive Health Online

Abstract

JACOBS and colleagues, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA, jacobsb@ocim.ucsf.edu, review and meta- analyze milk thistle in the treatment of liver disease .

Background

Milk thistle is taken most frequently by patients with chronic liver disease . The purpose of this review is to determine the safety and efficacy of this treatment.

Methodology

Reports through to 1999 were searched using 13 databases and reference lists, and contacting manufacturers and technical experts. All reports were screened for randomized controlled trials that evaluated milk thistle in the treatment of liver disease. Outcomes included mortality, histological findings on liver biopsy specimens, serum aminotransferase and serum albumin levels, and prothrombin times .

Results

14 trials met inclusion criteria . The overall summary odds ratio for mortality in the milk thistle group compared to placebo was 0.8 (p = 0.6 ). There were no differences found in either histological findings or biochemical parameters . The frequency of adverse effects was low and indistinguishable from placebo .

Conclusion

Treatment with milk thistle appears to be safe and well tolerated . However this study finds no evidence for beneficial effects in terms of histological findings or markers of liver function . Data are too limited to exclude a substantial benefit or harm of milk thistle on mortality, and also to recommend this herbal compound for the treatment of liver disease.

References

Jacobs BP, Dennehy C, Ramirez G, Sapp J, Lawrence VA, et al. Milk thistle for the treatment of liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Medicine 113 (6): 506-515, Oct 2002.