Botanical Library
Milk Thistle
Holistic tradition
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At a glance
Where it's from
Native to the Mediterranean; now naturalized worldwide.
Look & taste
A spiny, purple-flowered thistle with white-veined leaves. Mild, nutty (seeds)
Signature compounds
Silymarin (a flavonolignan complex).
Traditionally used for
Long used in Western herbalism as a liver and gallbladder tonic.
In Canada, we can say...
Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as a liver protectant (hepatoprotectant) and to help support liver function. Also used to help relieve digestive disturbances (dyspepsia).
Did you know?
Legend says the white veins on its leaves were drops of the Virgin Mary's milk.
History & natural history
Used since ancient Greece and Rome for liver and digestive complaints.
What we're actually allowed to say
🇨🇦 Health Canada
✓ Permitted: Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as a liver protectant (hepatoprotectant) and to help support liver function. Also used to help relieve digestive disturbances (dyspepsia).
How to use it
Capsules, as directed.
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Request Milk Thistle →Side effects & safety
Check with a practitioner if pregnant, breastfeeding, or allergic to the daisy/ragweed family.
A note on how to read this page. Traditional (TCM / Ayurveda) and holistic notes are cultural and historical context, offered for education — not medical advice or health claims. Health Canada's permitted claims reflect what regulators have assessed. Emerging research is early, and not a promise of results. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always talk to your (or your pet's) health professional before starting a supplement.