What is the most important information I should know about milk thistle?
Milk thistle has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All
potential risks and/or advantages of milk thistle may not be known. Additionally, there are no
regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances
where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or
other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize
the risk of contamination.
What is milk thistle?
The use of milk thistle in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts
accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements,
consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with
a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and
coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
Milk thistle is also known as holy thistle, lady's thistle, Mary thistle, Marian thistle, St.
Mary thistle, silybum, and Silybum marianum.
Milk thistle has been used for stomach and appetite complaints, liver problems,
gallbladder problems, and as an antidote to death cap (Amanita) mushroom poisoning.
Milk thistle has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All
potential risks and/or advantages of milk thistle may not be known. Additionally, there are no
regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances
where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or
other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize
the risk of contamination.
Milk thistle may also have uses other than those listed in this medication guide.
Who should not take milk thistle?
Milk thistle may inhibit the metabolism of certain drugs. Before taking milk thistle, ask
your doctor if any drugs you are taking are metabolized by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. You
may not be able to take milk thistle, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special
monitoring while you are taking it.
Before taking milk thistle, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if
you have allergies (especially to plants), have any medical conditions, or if you take other
medicines or other herbal/health supplements. Milk thistle may not be recommended in some
situations.
Do not take milk thistle without first talking to your doctor if you
are pregnant or could become pregnant. It is not known whether milk thistle will harm an unborn
baby.
Do not take milk thistle without first talking to your doctor if you
are breast-feeding a baby. It is also not known whether milk thistle will harm a nursing infant.
There is no information available regarding the use of milk thistle by children. Do
not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child's doctor.
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