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Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Asteraceae) is a well-known medicinal plant enriched with antioxidative properties beneficial for liver-related diseases. The experiment was conducted to explore the effect of different PGPs as soil-supplied mode to modulate the growth-related attributes, gas exchange parameters, and antioxidative efficiency of different milk thistle ecotypes such as Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Quetta (QTA), and Kallar Kahar (KK) under saline stresses conditions (NaCl 120 mM/irrigation water). After salinity development, ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU), and moringa leaf extract (MLE) were soil supplied with 500 µM, 250 µM, and 3% concentrations, respectively. Data conferring the growth parameters elucidate significant reduction in all growth parameters and pigment contents under salinity stress. The effect of PGPs effectively upregulates the activity of these enzymatic antioxidants and improved salt tolerance to saline field conditions with numerous additional stresses, and the order of improvement was AsA, followed by MLE and TU. The percent increase with AsA treatment was noted as GR (34.78), DHAR (1.73), MDHAR (11.83), soluble sugar (8.78), amino acid (7.47), and free proline 15.75, while percent decrease in H2O2 content was 20.56 as compared to control plants. QTA and FSD ecotypes were observed as salt-tolerant ecotypes compared to GUJ and KK.

This study will be investigating acidic corrosion of AA7051 alloy at a different temperature, and introduces milk thistle aqueous extract as a new and widely available green corrosion inhibitor. The electrochemical methods were used to measure weight loss, penetration loss, corrosion inhibition efficiency and other parameters. The data substituted in Langmuir adsorption isotherm as well as in kinetic equations. The finding exhibit high corrosion inhibition efficiency at 0.5g/L of milk thistle extract and the efficiency rose from around 72% at 293K to just over 86% at 333K. Langmuir model linear regression coefficient ( =0.98) and the slight change in corrosion potential refer to mixed-type inhibitor attach to the surface by chemisorption. FTIR spectra for crude extract supported by literatures shows the molecular structure of the main component of milk thistle extract and exhibit the O-H group as a major group participate in adsorption.

This study assessed the effects of different levels of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) meal (MTM) on egg quality traits, oxidative stability, blood biochemical parameters and liver health indices in laying hens receiving diets supplemented with lipid from different sources. For this purpose, Leghorn laying hens (Hy-Line W-36) were randomly assigned to 12 experimental treatments with eight replicates of five birds each. Dietary treatments consisted of four dietary fat sources (fish oil, sunflower oil, poultry oil and fat powder, each with different fatty acid profiles) and three levels of MTM (0.0, 15 and 30 g/kg) offered through 10 days of adaptation and 70 days of main recording. Results showed that dietary inclusion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including fish or sunflower oils, reduced serum cholesterol content but increased blood malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (p

Drought stress has an adverse effect on crop production and food quality. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) is an oil and medicinal crop known as an alternative oil crop with high level of unsaturated fatty acids, which makes it a favourable edible oil for use in food production. Silymarin (a mixture of flavonolignans) is the main active medicinal component. Biochemical diversity, changes induced by water deficit stress in secondary metabolites, and their relationships with production traits in native germplasm are poorly understood in milk thistle. Twenty-six ecotypes mainly collected from different regions of Iran were evaluated for oil, fatty acid profile, triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, silymarin and agro-morphological traits under non-stress and water stress conditions for 2 years. Water stress increased oil and silymarin content while decreasing fruit yield and related traits. The most abundant fatty acid averaged over all ecotypes under both moisture conditions was linoleic acid (L, 39%), followed by oleic acid (O, 36%), palmitic acid (P, 9%) and stearic acid (E, 6%). Among the 24 detected TAGs, the five major compositions were OOL, OLL + OOLn (linolenic), POL, OOO, LLL + OLLn and EOL. Superior ecotypes rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were identified and can be introduced as candidates for food, medicinal and industrial purposes. Associations among different attributes are discussed.

Taxifolin (dihydroquercetin) and its derivatives are medicinally important flavanonols with wide distribution in plants. These compounds have been isolated from various plants, such as milk thistle, onions, french maritime, and tamarind. In general, they are commercially generated in semi-synthetic forms. Taxifolin and related compounds are biosynthesized via phenylpropanoid pathway, and most of the biosynthetic steps have been functionally characterized. The knowledge gained through the detailed investigation of their biosynthesis has provided the foundation for the reconstruction of biosynthetic pathways. Plant and microbial based platforms are utilized for the expression of such pathways for generating taxifolin-related compounds, either by whole cell biotransformation, or through reconfiguration of the genetic circuits. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the biotechnological production of taxifolin and its derivatives. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Although milk thistle oil has been authorized as a new edible oil in many countries, there is a lack of information about its chemical and biological properties. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the phospholipid and n-alkane composition as well as the α-glucosidase and cyclooxygenase inhibitory effects of milk thistle oil. The phospholipid composition of milk thistle seed oil was determined by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry HPLC–ESI–MS method and five glycerophospholipid classes were detected: phosphatidylinositol (35.8 ± 2.31%), phosphatidylcholine (29.2 ± 1.43%), phosphatidylethanolamine (15.7 ± 1.75%), phosphatidylglycerol (12.4 ± 1.61%) and phosphatidic acid (6.9 ± 0.82%). Twenty-three phospholipid molecular species were characterized, containing mainly palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. Using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, seventeen n-alkanes were detected ranging from C14 to C35 carbon atoms. Nonacosane (13.79 ± 1.15%) was the predominant compound followed by heptacosane (9.52 ± 0.87%) and hexacosane (9.33 ± 1.21%). The carbon preference index of long-chain n-alkanes (CPI25–35) exhibited mainly odd/even predominance. The phospholipid and n-alkane composition of milk thistle oil is quite different from that of other oilseeds, indicating the possible use of those compounds as a means of determining oil authenticity. The total phenolic content of the tested oil was 10.28 ± 1.2 mg GAE/ g of oil. Furthermore, the tested oil showed moderate anti-cyclooxygenase1 capacity (IC50 = 42.3 ± 0.8 μg/mL) in comparison with the positive control aspirin. However, the inhibitory effect of milk thistle oil against α-glucosidase (IC50 = 28.4 ± 0.54 μg/mL) was similar to that of the positive control acarbose, which reveals the tested oil as a promising source of natural α-glucosidase inhibitors, proves protection against type 2 diabetes. Milk thistle oil has an excellent potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Background Extracts of milk thistle, particularly from seeds, are used as a valuable source of natural antioxidants in different industries, for example pharmaceutical and cosmetic. The leaves and flowers are also known to be a source of biologically active compounds, as well as those with an antioxidant capacity. The selection of the extraction parameters, such as type and concentration of extractant, and extraction time, have an impact on the antioxidant capacity of the obtained extracts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activities of extracts obtained using different parts of raw material. The impact of different parameters of extraction on antioxidant capacity was also assessed. Methods The seeds, flowers and leaves were extracted using a Soxhlet apparatus, ultrasound and shaking. 96% (v/v) and 70% (v/v) ethanol, concentrated methanol, acetone and petroleum ether were applied as solvents. The impact of the extraction time was also evaluated. The extracts were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and Folin-Ciocalteu techniques. Results The obtained extracts, except for the samples in petroleum ether, showed the antioxidant capacity. Soxhlet extraction, especially that which uses ethanol, methanol and acetone, seems to be a valuable extraction method. Conclusions To sum up, many factors could affect the antioxidant capacity and the total polyphenol content of Silybum marianum L. extracts. The solvent and an appropriately selected extraction method seem to be important factors in the effective isolation of active substances and could lead to the more effective application of this valuable plant material in different industries.

PurposeThe aim of the study was to analyse the quality changes in marinated herring meat depending on the moment of adding milk thistle.Design/methodology/approachOne control (C) and two experimental groups were investigated: MH (milk thistle added to a marinade solution) and FH (fillets rubbed with milk thistle before marination). The basic chemical composition, the meat colour, heavy metals concentration, fatty acids profile, quality of lipids and antioxidant capacity were determined.FindingsThe occurrence of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn was higher in the experimental group than in the control group throughout the marinating process. The peroxide value was higher from the first day in the control group than in the experimental groups. On the last day of the study, the peroxide value in the control group exceeded the maximum acceptable value. The highest level of Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances was determined in the control group on the first day, and the lowest in the FH group. On the first day, the highest percentage of DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical quenching was recorded in the FH group.Originality/valueThe results are the first to find that the addition of milk thistle to herring fillets in marinating process maintains or even improves the quality of the marinades. The process of previously coating the fillets in milk thistle and then marinating achieves a lower peroxide value, higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and a higher content of elements such as iron and manganese, which are very valuable for human health.

Modern preparations of milk thistle have been used since 1960−1970s. By their chemical nature, the active substances of milk thistle are flavonoids (flavonolignans). The preparations used are both the milk thistle flavonolignan complex (silymarin) and the most active individual substance (silybin). Preparations based on silymarin and silybin are in demand in clinical practice as hepatoprotectors; however, their serious drawbacks are low water solubility and bioavailability, which significantly reduces their therapeutic potential. In this regard, nano- and microforms of silymarin/silybin are being actively developed. The review provides information on the sources of obtaining, chemical structure, and biological activity of silymarin and silybin. The main known nano- and microforms of silymarin and silybin are considered, and the methods for their obtaining are described. These forms are obtained using one or a combination of several technological methods: dispersion, dissolution in suitable solvents, formation of inclusion complexes and solid dispersions, chemical modification, etc. The developed forms of silymarin/silybin are nanocrystals, solid dispersions, solid lipid systems, inclusion complexes, dendrisomes, liposomes, nano- and microemulsions, polymer particles, and nanocomposites. Each of these forms has a number of advantages, which, in general, include an increase in the solubility and bioavailability of silybin, prolonged/controlled release from nano- and microstructures, and an increase in stability. The development of nano- and microforms of silymarin and silybin made it possible to obtain compositions with improved physicochemical characteristics and biopharmaceutical properties, as well as a higher specific activity (including hepatoprotective, antitumor, antiviral, and antimicrobial activity), which gives grounds for expanding the therapeutic range of ​​application of drugs of this group.

Salinity stress negatively affects key physiological phenomena in plants while plants show great variability and respond differentially for tolerance to salt stress. Usually, nutrients imbalances affect specific plant tissues and physiological processes which are requisite for normal plant growth and development. The aim of this two-year (2017 and 2018) simulated field study was to investigate phenotypic plasticity for growth, relative leaf water content (RLWC) and nutrient status in milk thistle [Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.] ecotypes and the potential role of soil supplementation with pre-optimized levels of plant growth promoters (PGPs) in modulating these attributes under control and salinity (12 dS/m) stress. Four ecotypes of milk thistle were collected from three ecologically distinct zones including Faisalabad (FSD) and Kalar Kahar (KK) – semi-arid zone, Gujranwala (GUJ) – hot semi-arid zone and Quetta (QTA) – cool semi-arid zone. The studied nutrients were nitrate-N, phosphate-P, sulfate-S, sodium (Na), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca). The soil supplemented PGPs, applied with irrigation water, were ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU) and moringa leaf extract (MLE) at 250 μM, 500 μM and 3%, respectively of soil moisture content at field capacity. Results indicated that soil supplementation of PGPs in the field conditions is a feasible approach for enhancing nutrient uptake of milk thistle ecotypes under salt stress, while the effect of salinity stress restricted the uptake of the studied nutrients and caused their imbalance. Although the salinity stress reduced shoot and root dry matter, RLWC and restricted the uptake of these nutrients irrespective of ecotypes, the levels of nitrate-N, phosphate-P, K, sulfate-S, Ca, and RWC contents increased more with the soil supplementation of AsA followed by MLE as compared to other soil supplements in both the study years. Among the ecotypes, QTA followed by KK and FSD ecotypes gained more dry weight with greater leaf RWC and higher tissue nutrient contents due to PGPs under salt stress. The principal component analysis and correlation data revealed the existence of distinct phenotypic plasticity in the milk thistle ecotypes for nutrient acquisition with soil supplementation of PGPs under salinity stress. To conclude, ecotypes from QTA and KK were more promising than the others while AsA and MLE were better soil supplements in improving shoot and root nutrients under salt stress. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers

The aqueous extract of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) leaves as a green corrosion inhibitor for AA7051 aluminum alloy in sodium hydroxide solution was investigated at a range of temperatures. Potentiodynamic polarization findings exhibit a mixed–type inhibitor with directly increased inhibition efficiency with the concentration of inhibitor. The adsorption of the inhibitor on aluminum alloy obeys Langmuir isotherm and the kinetic as well as thermodynamic parameters were measured and discussed.

Silybum marianum (L.), is an important herbal medicine. Silymarin, the active component obtained from its edible seeds, is known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. This research was aimed to study the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) at four concentrations of 1250, 2500, 5000 and 10000 μmol l-1 on the improvement of phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Significant increase was found in the content of silibinin, silybin A and silybin B in plants treated with increasing concentrations of salicylic acid. The antioxidant activity was improved with increasing the SA concentration reaching the highest amount under 5000 μmol l-1 SA treatment (p < 0.05). Irrespective to the bacterial strain, an increasing pattern in the amount of antibacterial activity was found by increasing SA concentration. The study suggest that treatments with medium doses of SA could be a promising way to improve the health beneficial flavonolignans compounds of Silybum marianum resulting in a higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Nevertheless, it should be considered that the responses to SA are highly concentration dependent and application of higher concentrations can have an adverse effect by triggering a hyper sensitive cell death pathway.

Silymarin is an extract from the seeds (fruits) of Silybum marianum that contains flavonolignans and flavonoids. Although it is frequently used as a hepatoprotective agent, its application remains somewhat debatable, in particular, due to the low oral bioavailability of flavonolignans. Moreover, there are claims of its potential interactions with concomitantly used drugs. This review aims at a systematic summary and critical assessment of known information on the pharmacokinetics of particular silymarin flavonolignans. There are two known major reasons for poor systemic oral bioavailability of flavonolignans: (1) rapid conjugation in intestinal cells or the liver and (2) efflux of parent flavonolignans or formed conjugates back to the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract by intestinal cells and rapid excretion by the liver into the bile. The metabolism of phase I appears to play a minor role, in contrast to extensive conjugation and indeed the unconjugated flavonolignans reach low plasma levels after common doses. Only about 1%-5% of the administered dose is eliminated by the kidneys. Many in vitro studies tested the inhibitory potential of silymarin and its components toward different enzymes and transporters involved in the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of xenobiotics. In most cases, effective concentrations are too high to be relevant under real biological conditions. Most human studies showed no silymarin-drug interactions explainable by these suggested interferences. More interactions were found in animal studies, likely due to the much higher doses administered.

Powdered nettle leaf and milk thistle (MT) seed were added to the cake batter with certain percentages selected by the Design‐Expert v. 10 software (0–25, 25–0, 18.75–6.25, 6.25–18.75, and 12.5–12.5). Addition of nettle and MT seeds to the cake reduced the moisture content, volume, and springiness and increased hardness of the samples. 12.5% nettle‐12.5% MT seed had the least hardness and the highest amount of springiness and cohesiveness. The highest BI, WI, SI, L*, a*, and b* and the lowest ΔE were observed in 12.5% nettle‐12.5% MT seed and 25% MT seed samples, respectively. Antioxidant activity and antimicrobial properties were increased in all samples compared to the control sample, so that 6.25% nettle‐18.75% MT exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and antimicrobial properties. The highest levels of quercetin and silymarin were observed in 25% nettle and 25% MT seeds, respectively. In the sensory evaluation, 12.5% nettle‐12.5% MT seed took the best scores regarding flavor, texture, color, and overall acceptance. Based on the lowest hardness, 13.65% nettle‐11.34% MT seed was determined as optimized points by the software, which was equivalent to desirability of 0.72. The optimum sample contained 62.90 mg quercetin and 886.70 mg silymarin. According to the HPLC analysis results, consumption of 10 optimal cakes daily could theoretically decrease the blood sugar level, which requires further studies. The remaining amount of quercetin and silymarin in 2.5 g of nettle leaves and 2.5 g of MT seeds after heating was 11 and 19 mg, respectively. In other words, heat did not have much effect on the destruction of quercetin and silymarin., Proved that nettle leaf and milk thistle (MT) have therapeutic effect on human diseases and antioxidant activity. Highest BI, SI, L*, b*, and a* were found in sample containing 12.5% nettle and 12.5% MT seed. Optimum mixture had 0.023% w/w quercetin and 0.038% w/w silymarin.

Silybum marianum L. commonly known as milk thistle is a medicinally potent plant with a multitude of pharmacological applications. The present investigations demonstrated the effects of Zinc Oxide ...

Milk thistle seeds are a unique source of biologically active substances. The oilseed crop studied is used in various fields, both for food purposes, animal husbandry and in medicine. The characteristics of milk thistle oil were considered in the work. Milk thistle seeds are known to contain 35% vegetable oil (seed fat). The oil was obtained with cold pressing. Milk thistle seed oil was chosen as the object of study. Using an experimental extruder, the oil was obtained under the following modes: the annular gap of the grain chamber - 1.25 mm, the screw rotation speed - 190 rpm, the pressing temperature - 353 K. A comparative study of the fatty acid composition of milk thistle oil components with literary sources was carried out. Gas-liquid chromatography on a Chromotek 5000 device was used to determine the composition of the components according to the GOST 31665-2012 method. The calculation for the components of milk thistle oil on the basis of which the chromatograms were obtained for the amount of fatty acids was made. It was found out that the characteristics of the test sample are comparable with the literature data, but they also have differences, since other fatty acids were found in the oil. 24 fatty acids were identified by gas chromatographic analysis. The following ratio of fatty acids was determined: linoleic - 53%, oleic - 26%, palmitic - 8%, stearic (5%), arachidic (3%) and behenic (2%). The sample under study contains saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. According to the results of the vitamin composition analysis milk thistle oil contains vitamins A, E and K and minor β-carotene traces which are a valuable source for diet and preventive nutrition.

Silymarin ‘milk thistle’ (Silybum marianum) plant, has been used for years for treatment of different diseases such as liver and gallbladder disorders, protecting liver against snake bite and insect stings, mushroom poisoning and alcohol abuse. Silymarin has antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidative, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and liver regeneration activities. The cardioprotective activities of silymarin were primarily shown in cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity in rat models. These effects are due to replenishing endogenous antioxidant enzymes, suppressing neutrophil infiltration, and reducing serum malondialdehyde as the end product of myocardial lipid peroxide. Silymarin treatment protects against reperfusion damage and inflammation by confirming anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Silymarin antioxidant properties is considered responsible for its cardio-protective activities. The mechanisms by which silymarin protects the heart remain largely unexplored. In this review, we will discuss in detail the cardioprotective properties of silymarin.

The hepatoprotective properties of the silymarin and the plant alkaloid berberine combinationin experimental paracetamol-inducedliver damage were studied. Silymarin was obtained from milk thistle seeds. The conditions for extraction of flavonolignans (silymarin) were optimized. 70 % ethyl alcohol, ethyl acetate and water were used as extractants. It was shown that the optimal conditions for the extraction of flavonolignans in order to obtain the maximum yield of flavonolignans were alcohol extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus. The experiment showed that the combined of silymarin and berberine was greater than their individual actions, which most effectively permitted stabilization of hepatocyte membranes and prevented altering their integrity in paracetamol-induced toxic liver damage. The self-emulsifying system with silymarin and berberine to a greater extent a significant extent prevented dystrophic changes in hepatocytes and necrosis in liver tissue, reduced hyperfermentemia in rat blood serum, prevented disturbance in the activity of thioredoxin reductase and enzymes of the glutathione antioxidant system and there by more effectively prevented hepatocyte functional impairment.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of milk thistle, methiphene, and silimevit on the liver's protein-synthesizing function of laying hens in examination chronic cadmium toxicosis. Thirty-two chickens, 78 weeks old, were selected for the study. Four groups were formed: control and three experimental. Birds of the experimental group (E1) with fodder were fed the fruits of milk thistle at a dose of 2.0 g/kg of feed once a day for 30 days. Chickens of the experimental group (E2) were fed metifen at a dose of 0.28 g / kg of nutrition once a day for 30 days. Hens of the experimental group (E3) were fed silymevit at a dose of 0.36 g/kg of feed nutrition once a day for 30 days. The results showed that the total protein content and its plasma fractions of birds vary throughout the research in poultry control and experimental groups. Thus, in the blood of laying hens subjected to cadmium loading, a decrease in their blood of total protein and albumin fraction was found. Under the cadmium toxicosis of chickens, milk thistle, metifen, and silimevit positively affect the liver's protein-synthesizing function, as indicated by an increase in the total protein level and albumin. Feeding with milk thistle and silymevit contributed to a better normalizing effect on the liver's protein-synthesizing function than the use of metifen.

CE method for the baseline separation of structurally similar flavonolignans silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silychristin, silydianin, and their precursor taxifolin in silymarin complex has been developed and validated. The optimized background electrolyte was 100 mmol/L boric acid (pH 9.0) containing 5 mmol/L heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-β-CD and 10% (v/v) of methanol. The separation was carried out in an 80.5/72 cm (50 μm id) fused silica capillary at +25 kV with UV detection at 200 nm. Genistein (10 μg/mL) was used as internal standard. The resolution between the diastereomers of silybin and isosilybin was 1.73 and 2.59, respectively. The method was validated for each analyte in a concentration range of 2.5-50 μg/mL. The calibration curves were rectilinear with correlation coefficients ≥0.9972. The method was applied to determine flavonolignans in two dietary supplements containing Silybum marianum extract. The accuracy was evaluated by comparing the results of the CE analyses of the dietary supplements with those of the reference United States Pharmacopeial HPLC method. The unpaired t-test did not show a statistically significant difference between the results of both the proposed CE and the reference method (p > 0.05, n = 3).

The aim of the research is to study the intensity of heavy metals accumulation in milk thistle leaf mass under fertilization with the latest types of fertilizers and to assess the environmental safety of such raw materials. Two experiments were laid in the research: the effect of fertilizing milk thistle with organo-mineral fertilizer Growth-concentrate on the intensity heavy metals accumulation by its leaf mass; the effect of fertilizing milk thistle with chelated fertilizers Phosphorus-chelate and Potassium-chelate on the intensity on heavy metals accumulation by the leaf mass. The use of a chelated Phosphorus chelate fertilizer for the fertilization of milk thistle crops leads to a 1.1 times decrease in the contamination of its leaf mass with cadmium and copper in comparison with the option without fertilizing its crops, and the increase in the concentration of lead and zinc compared to the control is insignificant and is within the range errors of experience. The use of fertilization of crops of milk thistle chelated fertilizer Potassium-chelate helps to reduce the contamination of its leaf mass with cadmium compared to the control, and the change in its contamination with copper is within the margin of error. At the same time, replacing the Growth-concentrate fertilizer with Phosphorus-chelate or Potassium-chelate when fertilizing milk thistle crops will lead to a decrease in the contamination of its leaf mass with lead, cadmium and copper, but will increase the contamination with zinc, compared to the control. The most environmentally safe leaf raw material of milk thistle in terms of lead, cadmium and copper content will be observed when fertilizing its crops with chelated fertilizers Phosphorus-chelate, and in terms of zinc content – when fertilizing with organo-mineral fertilizer Growth-concentrate. It is advisable to use Phosphorus-chelate fertilizer for the plant fertilization to reduce the contamination of the leaf mass of the medicinal raw material of milk thistle with heavy metals, in particular cadmium – by 9 % and copper – by 11 %,. To reduce contamination of the leaf mass with zinc by 81 %, it is recommended to use the organic-mineral fertilizer Growth-concentrate. Key words: milk thistle, medicinal raw materials, environmental safety, heavy metals, pollution, fertilizers.

The main objective of current study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential and nutritional composition of milk thistle with special reference to silymarin. For the purpose, different varieties of milk thistle were procured from three different cities of Pakistan. The study was comprised of three different phases. In 1st phase, nutritional composition, that is, moisture, fat, protein, fiber, and nitrogen free extract, was determined according to their respective methods. Moreover, antioxidant potential and quantification of silymarin content were explored in 2nd phase. Furthermore, in last phase, milk thistle seeds tea was developed and evaluated for nutritional and sensorial characteristics. At last, data obtained from each parameter was subjected to appropriate statistical design to determine the level of significance. Results showed significant difference in the nutritional and chemical composition of different milk thistle varieties as well as locations. Moreover, moisture content, ash content, fat content, fiber content, protein content, and NFE varied from 6.27% to 5.01%, 2.37 to 1.25%, 23.19 to 19.74%, 7.4 to 4.39%, 30.09 to 20.74%, and 45.42 to 34.13%, respectively. Furthermore, silymarin content quantified though HPLC ranged from 1669.5 mg/g to 1607.6 mg/g for soxhlet extract whereas, 1,840.6 mg/g to 1765.9 mg/g for microwave‐assisted extraction extract. Conclusively, it was depicted from the results that in case of variety, Blue was the best than White whereas, Islamabad was best in case of location., Milk thistle is safe, well tolerated in different preparation form and producing no any serious side effects. Milk thistle seeds can be used in raw form or made into a tea. Milk thistle seed tea has significant attention, both in scientific and consumer communities owing to its health benefits against variety of maladies. Furthermore, it is exposed that overall anti‐oxidant level improves in humans by using milk thistle tea. The free radicals quenching ability of milk thistle tea is better than black tea.

The Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) frequently contaminate grain crops, especially maize, the basis of poultry's feed. Mycotoxins enter the food chain and induce pathological changes in edible tissues. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for the treatment of liver disease in humans because of its antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects, but its utility in veterinary use is poorly examined. To investigate possible protective properties against mycotoxin caused oxidative stress in poultry, pressed form of milk thistle seed (0.5%) was tested in white, female, Hungarian ducks over a feeding period of 47 days. Ducks were separated into 3 groups. The first group was fed with normal diet. The second group was fed with normal diet contaminated with DON (4.9 mg/kg) and ZEA (0.66 mg/kg). The third group received mycotoxin contaminated feed with milk thistle supplementation. Histological examination, markers of the redox status and metal element concentration measurements were carried out. The results showed alterations in the histological examination and in the redox homeostasis markers as a short-term effect by strengthening the antioxidant system. Acute exposure of mycotoxins caused an oxidative stress, which induced an effective antioxidant defensive response of the organism indicated by the free sulfhydryl group content (from 0.72 ± 0.06 to 0.77 ± 0.11) and the reducing power (0.49 ± 0.06 to 0.52 ± 0.08) elevation. The short-term free radical injury may be compensated by the liver resulting in decreased lipid peroxidation markers (malondialdehyde concentration: from 16.86 ± 0.49 to 0.94 ± 0.15, conjugated diene concentration: from 0.21 ± 0.07 to 0.17 ± 0.03). Silymarin further strengthtened the antioxidant defense by the elevation of sulfhydryl groups concentration and reducing power property resulted in decreased total scavenger capacity. However the concentration of lipid peroxidation markers were further elevated by the used antioxidant treatment (MDA: 5.2 ± 0.35, DC: 0.26 ± 0.08). In conclusion, the mycotoxin-contamination activated effectively the antioxidant system. The milk thistle supplementation has cytoprotective effects according to the histological findings, activated the antioxidant system, however the elevation of lipid peroxidation products need further explanation.

Medicinal plants are sources of nutrients, may contain one, two or more active ingredients that can provide certain medicinal properties in a living organism. Such plants include milk thistle, which is gaining popularity. Today, the quality of medicinal raw materials is relevant, because milk thistle has a high intensity of accumulation of various toxicants. Recently, this plant has been grown in field crop rotations, the soils of which are contaminated with various toxicants, including heavy metals. Therefore, there is a need to study the intensity of heavy metal contamination of milk thistle, grown in agricultural crop rotations. Milk thistle has biologically active substances, macro- and microelements in the most accessible and digestible form and is one of the factors of the positive effect of its use in medicine, pharmacology, food industry, animal husbandry and crop production. Toxic substances have a negative impact on the quality of medicinal raw materials, can accumulate in plants due to man-made pressure on the environment. These toxicants, entering the human and animal body, can interact with proteins, nucleic acids, change the activity of enzymes, disrupt their biological and transport properties, which can ultimately lead to negative consequences. The influence of mineral fertilization of milk thistle on the intensity of copper accumulation in its leaf mass and seeds has been studied. It was found that when feeding milk thistle with mineral fertilizers, there is an increase in leaf mass and copper seeds. In particular, for the use of ammonium nitrate - 1.25 and 1.4 times; superphosphate simple - 1.14 and 1.2 times; potassium chloride - 1.16 and 1.2 times; mixtures of NPK fertilizers - 1.53 and 1.1 times. Key words: heavy metals, intensity, copper, mineral fertilizers, milk thistle, concentration, danger coefficient, accumulation coefficient.

The object of the study was partially skimmed fruits (meal) of milk Thistle [Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.], growing on the territory of the Republic of Dagestan. The aim of the study was to determine the protein content in the meal of milk Thistle fruits and its amino acid composition; assessment of the biological value of the studied protein. It was found that partially skimmed fruits of milk Thistle contain 21.72% protein, which is about 2 times more than the seeds of grain crops. The composition of milk Thistle protein by ion exchange and liquid chromatography identified and quantified 18 amino acids, including all essential amino acids, which account for 30.11% of the protein. In the composition of the protein in greater quantities than in the protein standard found essential amino acids: phenylalanine+tyrosine, threonine, isoleucine and valine. Arginine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, and serine have been found to be the most abundant of the amino acids in milk Thistle protein. It is established that the protein of milk Thistle fruits is comparable to the protein of winter wheat and rye varieties by formal indicators of biological value, and significantly exceeds the protein of sunflower meal.

Presently, the use of plant components with antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects is of particular interest for the preparation of biologically active additives in animal husbandry. Of great biological value as components of herbal supplements are Japanese kelp (Laminaria japonica) and spotted milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L). Gaertn), a wide range of biological action of which is due to the rich chemical composition. The uniqueness of spotted milk thistle lies in the content of silymarin − flavolignan with pronounced hepatoprotective properties, used throughout the world for the manufacture of medicines with a pronounced hepatoprotective effect. Another feature of milk thistle is its rich macro- and microelement composition, which, among other things, includes such a rare essential element as selenium (22.90 mg per 1 g of seeds), the deficiency of which in food and feed leads to the development of endemic microelementoses in humans and animals. The biological feature of Japanese laminaria is the presence in its composition of alginic acid, its salts, mannitol, laminarin and fucoidan, which have immunomodulating, antimicrobial, antacid, antiallergic and hemostatic activity, as well as a large number of minerals (26.6-32.9 % by weight of dry matter) and vitamins. Laminaria japonica thallus are rich in organic iodine, the content of which in the extracts amounts to 5.4 mg/g, which is important in the conditions of iodine deficiency, which is present at the most territory of Russia and the world. At the same time, the problem of the use of these plants as dietary supplements for animals is still under study. There is very little data on the effect of each plant on the productivity of farm animals and the quality of their products, and no information about their joint use has been obtained yet.

Sofosbuvir (S) (sovaldi) is a nucleotide analog, which is a highly active NS5B polymerase inhibitor in HCV. Sovaldi has shown high efficacy against HCV in combination with and without PEG-INF, among other medications. Ribavirin (R) is an antiviral drug which is non-selective, antihepatitis. Ribavirin has only been used in combination for treating chronic HCV infection. Silymarin (SL) is a natural antioxidant derived from the seeds and fruits of the Silybum marianum plant(Milk thistle). It's known for its impact on hepatoprotection. The goal of this study is to determine the protective effect of silymarin on the chromosome and sperm as a natural product against the side effects of sofosbuvir and ribavirin as an antiviral drug. Intraperitoneally (i.p.), male albino mice (weight 25–30 g) were injected with Sofosbuvir at a dose level of 50 mg / kg / day, ribavirin at a dose level of 20, mg / kg / day, and Silymarin at a dose level of 70 mg / kg / day injections for five consecutive days, by various means. Mice were slaughtered 24 hours later. Chromosomal abnormalities and morphology of the sperm head were studied using classical cytogenetic methods. Tests showed that Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin caused abnormalities in the structural chromosomal aberration and sperm head. Although silymarin induces reduction in all injected forms of these abnormalities.

The influence of the addition of partially defatted milk thistle seed flour was studied by analyzing the rheological properties of dough in order to further exploit the functionality of partially defatted milk thistle flour in bakery products. The rheological properties of dough were monitored using Mixolab 2 (Chopin Technologies, France). A rheofermentometer F4 (Chopin Technologies, France) was used to check the dough fermentation, and for the baking trials wheat flour, rye flour, and milk thistle flour were kept in the portion: 50:50:0 (control flour); 50:45:5; 50:40:10 and 50:35:15. The addition of different milk thistle flour in the mixtures resulted in a difference in the viscoelastic properties of the dough. The results showed a weakening of the gluten network in all trial mixtures evaluated. The dough development time values of the control flour were 1.20 min, while an addition of milk thistle flour in portions of 5, 10, and 15% increased these values to 1.30 min, 1.90 min, and 2,80 min, respectively. In addition to higher dough development time values, all trial mixtures exhibited also higher stability (5.07 min; 6.25 min and 8.03 min), when compared to the control flour (4.63 min). The trial mixture with 15% milk thistle flour had different characteristics of gelatinization and retrogradation. The rheofermentometer measured the dough characteristics during proofing, and the trial mixtures with the addition of MTF had a retention volume at approximately the same level as the control flour (WRF). The Volscan profiler was used to determine the bread volume and other parameters. All breads had high volume and specific volume values and can be rated as good, with good porosity and ratio. Mixtures containing 5%, 10% and 15% milk thistle flour added to wheat flour + rye flour maintained rheological parameters within the recommended limits for good technological behavior and, consequently, good quality of bakery products. From all of the above data, it can be stated that, with regard to their baking characteristics, these flour mixtures fall into the category of flours suitable for bakery products.

Silibinin is the most active flavonolignan constituent of Silymarin, the extract of milk thistle seeds. In this study, we investigated the anticancer properties and molecular mechanisms of silibinin on colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.HCT-116 cells were used to investigate the effects of silibinin on proliferation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs), apoptosis and signaling pathways underlying these functions by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assay, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blot, Acridine orange/propidium iodide double staining, migration and sphere formation assay.Silibinin significantly suppressed HCT-116 cells proliferation and migration and induced the apoptosis via increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Silibinin down-regulated cancer stemness markers; prominin-1 (CD133), CD44, BMI1, Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), and doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) of HCT-116 cell line. Silibinin attenuated EMT through decreased expression of N- cadherin and vimentin and increased expression of (E-cadherin). Furthermore, silibinin decreased the β-catenin gene and protein expression.Our study revealed that silibinin maintains various antitumor activities such as induction of apoptosis, suppression of migration, elimination of CSCs and attenuation of EMT related markers in CRC cells. These underlying anti-tumor mechanisms of silibinin are likely to act through the blockage of the β-catenin signaling pathway, which is the key component of Wnt signaling pathway, one of the hallmarks of CRC development.

Background and Aim: Despite the availability of antidiabetic drugs, they are not free from associated adverse side effects. This study aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of oral administration of seeds from two medicinal plants: (1) Milk thistle and (2) fenugreek. Materials and Methods: Plant seeds were washed in distilled water and ground with a coffee grinder. Alloxan was used to induce diabetes in 20 male albino rats. Diabetic rats were randomly divided into two groups: (1) Group 1 (n=10), diabetic rats fed with 0.5 g/kg milk thistle and 2 g/kg fenugreek seeds per day and (2) Group 2 (n=10), diabetic rats fed standard rodent food for 4 weeks. Results: Oral administration of milk thistle and fenugreek seeds for 2 weeks resulted in significant improvement in body weight, blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. After 4 weeks, this ameliorative effect was significantly elevated with respect to blood glucose (155.00±9.70 mg/ dL vs. 427.50±5.70 mg/dL; p

Increased use of vancomycin for treating infections, and the associated risk of causing nephrotoxicity lead to the present study. The antioxidant and anti-apoptotic potential of Silybum marianum is used along with vancomycin to reduce adverse effects on the kidney. Vero cells (monkey kidney cells) and mice were used to test S. marianum extract on vancomycin induced nephrotoxicity. Vero cells were treated with different concentrations of vancomycin and S. marianum for 24 h for determination of cytotoxic potential and mRNA levels of apoptotic genes p53 , p21, and cyt-c were measured. For in-vivo studies mice were divided into five groups; G1 control (untreated), G2 vehicle (olive oil), G3 vancomycin treated (300 mg/kg body weight), G4 (S. marianum; 400 mg/kg bodyweight and vancomycin 300 mg/kg bodyweight simultaneously) and G5 (S. marianum 400 mg/kg bodyweight and vancomycin 300 mg/kg bodyweight treatment started after day 4 of S. marianum treatment). After 10 days histopathological analysis of mice kidneys was performed, serum urea and creatinine were analysed and mRNA expression of p53 , p21, and cyt-c was evaluated. Expression of p53, p21, and cyt-c in Vero cells was elevated in response to vancomycin treatment, whereas after S. marianum administration expression of these genes reduced. Vancomycin showed apoptosis in cells at the concentration of 6 mg/ml (LC50). Urea and creatinine levels in mice were increased in response to vancomycin administration and kidney histology showed an abnormality in functional units. The apoptotic cells were very visible in kidney structure in vancomycin treated group. These symptoms were however relieved in groups where treatment of S. marianum extract was given. mRNA expression of p53 , p21, and cyt-c also reduced in S. marianum treated groups of mice. S. marianum extract has protective effects against renal damage from vancomycin induced oxidative stress and relieves symptoms may be by downregulating apoptotic genes.

Silymarin is a polyphenolic flavonoid mixture isolated from milk thistle which is believed to be responsible for the plant’s hepatoprotective action. Silymarin is hepatoprotective flavonoid drug available as bio marker in Silybun marianum (common name milk thistle). Silymarin is being used in treatment of various liver disease of different etiology because of its hepatoprotective action. Phytochemicals are playing a vital role for the treatment of different types of diseases and still used in both traditional and modern medication system. The phytochemical analysis of milk thistle seeds extract indicated that the plant is rich in secondary compounds. The results revealed that milk thistle seeds contain high amount of total phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant compounds. The antibacterial activities of the ethanol seeds extract of milk thistle was tested against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aures) and Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella entirica). Antibacterial effects of crude extract were performed using modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique to determine the zone of inhibition. The results demonstrated that ethanol seeds extract of milk thistle is shown strong inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aures and Salmonella entirica compared to the control. Also, milk thistle seeds extract showed highly anticancer activity. This medicinal plant could be developed into affordable and safe standardized herbal products and may serve as a source of new molecules for broad-spectrum anticancer, antimicrobial agents.

Recently, thorny (Silybum marianum) plants have gained considerable popularity in Ukraine. In addition to the proven medicinal properties of this plant for the prevention of human diseases, the use of milk thistle in other areas is increasing. Milk thistle is used as a vegetable plant because its young leaves have nutritional value. It is also grown as a valuable summer honey plant capable of producing honey at 50–70 kg of honey per hectare.Increasingly, there are reports of the introduction of thistle spotted into the modern crop rotation. However, often the technology of growing it has not yet been studied, so traditional technologies are used, which are adapted to regional conditions for the cultivation of spring early crops of a wide-row sowing method. The control of zinc content, like other toxicants, in vegetative mass and seeds of milk thistle, due to insufficient study of this culture, is very rare. This requires further study of the intensity of zinc accumulation in milk thistle plants with modern cultivation technologies that involve the use of a wide range of mineral fertilizers.Field studies were conducted during 2017–2019 on gray medium loam soil in the farms of Vinnytsia region. Sow thistle spotted in spring time using five fertilizer options: applying nitrogen fertilizer ammonium nitrate, phosphorus fertilizer superphosphate is simple, potassium fertilizer potassium chloride, fertilizer mixtures: ammonium nitrate, superphosphate simple, potassium chloride. Based on the results of laboratory analysis of zinc content in leaf mass and seed thistle spotted, the accumulation coefficient was calculated as the ratio of zinc content in the plant to the content of mobile zinc forms in the soil and the hazard ratio as the ratio of zinc content in the plant to MPC.The intensity of zinc accumulation by the leaf mass and seeds of the milk thistle for feeding it with mineral fertilizers was studied. The accumulation coefficient and the hazard coefficient of zinc in the leaf mass and seeds of the milk thistle for feeding it with ammonium nitrate, potassium chloride, and superphosphate were established. It is proved that with the use of fertilizers less zinc is accumulated by the seeds of milk thistle when using a mixture of ammonium nitrate, simple superphosphate and potassium chloride, and leaf mass — potassium chloride. The highest level of zinc accumulation by leaf mass and silybum seeds was observed when fertilizing crops with ammonium nitrate.When using potassium chloride as a fertilizer, the zinc content in the leaf mass of silybum thistle increased by 14.5%, simple superphosphate — by 15.8%, a mixture of ammonium nitrate, simple superphosphate and potassium chloride — by 42.7%, ammonium nitrate — by 81.6%. The use of a mixture of ammonium nitrate, simple superphosphate and potassium chloride causes an increase in the zinc content in the dry matter of the seeds of milk thistle by 11.8% compared to the version without fertilizing. The introduction of simple superphosphate contributes to an increase in zinc content by 17.2%, potassium chloride — by 23.4%, ammonium nitrate — by 26.9%.

Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignans extracted from the fruit of Silybum marianum (milk thistle). The latter is used as a medicinal plant to treat liver and gallbladder disorders. Recently, silymarin has been investigated for its effects against diabetes mellitus, and shown to reduce serum levels of glucose in model animals and in clinical trials. This effect can be explained mainly by the protective effect of silymarin against pancreatic beta-cells, but the involvement of other mechanisms is possible. We demonstrated the α-amylase inhibitory activity of silymarin and investigated the components responsible for this effect. Two major flavonolignans, silibinin and silychristin, did not show inhibition against α-amylase, but two novel silychristin derivatives conjugated with dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol were isolated as the mildly inhibiting components of silymarin. Further analyses indicated the presence of various silychristin derivatives in silymarin that may act synergistically to show α-amylase inhibitory activity.[Formula: see text].

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the changes in testicular tissue and cell count, testicular oxidative stress and some metabolic blood parameters of male broiler Japanese quails fed with high energy diet and milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seed. One hundred-twenty male 15-day-old Japanese quail chicks were divided into 4 equal groups with 30 each. The applications in each group were repeated 3 times with 10 animals each. Control group was fed with basal diet. Milk thistle seed group was fed with diet including 1% milk thistle seed. High energy diet group was fed with high energy diet including 10% corn syrup. High energy diet + milk thistle seed group was fed with high energy diet including 10% corn syrup along with 1% milk thistle seed. The feeding period in all groups was 35 days. When the quails reached 50 days old, a total of 48, 12 from each group (4 from each replication) were euthanized and blood samples and testes were collected. Compared with the control group, significant increases in body weight, serum cholesterol and glucose level, aspartate aminotransferase activity and testicular malondialdehyde level; however, significant decreases in serum testosterone level, testicular glutathione peroxidase activity, counts of round and elongated spermatid and sperm as well as histopathologically, significant decreases in seminiferous tubular diameter and seminiferous epithelium thickness, and marked disorganization in germinal cells were determined in quails fed with high energy diet. It was observed that almost all of the disturbances in testicular tissue, cell number, oxidant-antioxidant balance and metabolic blood parameters caused by feeding with high energy diet were significantly prevented by supplementation of milk thistle seed to the diet with high energy. On the other hand, alone milk thistle seed and high energy diet + milk thistle seed administrations decreased body weight in comparison to control and high energy diet groups. As a result, feeding with high energy diet causes disturbances in testes of male quails by affecting liver metabolic functions and testicular oxidant-antioxidant balance, but milk thistle seed addition to diet plays a protective role.

One of the most pressing problems of modern science is the systematic study of natural processes, forecasting and complex assessment of changes in the environment under the influence of anthropogenic load. Blood composition is a relatively constant indicator, which is at the same time one of the labile systems of laying hens. Physiological processes that occur in the body, largely affect the quality of blood. Hematological studies make it possible to study in more detail the effect of cadmium on the body of chickens, on the basis of which a more specific development of the scheme of treatment and prevention of cadmium toxicosis in poultry is possible. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of milk thistle, methifene and silymevitis on the morphological indices of laying hens in the development of chronic cadmium toxicosis. 32 laying hens, 78 weeks of age, were selected for the study. Four experimental groups were formed: control and three experimental. The control group (C) chickens and the three experimental groups were cadmium sulfate 4 mg/kg body weight in water. The chickens of the experimental group E1 with feed were fed the fruits of milk thistle spotted at a dose of 2.0 g/kg of feed once a day for 30 days. The chickens of the E2 experimental group were fed methifene at a dose of 0.28 g/kg of feed once a day for 30 days with feed. The chickens of the E3 experimental group were fed a sylimevit at a dose of 0.36 g/kg of feed once a day for 30 days. Drinking cadmium sulphate to laying hens at a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight contributed to a decrease in red blood cell count, hemoglobin level and an increase in leukocyte counts. With cadmium load of laying hens, milk thistle, methifene and sylimevit have a positive effect on the morphological parameters of the blood. In chronic cadmium toxicosis in laying hens, the best normalizing effect on the morphological parameters of the blood of experimental chickens is sylimevit, compared with methifene and milk thistle.

Silymarin, milk thistle (Silybum marianum) extract, contains a mixture of mostly isomeric bioactive flavonoids and flavonolignans that are extensively studied, especially for their possible liver-protective and anticancer effects. Because of the differing bioactivities of individual isomeric compounds, characterization of their proportion in a mixture is highly important for predicting its effect on health. However, because of silymarin's complexity, this is hardly feasible by common analytical techniques. In this work, ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with drift tube ion mobility spectrometry and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used. Eleven target silymarin compounds (taxifolin, isosilychristin, silychristins A and B, silydianin, silybins A and B, 2,3-cis-silybin B, isosilybins A and B and 2,3-dehydrosilybin) and five unknown flavonolignan isomers detected in the milk thistle extract were fully separated in a 14.5-min analysis run. All the compounds were characterized on the basis of their accurate mass, retention time, drift time, collision cross section and fragmentation spectra. The quantitative approach based on evaluation of the ion mobility data demonstrated lower detection limits, an extended linear range and total separation of interferences from the compounds of interest compared with the traditional approach based on evaluation of liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry data. The following analysis of a batch of milk thistle-based food supplements revealed significant variability in the silymarin pattern, especially in the content of silychristin A and silybins A and B. This newly developed method might have high application potential, especially for the characterization of materials intended for bioactivity studies in which information on the exact silymarin composition plays a crucial role. Graphical Abstract.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been identified as one of the most deadly malignancies with limited therapeutic efficacy worldwide. However, understanding the molecular mechanisms of crosstalk between signaling pathways in HCC and predicting cancer cell responses to targeted therapeutic interventions remain to be challenge. Thus, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the anticancerous efficacy of Silybum marianum total extract (STE), silymarin (Sm), and silibinin (Sb) against experimentally-induced HCC in rats. In vitro investigations were also performed and the anticancer effects against HCC cell lines (HepG2 and Huh7) were confirmed. Wistar rats were given diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF)/carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and were orally treated with STE (200 mg/kg body weight (bw)), Sm (150 mg/kg bw), and Sb (5 mg/kg bw) every other day from the 1st or 16th week to the 25th week of DEN/AAF/CCl4 injection. Treatment with STE, Sm, and Sb inhibited the growth of cancerous lesions in DEN/AAF/CCl4-treated rats. This inhibition was associated with inhibition of Ki-67 expression and repression of HGF/cMet, Wnt/β-catenin, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. STE, Sm, and Sb improved liver function biomarkers and tumor markers (AFP, CEA, and CA19.9) and increased total protein and albumin levels in serum. STE, Sm, and Sb treatment was also noted to reduce the hepatic production of lipid peroxides, increase hepatic glutathione content, and induce the activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes in DEN/AAF/CCl4-treated rats. These results indicate that STE, Sm, and Sb exert anti-HCC effects through multiple pathways, including suppression of Ki-67 expression and HGF/cMet, Wnt/β-catenin, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways and enhancement of antioxidant defense mechanisms.

From ancient times, herbs have been considered as food materials as well as medicinal values which help to minimize the risk of various diseases like cardiovascular disorders, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, diabetes, and cancer, etc. Nowadays, herbal medicine (HM) has become the bondage of complementary and alternative medicine and continuously introducing into the mainstream of healthcare systems. Herbs are the sources of various active phytoconstituents like flavonoids, alkaloids, carotenoids, carbohydrates, coumarins, lignans, polyphenolics, saponins, terpenoids, and plant sterols. Flavonoids are important secondary metabolites in HMs showing usefulness for human health due to their antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiinflammatory activities. Herbal flavonoids act as free radical scavengers due to the presence of hydroxyl groups which prevent oxidative damage. The six main groups of flavonoids like flavonols, flavan-3-ols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, and anthocyanidins are available in the world of HMs. The most vulgarly applied herbal flavonoids include chamomile, dandelion, ginkgo, green tea, hawthorn, licorice, passionflower, milk thistle, onions, rosemary, sage, thyme, and yarrow. Herbal flavonoids have extensive biological properties that improve human health and help to prevent the risk of various diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, CNS disorders, diabetes, inflammation, and improve the immune system of human health. The main objective of this chapter is to highlight the description of HM, sources of herbal flavonoids, classification of herbal flavonoids, and their chemical structure, application in the healthcare system.

The present study was performed to examine the effect of an artichoke and milk thistle consumption on liver function, kidney function, and lipid profiles. The chemical constituents were determined for the tested dried artichoke and milk thistle. This search was carried out using 72 adult male white albino rats randomly classified into two main groups. The first main group (36 rats) fed on a basal diet containing 20% - 40% artichoke and 20% - 40% milk thistle (acute liver failure groups). The second main group (36 rats) fed on a basal diet containing 20% - 40% artichoke and 20% - 40% milk thistle (acute renal failure groups).Then, the main groups were divided into six subgroups for each (n = 6). Results revealed that all groups treated with CCl4 or glycerol/ saline solution and administrated with different levels of dried artichoke and milk thistle (20% -40%) had a significant decrease in their liver function, kidney function, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c and VLDL-c cholesterol compared with the positive control group. On the other hand, a significant increase in HDL-c was recorded in all groups administrated with dried artichoke and milk thistle (20% -40%) compared with the control positive group. The results indicated that the consumption of artichokes and milk thistle could help in reducing the symptoms of acute liver and renal failure.

Milk thistle-based dietary supplements have become increasingly popular. The extract from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is often used for the treatment of liver diseases because of the presence of its active component, silymarin. However, the co-occurrence of toxic mycotoxins in these preparations is quite frequent as well. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in composition of liver lipidome and other clinical characteristics of experimental mice fed by a high-fat methionine-choline deficient diet inducing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The mice were exposed to (i) silymarin, (ii) mycotoxins (trichothecenes, enniatins, beauvericin, and altertoxins) and (iii) both silymarin and mycotoxins, and results were compared to the controls. The liver tissue extracts were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Using tools of univariate and multivariate statistical analysis, we were able to identify 48 lipid species from the classes of diacylglycerols, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids and phospholipids clearly reflecting the dysregulation of lipid metabolism upon exposure to mycotoxin and/or silymarin.

Oilseed cakes are produced as a by-product of oil pressing and are mostly used as feed. Their use for human consumption is due to the functional properties and benefits for human health. Herein, oilseed cake flours of eight species (flax, hemp, milk thistle, poppy, pumpkin, rapeseed, safflower, sunflower) were sieved into fractions above (A250) and below (B250) 250 µm. The chemical composition, SDS-PAGE profiles, colour, functional properties and antioxidant activities of these flours were evaluated. The B250 fractions were evaluated as being protein and ash rich, reaching crude protein and ash content ranging from 31.78% (milk thistle) to 57.47% (pumpkin) and from 5.0% (flax) to 11.19% (poppy), respectively. A high content of carbohydrates was found in the flours of hemp, milk thistle and safflower with a significant increase for the A250 fraction, with a subsequent relation to a high water holding capacity (WHC) for the A250 fraction (flax, poppy, pumpkin and sunflower). The A250 milk thistle flour was found to have the richest in polyphenols content (TPC) (40.89 mg GAE/g), with the highest antioxidant activity using an ABTS•+ assay (101.95 mg AAE/g). The A250 fraction for all the species exhibited lower lightness than the B250 fraction. The obtained results indicate that sieving oilseed flour with the aim to prepare flours with specific functional characteristics and composition is efficient only in combination with a particular species.