Light on Herbs

The herb in today's spotlight is Milk Thistle, known by its scientific name as Silybum marianum. You may recognize it as the purple-spikey-flowering, stalky plant you'll see growing wildly in meadows and along country roads. (Don't use plants growing along roads for herbal remedies, they are exposed to too many pollutants and environmental contaminants!)



Milk Thistle has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy for liver problems. Silymarin (the active part of the plant compound) has been used in the treatment of hepatitis C, mushroom toxicity (liver toxins), and even liver cancer and alcoholic hepatitis. Luckily, we don't see too many cases of alcoholic hepatitis in veterinary medicine! But animals on steroids for any length of time risk damage to their livers from the steroids and milk thistle may help protect the liver from steroid hepatopathy.

If your dog or cat is on steroids, has any elevated liver enzymes, or if you think could be helped by Milk Thistle please contact Dr. Busch at 215-287-3206.