Liver disease herbs- Milk Thistle,S-adenosylmethionine,natural treatments

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)- liver cleansing herb

Milk thistle a type of herb, possess general liver protection properties.

It has proven to be effective to cure a wide variety of liver conditions, such as alcoholic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, viral hepatitis (liver infection)especially chronic hepatitis, and toxicity of the liver that results from mushroom poisons, industrial chemicals, and medications.

Whether milk thistle is really effective in curing liver diseases still remains contradictory and incomplete. In 1981, a controlled placebo study was performed over 4 weeks on 106 Finnish soldiers with alcoholic liver diseases.

The biopsy evaluation result has shown a significant liver histology improvement with the cells observation under a microscope and elevated liver enzymes.

S-Adenosylmethionine - liver detox herbs

S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is manufactured in the body for the conversion of certain chemicals to other chemicals through transsulfuration and transmethylation processes.
SAMe, when taken orally as a supplement, has great benefits in treating various liver diseases, such as cirrhosis of the liver, chronic viral hepatitis, pregnancy jaundice, and liver toxicity that is caused by chemicals or drugs.

Research has shown that it can cure cholestasis, liver bile backup, which is caused by severe liver disease. A double-blind study was performed on 220 people with cholestasis - chronic viral hepatitis for 2 weeks.

Administering of 1,600 mg per day of SAMe improved liver-related symptoms significantly compared to using placebo.

Other Proposed Natural Treatments

A study has proven that a beverage that contains sweet potato helps those with unspecified cause of mild hepatitis improve the liver function.

Preliminary evidence shows that betaine trimethylglycine (TMG) supplement is helpful in treating alcohol-related fatty liver. It also protects the liver from toxins.



Herb phyllanthus does not help viral hepatitis despite earlier promises. Green tea has been considered to help protect the liver against liver diseases although there is no proof that this is true.

Many other supplements and herbs have been shown to protect the liver, such as dandelion, chamomile, burdock, and licorice.

Liver Disease Symptoms

One may easily shrug off normal minor symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, pains and aches, indigestion, constipation, bloating, hormonal imbalances, menstrual irregularities and PMS, as related to liver problems.

Ask advice from herbalists about clearing up chronic skin problems, such as boils, rashes, eczema and psoriasis, they will most probably give a list of liver herbs. Two diseases which can cause the liver to be badly damaged are cirrhosis and hepatitis.

Cirrhosis, a serious disease, causes the liver structure to change, and thus cause it to not function properly. It causes less blood to flow to the liver.
This results in not being able to eliminate the toxins which is poisonous to the body. 20% of those who are heavy drinkers will eventually develop cirrhosis disease.
Alcoholic hepatitis is a preempt of cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis is also caused by poisonous substances, poor nutrition especially too little intake of protein, or a previous bacterial or viral infection that causes the liver to be weakened and inflamed.

Hepatitis is the liver inflammation which is caused by a toxic substance overexposure or certain viruses.
Symptom includes fever and vomiting.
After 5 to 10 years of heavy alcohol consumption, alcoholics have a high chance in developing hepatitis.

Poor nutrition, toxic poisons, a viral or bacterial infection also cause hepatitis.
A damaged liver, however, has the ability to regenerate itself