Review
Silymarin/Silybin and Chronic Liver Disease: A Marriage of Many Years
Alessandro Federico *, Marcello Dallio and Carmelina Loguercio
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Received: 6 December 2016 / Accepted: 18 January 2017 / Published: 24 January 2017
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Abstract:
Silymarin is the extract of Silybum marianum, or milk thistle, and its major active compound is silybin, which has a remarkable biological effect. It is used in different liver disorders, particularly chronic liver diseases, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic power. Indeed, the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of silymarin is oriented towards the reduction of virus-related liver damages through inflammatory cascade softening and immune system modulation. It also has a direct antiviral effect associated with its intravenous administration in hepatitis C virus infection. With respect to alcohol abuse, silymarin is able to increase cellular vitality and to reduce both lipid peroxidation and cellular necrosis. Furthermore, silymarin/silybin use has important biological effects in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These substances antagonize the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, by intervening in various therapeutic targets: oxidative stress, insulin resistance, liver fat accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Silymarin is also used in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma that represent common end stages of different hepatopathies by modulating different molecular patterns. Therefore, the aim of this review is to examine scientific studies concerning the effects derived from silymarin/silybin use in chronic liver diseases, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Keywords: silymarin; silybin; antioxidants; alcoholic liver disease; viral hepatitis; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; hepatocellular carcinoma
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Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049, CODEN: MOLEFW) is an open access journal covering all aspects of organic chemistry. Originally conceived as a forum for papers on synthetic organic chemistry and natural product chemistry, like the field, Molecules has evolved over its 20 years, with increasing numbers of papers on more theoretical subjects, physical organic chemistry, nanomaterials and polymer chemistry and applied studies. All articles are peer-reviewed and published continuously upon acceptance. Molecules is published by MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
The treatment with silymarin/silybin in routine clinical practice is strongly limited, since it is necessary to obtain scientific data deriving from well-structured trials based on large populations of patients, and to achieve a standardization of methods used for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy. Save your money.
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