Silymarin Protects Your Brain & Kidneys

Silymarin (milk thistle extract) is widely regarded as a superior liver-protecting nutrient.  Since your liver and brain are the two fattiest organs in your body, it is not surprising that silymarin is now gaining a reputation as a superior protector of your brain.  It is also showing its potential to protect your kidneys.

In an experimental animal model designed to induce nerve damage from chemical exposure that causes Alzheimer’s-like brain tangles and plaque to form, silymarin treatment following injection of the chemical dramatically reduced neurotoxicity.  Memory was maintained, free radical damage was prevented (lowering of iNOS Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase. This enzyme influences genes located in the neuro-immune and cardiovascular system and provides immune defense against pathogens and contributes to disease progression including neurogenic inflammation (iNOS2). ), and brain inflammation was curtailed (lowering of TNFa Cytokine involved with systemic inflammation and regulation of immune cells. It is able to induce cell death, and inhibits tumorigenesis and viral replication. When dysfunctional it is associated with a number of disease processes.).  The researchers concluded that silymarin “attenuates memory impairment through amelioration To make better, improve upon of oxidative stress and inflammatory response induced by Abeta [the drug] and may be a potential candidate for an Alzheimer’s Disease medication.”

In another animal experiment mice were exposed to a powerful toxin (ferric nitrilotriacetate) that causes kidney damage and kidney cancer.  The drug rapidly depletes antioxidants and detoxification function, in turn leading to a highly inflammatory state.  It was found that silymarin protected the kidneys² against this toxin by turning down the underlying inflammatory gene signal NF-kappaB Protein complex that controls DNA transcription and is involved with cellular responses to stress, cytokines, free radicals, UV radiation, oxidized LDL, and infections. .  It also prevented the development of kidney cancer.  The scientists summarized their findings, “from these results, it could be concluded that silymarin markedly protects against chemically induced renal cancer and acts plausibly by virtue of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activities.”

Considering that our world is overloaded with chemicals that cause undue stress to multiple organs in our bodies, silymarin is a true friend.