{
  "slug": "milk-thistle",
  "name": "Milk Thistle (Silymarin)",
  "alternate_names": [
    "Milk Thistle",
    "Silymarin",
    "Silybin",
    "Silibinin",
    "Silybum marianum"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Antioxidant: free-radical scavenging, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and up-regulation of the Nrf2/GSH pathway (mechanistic research context)",
    "Anti-inflammatory: suppression of NF-kB / TNF-alpha / COX-2 signaling (preclinical and biomarker research)",
    "Hepatocyte membrane stabilization: flavonolignans intercalate into membrane phospholipids, with membrane-stabilizing and protein-synthesis effects observed in research",
    "Anti-fibrotic: inhibition of TGF-beta and Kupffer-cell activation (preclinical models)",
    "Insulin-signaling modulation: effects on insulin sensitivity/resistance observed in research (mostly in T2DM populations)"
  ],
  "target": [
    "NF-kB",
    "TNF-alpha",
    "COX-2",
    "Nrf2",
    "TGF-beta"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "liver-health research (ALT/AST/GGT liver-enzyme endpoints)",
    "antioxidant / anti-inflammatory mechanism research",
    "blood glucose and insulin resistance (research-context only, not a claim; evidence concentrated in T2DM patients)",
    "drug/toxin-induced liver-injury protection (research-context only; chemotherapy/antiepileptic medical contexts)"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "LIVER",
    "ENDO",
    "CELL"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "A",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 4,
  "dosage_range": "RCT-validated doses 420-600 mg/day silymarin (2-3 divided oral doses); the highest trial dose was 840 mg/day (Wah Kheong 2017 used 700 mg x3/day). No formal Upper Limit. Oral bioavailability is low (~20-50%); phospholipid/Phytosome complexes can improve it. Educational reference, not a dosing recommendation.",
  "safety_notes": "Good safety profile (confirmed by Cochrane and multiple meta-analyses; liver-patient trials dosed up to 840 mg/day, GI upset <5%). Caution in people allergic to Asteraceae (ragweed, daisy) plants. May affect some drug metabolism via CYP3A4/UGT, so people on concomitant medication should consult a professional. Almost all efficacy evidence comes from liver-disease or T2DM patient populations; direct evidence in healthy people is limited. This page describes scientific evidence, not medical advice; people under treatment for liver disease or diabetes should not self-substitute it for medical care.",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "Legal, well-established dietary-supplement ingredient. DSHEA structure/function claims (e.g. supports liver health / antioxidant support) permitted with the mandatory FDA disclaimer; disease claims prohibited. No FDA-authorized health claim.",
    "efsa": "Marketable in several member states (traditional-herbal registration / HMPC recognition of traditional use); EFSA has authorized 0 health claims (the MILTE ITALIA 2010 Art.13.5 lactation claim was rejected).",
    "anvisa": "Usable under the ANVISA traditional-herbal-medicine / food-supplement framework; no IN 28/2018 Anexo V authorized functional claim."
  },
  "authorized_claims": [],
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/milk-thistle/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "longevity-stack",
    "inflammation-relief"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "intermittent-fasting",
    "senior-60-plus"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "rnd_pipeline_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition, clinical-protocol internals, and RnD pipeline data are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}