Milk Thistle Seed

Western Bulk Herbs – Milk Thistle Seed

Western Bulk Herbs Milk Thistle Seed helps to increase the flow and secretion of liver bile and gall-bladder bile and can help to alleviate most problems associated with those internal organs. Milk thistle also lives up to its namesake in that it is great at improving milk production, it’s also perfectly safe for breast-feeding mothers to use. Thistles are unfortunately seen as a weed by many gardeners, and if allowed to grow are seen as a sign of neglect. However, herbalists have known about the beneficial properties of this herb for centuries.

Latin Name:
Silybum marianum

Common Name:
Holy thistle, Lady’s Thistle, Mary thistle, Marian thistle, Saint Mary’s thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle, Scotch thistle

Parts Used:
Whole seeds

Properties:
This herb acts as a cholagogue, galactagogue, and a demulcent.

Traditional Uses:
This herb has been used in traditional herbalism for hundreds of years. The desired outcome of its use hasn’t changed much in all that time. It lives up to its namesake and is still a staple in many herbalist’s collections today.

Internal Applications:
A tea or decoction brewed from the seeds of this thistle can help improve milk output as well as alleviate a large number of liver and gall-bladder disorders through stimulating bile production and flow.

Topical Uses / Applications:
N/A

Culinary Uses:
N/A

Chemical Properties:
Flavones silybin, silydianin, and silychristin, essential oil, bitter principle, mucilage

Folk Lore:
Milk thistle is said to be a magical herb, helping to keep away thieves, and warding away evil. The herb is said to call spirits and break hexes.

Cautions:

*Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Resources:

David Hoffman’s The New Holistic Herbal

Thistle: magic, medicine, and folklore