Use of Milk Thistle in Farm and Companion Animals: A Review
Planta Med DOI: 10.1055/a-1969-2440Milk thistle, Silybum marianum, is a medicinal plant grown for its bioactive compounds with well-documented antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties. Milk thistle has a
well-established pharmacological reputation for treatments of human liver disease, but it is also used in animals. This review summarizes the experimental evidence of milk thistleʼs effects
on animals when administered as silymarin extract (feed additive) or a feed ingredient, if administered as seed or expeller/cake with the seed residue still containing the bioactive
components. The use as a feed additive or feed ingredient is motivated by the complexity of silymarin registration as a veterinary drug. In farm animals, the drug improves the animalsʼ
performance and product quality and oxidative stability, supports liver function during the productive life-cycle, improves gut-health and morphology, and can reduce intestinal pathogens. In
dogs and cats, the treatment is focused on acute and chronic liver diseases including the detoxification processes and support of drug treatments including chemotherapy. In equine athletes,
milk seed cake showed positive effects and a faster return of cortisol to the resting values before exercise occurred. In aquaculture, it confirms its usefulness in supporting animal health
and performance. In certain studies it is not clear what has been administered, and the composition and doses are not always cle...
Source: Planta Medica - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tedesco, Doriana Eurosia Angela Guerrini, Alessandro Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
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