From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2005-05-16 17:36:53 UTC
Subject: Milk Thistle (blood glucose, chemo, aspirin)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <52CAC379-66F5-4B27-995C-8C7B9913F5BC@mac.com>
I do NOT know how good or bad this nursing program in Chicago is, but
this statement would seem to support that there might be evidence now
that milk thistle can (possibly?) lower blood glucose:
>Next, I would consider using herbs. The herbs that appear to show
the best benefits for >insulin resistance and diabetes are Milk
Thistle (silymarin), Bitter melon, Fenugreek, >gymnemna sylvestre,
and garlic.
See:
http://www.rushu.rush.edu/nursing/CAM/newsletter/Archives/
dyslipidemia/grand_rounds.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15120454
>J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Apr;91(2-3):309-16.
>Study of the hypoglycaemic activity of Fraxinus excelsior and
Silybum marianum in >an animal model of type 1 diabetes mellitus.
>Maghrani M, Zeggwagh NA, Lemhadri A, El Amraoui M, Michel JB,
Eddouks M.
>UFR PNPE, BP 21, Errachidia 52000, Morocco.
>The hypoglycaemic effect of the aqueous extracts of Fraxinus
excelsior (FE) seed and >Silybum marianum (SM) aerial part was
investigated in normal and streptozotocin >(STZ) diabetic rats. After
a single dose or 15 daily doses, oral administration of the >aqueous
extracts (20 mg/kg) produced a significant decrease of blood glucose
levels >in both normal and STZ diabetic rats (P < 0.001)... In
addition, no changes were >observed in basal plasma insulin
concentrations after both FE and SM treatments in >either normal and
STZ diabetic rats indicating that these plants exert their
>pharmacological activity without affecting insulin secretion. We
conclude that the >aqueous extracts of FE and SM exhibit potent
hypoglycaemic and anti->hyperglycaemic activities in normal and STZ
rats, respectively, without affecting basal >plasma insulin...
in abstract certainly supports the idea that Milk Thistle can lower
blood glucose levels, but it differs in my interpretation from an
older study's abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9447243
>Cell Mol Life Sci. 1997 Dec;53(11-12):917-20.
>Silibinin, a plant extract with antioxidant and membrane
stabilizing properties, >protects exocrine pancreas from cyclosporin
A toxicity.
>von Schonfeld J, Weisbrod B, Muller MK.
>Department of Gastroenterology, Medical Clinic, Essen, Germany.
>Silymarin can be extracted from the milk thistle, and silibinin is
the main component of >the plant extract... At the end of the
treatment period, blood glucose levels in vivo were >significantly
higher in rats treated with CiA while silibinin did not affect
glucose levels. >In vitro, insulin secretion was inhibited after
treatment with silibinin, but amylase >secretion was not affected...
Silibinin and CiA had an additive inhibitory effect on >insulin
secretion, but silibinin attenuated CiA-induced inhibition of amylase
>secretion... Thus silibinin inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin
release in vitro, while not >affecting blood glucose concentration in
vivo. This combination of effects could be >useful in the treatment
of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
This is from a site to help with the medical needs related to alcohol
abuse:
http://www.adam.com/democontent/IMCAccess/ConsHerbs/Interactions/
MilkThistlech.html
If this is accurate then I find it interesting that it may increase
the effects of aspirin. Since some ferrets already are too prone to
bleeding badly from aspirin it may be that those giving Milk Thistle
need to be aware that if there is need to try aspirin (for instance,
if the ferret is throwing thromboses) then perhaps the two things
should not be used together.
The following are also useful for those with ferrets on chemo to
consider (part good, but part bad):
>In addition, milk thistle may protect the kidneys against toxic
side effects associated >with cisplatin and cyclosporine, two
medications that are commonly used to treat >cancer.
>On the other hand, a different laboratory study revealed that the
anticancer effect of >cisplatin and ifosfamide was diminished in the
presence of milk thistle. More research >needs to be done to assess
how milk thistle and cancer-fighting agents interact.
For those interested in toxicology: a related mercury study:http://
www.hartwick.edu/x7920.xml
It looks like there are aspects of Milk Thistle really needing
further study, so as usual: utilize well-educated professionals
whose expertise is in the right area like pharmacists who also have
access to new findings, and then discuss all with treating vet for
the final decision.
This is an interesting topic; I'd been unaware of the more recent
work and suspect I'm not alone, so an update can't hurt and may help
all of us.
Of course, ferrets can differ from other species.