Background: Silymarin complex consisted of five flavonolignans (silybin A & B, Isosylibin A & B, silychristin, silydianin and taxifolin) isolated from dried fruiets of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. Silybin is the main component of silymarin complex. Hepatoprotective activeity of silymarin may related to its antioxidant property. Objective: This study was conducted to understand the environmental condition on silymarin methabolism. Methods: Silymarin extraction and flavolignans assay by spectrophotometery, TLC and HPLC was performed on Milk thistle seeds collected from different areas of Iran, Hungarian seeds cultivated in greenhouse and field in karaj. Results: Valasht and Borazjan had the highest levels of silymain content by spectrophotometery method. In TLC method all 5 components were identified. We analyzed the flavolignans contents by HPLC and results showed that Borazjan had the highest level of silymarin. Conclusion: To produce commercially silymarin we need to search for the best genotype.

Background: Cisplatin is an important anticancer drug, can be used in the treatment of several kinds of tumor. But its sever advese effect i.e. kidney toxicity limited its uses. Objective: the present study undertaken to find out the protective effect of methanolic extract of Silybum marianum seeds (MES) and standard silymarin against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity. Materials and Methods: 48 male 10-8 week old wistar rats randomly divided in to 6 group. They caged in same environmental condition. First group kept as control received salin, and second group received cisplantin (3 mg/kg) by single intraperitoneal injection. 3rd and 4th groups received silymarin and MES 2 hour before cicplatin adminstration. 5th and 6th group received silymarin and MES 2 hour after cisplatin administration. Results: Over five days, cisplatin treated rats showed kidney tubular necrosis and elevation in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr). Pretreatment of animals with silymarin (50 mg/kg) and MES (600 mg/kg) 2h before cisplatin administration reduced BUN and Scr as well as prevent the kidney tubular damage significantly. Rats treated with silymarin and MES 2h after cisplatin administration had BUN lower but mild to moderate kidney tubular necrosis was observed. Conclusion: These results suggested that silymarin as wellas MES may protect kidney against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity and might serve as a novel combination agent with cisplatin to limit renal injury if clinical study proved its efficacy.

Background: Plant phenolic compounds such as flavonoids have important role in treatment of many diseases. Also some of them have potent hepatoprotective effects. Objective: In this study, we have investigated the protective effects of polyphenolic extracts of Silybum marianum and Chichorium intybus on thioacethamide-induced hepatotoxicity in rat. Methods: Extracts were injected to rats, at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight together with thioacetamide at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. For investigation of the hepatoprotective effect of extracts against thioacetamide, activity of aminotransferases (SGOT and SGPT), alkalin phosphatase, bilyrubin, Na+ and K+ were measured. Results: significant decreases were observed in activities of aminotransferases, alkalin phosphatase and bilyrubin in groups that treated with extracts together with thioacetamide in comparation with thioacetamide treated group. Level of Na+,K+ and liver weight betwen different groups had not significant different. Conclusions: This results showed protective effect of chichorium extracts on thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity in rat.

Background: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. has been used for centuries as an herbal medicine for treatment of liver disease. Fruits of S. marianum contain silymarin, which is composed of the flavonolignans, silybin, isosilybin, silydianin and silychristin. Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of environmental conditions on silymarin content and morphological characteristic of S. marianum. Method: The dried fruits of S. marianum were collected from 13 area of Iran and cultivated at greenhouse conditions. Morphological characteristic were studied and silymarin content analyzed by HPLC. Results: The results showed that silybin is the main component of silymarin and was affected by environmental conditions. Conclusion: The amount of silymarin was very different in cultivated and endemic plants in comparison with together. The silymarin content had a significant positive correlation with seed yield/plant, stem diameter and number of capsules/plant.

Results and Conclusion: Total lipid percentage was approximately 25% and nine fatty acids including palmitic acid (8.25 %), palmeotic acid (0.07 %), Stearic acid (6.67 %), oleic acid (31.58 %), Isomer oleic acid (0.53 %), linoleic acid (45.36 %), linolenic acid (0.87 %), arashidic acid (4.11 %), eicozantoic acid (0.088 %) and behenic acid (2.6 %) were determined. a -, γ- and δ -tocopherol content were around 563.157, 88.87 and 163.791 mg Kg ^-1 DW respectively that could be a natural good sources of antioxidant.

Background: Silybum marianum has been recognized as an antihepatotoxic plant. The active constituents of Silybum marianum include a group of flavonolignans known collectively as silymarin. Slymarin production by cultured cells of Silybum marianum has already been reported. Also, it was reported that physiochemical factors can influenced silymarin production in S. marinum cell cultures. Objective: Evaluation the affect of sugar source on flavonolignan production in S. marianum callus cultures. Method: Callus culture of S. marianum were established by transferring seedling on solidified MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l 2, 4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 0.2 mg/l kinetin. Optimal callus were subcultured to medium containing different concentration of sugars including fructose, glucose, and sucrose. Then cultures were harvested after 28 days, dried and extracted with methanol. Quantitative analyses of flavonolignans were carried out using spectrophotometric method. Results: Higher levels of flavonolignans accumulation were observed in cultures containing 6% of all three sugars comparing with concentrations of 3% and 1.5%. Conclusion: It seems flavonolignans production in callus culture of S. marianum influenced by concentration of sugars rather than of sugars type.

Background: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn is a kind of medicinal plants. Silymarin is a derivate substance from the fruits of Milk Thistle plant which is consists of a large number of flavonolignans. Cell cultures derived from this species could be an alternative for production of flavonolignans. Elicitors cause enhancement in metabolite production by effecting on key enzymes in secondary metabolites pathways. In this study various level of Yeast extract in 5 different exposure time have been used as an biotic elicitor in order to evaluation the effect of Yeast extract on silymarin production and cell growth and nomination the best time and best consistence of the elicitor. Objective: In this study various level of Yeast extract in 5 different exposure time have been used as an biotic elicitor in order to evaluation the effect of Yeast extract on silymarin production and cell growth and nomination the best time and best consistence of the elicitor. Methods: In this work after preparation cell suspension culture of S. marianum, the effects of various level of Yeast extract (1, 2. 4, 6 and 8 mg/50 ml culture) in 6 different exposure time (12, 24, 48, 72, 144 and 216 h) on flavonolignans production by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) have been studied. Results: Determination and quantification of flavonolignans showed that cell suspension cultures of S. marianum were consists of a large number of flavonolignans including silychristin, silydianin, silybin, isosilybin and taxifolin. The results showed that Yeast extract cause improvement in silymarin content in the media treated with 6 (mg / 50 ml culture) Yeast extract at the end of 72h which was 5- fold to compare the control and the maximum cell Dry weight was 5.82 g in the media treated with 4 mg/ 50 ml culture Yeast extract at the end of 24h. Conclusion: In this experiment it has been observed that cell suspension culture of S. marianum are susceptible to elicitation by Yeast extract and it can be extremely useful in increasing productivities in cell suspension culture of Milk thistle plant.

Conclusion: Methanol extracts of silybum marianum seeds have stronger inhibitory effect than methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane and chloroform fraction on α -amylase and α -glucosidase enzyme activity.

 Background: Cadmium has toxicological significance and there is no effective therapy for its poisoning.
 Objective: The effects of silymarin on the parameters indicative of cadmium-induced toxicity were studied in rats.
 Methods: 130 adult male Wistar rats were divided into 13 groups each comprising 10 rats. 1 group as control group was not administered neither cadmium nor silymarin. Cadmium chloride (3mg/kg/week) was administered intraperitoneally to 12 groups for 6 weeks. The 12 groups were divided into two sets of 6 groups. In the first set, one group was kept as control and silymarin in the doses of 15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg/week was administered orally to each group for 6 weeks. In the second set, one group was kept as control and the aforementioned doses of silymarin were administered orally to each group for 6 weeks after 6 weeks of cadmium administration.  Blood samples were taken after 6 weeks from the first set and after 12 weeks from the second set to determine AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and ALP (alkaline phosphatase) levels and catalase activity.
 Results: In the first set in all silymarin treated groups, ALP level significantly decreased compared with control and in the second set, AST level decreased significantly compared with control only in groups treated with high doses of silymarin. Different doses of silymarin except the dose of 15 mg/kg significantly increased serum catalase activity compared with control in both sets.
 Conclusion: Silymarin prevents and reverses cadmium-induced toxicity possibly through its anti-oxidative property in rats.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) is one of the valuable medicinal plants which used in the treatment of liver disorders. The major active constituents in this plant are flavonolignans, collectively known as silymarin which is a mixture of three isomer silybin, silydianin and silycristin. Its therapeutic properties are due to the presence of silymarin. The seeds contain the highest amount of silymarin, but the other plant parts have less amount of this compound. The silymarin content in fruits depends on milk thistle variety and geographic and climatic condition. In this review, we summarized the accomplished investigations on aspects of medicinal, cultivation, biology and biotechnology of milk thistle.

Background: Silymarin, extracted from the seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn) is mostly used for liver disease treatment. Hairy root cultures derived from S. marianum are able to produce silymarin. Objective: Elicitation of hairy root cultures is an important strategy for improving the production of secondary metabolites. The elicitors could be changed metabolite biosynthesis pathway and are useful for study of cell signaling pathway. Methods: In this study after preparation of S. marianum hairy root cultures, the effects of various levels of Fusarium oxysprum and Phytophtora meloni extract (0, 10 and 20 mg 50 ml-1 culture) in 4 different exposure times (0, 24, 48 and 72 h) have been investigated on flavonolignans production. The flavonolignans were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography method. Results: Our results showed that hairy root cultures of S. marianum were consisted of a large number of flavonolignans including silychristin, silydianin, silybin, isosilybin and taxifolin. The highest production of silymarin (0.32 mg g-1 DW) was observed in F. oxysprum elicited root cultures (10 mg/50 ml culture) after 72h (2.28- fold that of the control). In Ph. meloni treated root cultures (20 mg/50 ml culture), the maximum silymarin production (0.13 mg g-1 DW) was obtained after 72 h (1.9- fold that of the control). Conclusion: In this experiment it has been concluded that hairy root cultures of S. marianum are susceptible to elicitation by fungal elicitors and is useful for efficient large-scale production of silymarin by hairy root cultures of S. marianum.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a range of liver damage from early steatosis to cirrhosis. Although NAFLD prevalence in the world is increasing, but there is no effective treatment for it.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined extract of jujube, chicory and silymarin on NAFLD induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in rats.
Method: In this experimental study 40 male rats randomly were divided in two groups: a negative control group (n = 8) and a high-fat diet group (n = 32). After 4 months of feeding with HFD, rats were assigned into 4 groups (n = 8) including an HFD group and three groups receiving HFD and the extract at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg for 2 months. Finally, lipid profile, liver enzymes activity and liver histology were investigated.
Results: High-fat diet increased cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL and decreased HDL levels (P<0.001). This diet also increased serum activity hepatic enzymes and lipid accumulation in liver tissue. Receiving the extract improved lipid profile and hepatic enzyme activity, dose-dependently. Histopathology of liver confirmed the change induced by HFD and protective effect of extract.
Conclusion: Treatment with combined extracts of jujube, chicory and silymarin improves high-fat diet (HFD) induced NAFLD in rats.

Background: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. (Milk thistle) is a perennial herb with medicinal properties. The seeds of these plants contain silymarin compounds with flavonolignan structure and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. The major bioactive constituent of S. marianum is silybin A and B. It is used in the treatment of various liver conditions and exhibits high anti-tumor promoting activity. Objective: The purpose of this study was to purify, identify, and standardize of silybin A and B from the seeds extract of Silybum marianum. Methods: At first, the milk thistle seeds were defatted with hexane and then extracted with methanol as solvent. Isolation and further purification of silybin A and B was carried out by column chromatography using Diaion HP-20 resin, silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 as stationary phase, respectively. ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR techniques were used to identify these compounds. Finally, the HPLC method has been used to standardize. Results: ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR techniques characterized the structure of silybin A and B extracted from Silybum marianum L. and standardization and determination of their purity was performed using HPLC. Conclusion: Our proposed system presented significant advantages in increasing efficiency and reducing cost, and the diastereoisomers of silybin A and silybin B in silymarin were successfully isolated with high purities.