Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential of Milk Thistle in Albino Rats

Liver disease can occur due to diabetes and the opposite could be true. Milk thistle extract, sily-marin, extracted from the seeds of milk thistle, is historically used as herbal medicine for its hepatoprotective activities. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the extent of hepatoprotective properties of an optimized dose of pharmaceutically formulated milk thistle on liver disease recovery in diabetic female albino rats and its antidiabetic activity. To investigate the effects of milk thistle, female rats were divided into four groups (n= 8). Healthy control group and healthy control group receiving daily dose of milk thistle, diabetic group and diabetic group receiving daily dose of milk thistle. 200 mg/kg/day of milk thistle was orally administered to the experimental rats. Blood samples were collected from all rats at the beginning of the study and after 4 weeks of treatment. Hepatic function was evaluated by measuring hepatic related enzymes. Outcomes revealed that the ingestion of a daily dose of formulated milk thistle, can successfully achieve the therapeutic target and avoid further degradation of hepatic cells, as a result of diabetes, assessed through significantly improved level of hepatic enzymes and clear histopathological restoration revealed microscopically. Total antioxidant status and inflammatory marker also significantly increased and decreased respectively in the treated diabetic group. According to our findings, the 4-week treatment with milk thistle significantly improved the diabetic status of rats with a clear decline in the level of fasting blood glucose. In conclusion, these findings validate that milk thistle is effective in the healing of damaged hepatic cells, and acts as a prophylactic measure against the threat of diabetes and its complications.