Analysis of the active components of silymarin.

Silymarin is an antihepatotoxic substance isolated from fruits of Silybum marianum. Possibly due to their antioxidant and membrane stabilizing properties, the compounds have been shown to protect different organs and cells against a number of insults. The content and composition of main silymarin components (silybin, isosilybin, silydianin and silychristin) in various pharmaceuticals were analysed using HPLC and newly developed capillary zone electrophoresis method. Antioxidant properties expressed as total antioxidant status (TAS) of silymarin components were studied. Results of TAS were correlated with electropherograms and chromatograms.