Federico Alessandro, Dallio Marcello, Loguercio Carmelina
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Molecules. 2017 Jan 24;22(2):191. doi: 10.3390/molecules22020191.
Silymarin is the extract of , or milk thistle, and its major active compound is silybin, which has a remarkable biological effect. It is used in different liver disorders, particularly chronic liver diseases, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic power. Indeed, the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of silymarin is oriented towards the reduction of virus-related liver damages through inflammatory cascade softening and immune system modulation. It also has a direct antiviral effect associated with its intravenous administration in hepatitis C virus infection. With respect to alcohol abuse, silymarin is able to increase cellular vitality and to reduce both lipid peroxidation and cellular necrosis. Furthermore, silymarin/silybin use has important biological effects in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These substances antagonize the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, by intervening in various therapeutic targets: oxidative stress, insulin resistance, liver fat accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Silymarin is also used in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma that represent common end stages of different hepatopathies by modulating different molecular patterns. Therefore, the aim of this review is to examine scientific studies concerning the effects derived from silymarin/silybin use in chronic liver diseases, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
水飞蓟素是水飞蓟的提取物，其主要活性成分是水飞蓟宾，具有显著的生物学效应。由于其抗氧化、抗炎和抗纤维化作用，它被用于治疗不同的肝脏疾病，特别是慢性肝病、肝硬化和肝细胞癌。事实上，水飞蓟素的抗氧化和抗炎作用旨在通过减轻炎症级联反应和调节免疫系统来减少病毒相关的肝脏损伤。在丙型肝炎病毒感染中，静脉注射水飞蓟素还具有直接的抗病毒作用。对于酒精滥用，水飞蓟素能够提高细胞活力，减少脂质过氧化和细胞坏死。此外，水飞蓟素/水飞蓟宾在非酒精性脂肪性肝病中具有重要的生物学效应。这些物质通过干预氧化应激、胰岛素抵抗、肝脏脂肪堆积和线粒体功能障碍等各种治疗靶点，拮抗非酒精性脂肪性肝病的进展。水飞蓟素还通过调节不同的分子模式，用于治疗肝硬化和肝细胞癌，这是不同肝病常见的终末期。因此，本综述的目的是研究有关水飞蓟素/水飞蓟宾在慢性肝病、肝硬化和肝细胞癌中应用效果的科学研究。
