Category: flavonoid
Aliases: Milk thistle extract, Silybum marianum extract, Silibinin complex, Legalon
Mixture of six flavonolignans (silibinin A/B, isosilibinin A/B, silicristin, silidianin) plus taxifolin. Silibinin is the principal active isomer. Hepatoprotection via multiple mechanisms: glutathione restoration, Kupffer-cell NF-κB suppression, membrane stabilisation against Amanita phalloidin uptake (competitive OATP1B3 inhibition — the basis of Legalon Rx use in death-cap poisoning), direct scavenging of ROS, and mild stellate-cell anti-fibrotic activity. Poor oral F (~1–5% unconjugated) due to extensive phase II glucuronidation and enterohepatic recycling; phytosome formulations substantially improve absorption.
PO: 7h