Silymarin is extracted from milk thistle. This extract is a powerful free radical scavenger that promotes healthy liver function in its own right.^4-10 Advanced extraction technology has now allowed us to isolate other constituents within the silymarin extract itself and test their ability to support liver health and beyond.

Other compounds in our milk thistle extract

Silibinin is another compound present in our high-quality milk thistle extract. Made up of silybins A and B, it is the most biologically active flavonolignan component found in milk thistle extract. Its beneficial effects on the liver have been shown in pre-clinical and clinical studies.^8,11 Other milk thistle extracts called isosilybin A and B have proven to be the most efficient at helping to maintaining healthy cell division.^12,13

Phosphatidylcholine and other phospholipids enhance milk thistle’s delivery

The main bioactive compound of milk thistle, called silybin, does not dissolve well in water.¹⁴ This makes it difficult for the body to absorb all of it.^14,15 Scientists have overcome silybin’s poor bioavailability by integrating it into a phytosome. A phytosome is a tiny sphere made out of plant-derived phosphatidylcholine.

This phosphatidylcholine-based delivery system facilitates transportation across the intestinal lining into the bloodstream, making it an ideal carrier molecule for silybin.^8,15,16 Scientists believe that phosphatidylcholine molecularly bonds to silybin, helping to steer it through the cell membranes in the intestinal tract.¹⁵ This improves the delivery of the benefits of milk thistle extracts for liver health.

Preclinical and clinical evidence showed that this silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex resulted in almost 5-fold greater concentrations of silybin in the bloodstream than unformulated silymarin, and its ultimate bioavailability to the liver, its target organ, is up to 10-fold greater than unformulated silymarin.^17-19