Flavonoids are plant pigments that act as antioxidants, protecting plants from oxidative stress during photosynthesis. These compounds can also act as antioxidants in humans when consumed as part of the diet. One well-studied flavonoid is silibinin, a major active component of milk thistle. Milk thistle flavonoids, including silibinin and silymarin, have been shown to help protect the liver from damage caused by alcohol, medications, and environmental toxins, and to support liver repair and regeneration.
Research published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology (2007;13(40):5299–5305) suggests that silibinin may have protective effects against liver cancer. In laboratory models, silibinin was shown to reduce cancer cell proliferation, inhibit tumor progression, and increase programmed cancer cell death (apoptosis). Earlier studies reported in Current Medicinal Chemistry (2007;14(3):315–318) and Anticancer Research (2006;26(6B):4457–4498) also found that silibinin demonstrated activity against several cancer types, including prostate, breast, ovarian, colon, lung, and bladder cancers.
Additional research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2006;98(12):846–855) examined silibinin’s effects in a mouse model of chemically induced lung cancer. Mice receiving silibinin in their diet developed significantly fewer tumors than controls. After 18 weeks, tumor numbers were reduced by 38%, and after 29 weeks, tumor burden was reduced by approximately 70% compared to untreated mice.
