Milk Thistle Extract is obtained from the dried ripe fruit of Silybum marianum. Its active complex, silymarin, is a mixture of flavonolignans in which silybin — silibinin — is the majority and most studied component. It is one of the best-documented botanical ingredients for liver-health positioning.
Metabolites
Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.
Part usedDried ripe fruit
Flavonolignans of the silymarin complex: silybin, silychristin and silydianin.
Metabolites we quantify
- Silymarin80 %UV
- Silybin30 %HPLC
- Water-soluble silymarin40 %UV
Reference doses
Figures published by reference bodies for the preparation named in each row.
| Marker or preparation | Daily dose | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Silymarin | 154–324 mg/day, split into 2–3 doses | ESCOP · Cardui mariae fructus |
These are not a NATEXSA dosage recommendation nor a therapeutic indication: they are cited literature, and the preparation the source refers to does not always match the grade we supply. The regulation of the market where you register the product governs.
Applications
Nutrition & Health
Liver-health supplements, detox formulas and post-exercise recovery, in capsules, tablets and sachets.
Personal Care
Antioxidant cosmetics and formulations aimed at protecting against environmental stress.
Silymarin vs. silybin: what to declare
Silymarin is the whole complex; silybin is its principal component. An 80% silymarin figure by UV is not comparable with a 30% silybin figure by HPLC — they measure different things, and HPLC is always the stricter method.
If your regulatory dossier or your claim rests on silybin, ask for the HPLC grade. If the reference is the complex, the UV grade is the usual and more cost-effective route.
Solubility and formats
The standard grade is practically insoluble in water, which limits it to solid formats. For drinkable sachets, shots or liquid formulas, the 40% water-soluble grade is the workable option.
In tablets it compresses well and does not require unusual excipients. In hard capsules, check bulk density before setting the fill weight.
Packaging
Aluminium bag
1 – 5 kg
Fibre drum with double inner liner
25 kg
- Shelf life
- Shelf life of 24 months sealed, protected from light and moisture.
Specification updated:
