According to a recent report a compound in milk thistle could protect us against lung cancer.
The report, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, reported that a compound in milk thistle stopped lung cancer growth and spread in mice.
Milk thistle is a plant that is indigenous to Europe and the medicinal parts of the plant are the ripe seeds.
Historically, milk thistle has been used for toxic liver damage, inflammatory liver disease and hepatic cirrhosis.
The researchers at the University of Colorado, say the mechanism behind the effects is not clear but it appears the compound acts on two enzymes which promote tumor growth.
While the research continues, we may want to incorporate milk thistle into our diets. Milk thistle has been used for a long time as a food in Europe. Young leaves are used in salads, the stalks are eaten like asparagus and the heads are boiled like artichokes.
Finally, another interesting fact about milk thistle is it ranked 12th among the top selling herb supplements in the US mass market.
