5 replies to this topic

[Pablo M]

Some time ago I purchased some "phytosome" brand milk thistle extract. Apparently the silymarin has been bound to choline for better bioavailability. There are not that many studies on PubMed:

http://www.ncbi.nlm....4374&query_hl=1
Suggests phytosomed silymarin is better absorbed.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....0198&query_hl=1
Shows phytosome ginkgo to be better absorbed.


Any thoughts?

[alexoverhere]

i was just looking around for a milk thistle product and in the process found some literature on silybin-phosphatidylcholine vs. silybin vs. silymarin, etc. There are huge differences in terms of plasma silybin (absorption) and liver protection for phytosome vs. non-phytosome silybin in rat models and/or health humans (see http://www.thorne.co...xt/10/3/193.pdf for a review). i bought a silybin-PC product although i read that silymarin phytosome is roughly equivalent at 150mg compared to 120mg of the former. (Both are much more effective than milk thistle alone, which is not very bioavailable).

[syr_]

Milk thristle in raw powder form is so cheap that I dont really bother about these more bioavailable forms. When I can take 2 grams (and I dont) for the price of 150mg

[alexoverhere]

well you probably should be taking almost a gram of non-phytosome silymarin if you want to get the equivalent of 150mg phytosome silybin.

[doug123]

Hey Alex: know what TLC is? I'd like to see the pattern from each plant. I bet there are several different plant variants of silymarin.

I'd like to see the HPLC pattern of silymarin. I was on the bus going to class and I saw this young woman reading about Thin Layer Chromatography - TLC. I aked her about it and she said one could perform this test in the palm of their hand. I thought I would know already, and tried to pretend I knew what I was talking about. She explained it pretty well. Now I want to change majors maybe to chemistry...

Peace out.

[syr_]

well you probably should be taking almost a gram of non-phytosome silymarin if you want to get the equivalent of 150mg phytosome silybin.

I am.