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Published on: December 3, 2020
Reassessing bioavailability of silymarin
Shamama Javed1, Kanchan Kohli, Mushir Ali
1Department of Pharmaceutics, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
Alternative Medicine Review : a Journal of Clinical Therapeutic
|September 29, 2011
Summary
Silymarin, a compound from milk thistle, shows health benefits but has poor oral absorption. This review explores advanced delivery systems to enhance silymarin bioavailability for better therapeutic outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Natural Products
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Silymarin, a milk thistle extract, exhibits significant hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardioprotective properties.
- Despite proven safety and efficacy in clinical trials, silymarin's therapeutic potential is limited by poor oral bioavailability due to low absorption and rapid metabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review recent literature on novel techniques designed to enhance silymarin's oral bioavailability.
- To address the challenges of solubility, permeability, metabolism, and excretion affecting silymarin's pharmacokinetic profile.
Main Methods:
- Review of published literature on advanced drug delivery systems for silymarin.
- Analysis of techniques including complexation, solid dispersions, micro/nanoparticles, SEDDS, micelles, liposomes, and phytosomes.
Main Results:
- Various formulation strategies have been developed to overcome silymarin's bioavailability limitations.
- These methods aim to improve silymarin's solubility, permeability, and reduce its metabolic degradation.
Conclusions:
- Advanced drug delivery systems offer promising solutions for improving silymarin bioavailability.
- Optimizing silymarin delivery is crucial for maximizing its therapeutic efficacy in various health conditions.
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