Effects of silymarin on metabolic syndrome: a review

Metabolic syndrome is one of the rising global health problems and medical challenges due to several clinical complications it may cause, for example increasing the risk of myocardial infarction and hypertension. However, great attention has been directed toward determining the worthiness of herbal medicines. There are emerging studies on preventive and therapeutic effects of silymarin on different components of metabolic syndrome. Extracted from the dried seeds of milk thistle plant (Silybum marianum L.), silymarin has been used in the treatment of different diseases for many years. Several protective effects have been identified for this herb such as decreasing insulin resistance, regulating blood pressure and lipid profile, as well as antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. This review aims to discuss available human and experimental researches into the promising effects of silymarin on different elements of metabolic syndrome. All related human and experimental papers published from 2012 to date were included in this review. Reviewing different human and experimental studies into the effects of silymarin on metabolic syndrome, we deduced that silymarin possesses promising effects on different components of this syndrome. Although the complete mechanism of action and target organs for silymarin require further verification and investigation, high-risk individuals may benefit from supplementation with this herbal medicine. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.