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liver health and detox icon Liver Health

Milk Thistle

Silybum marianum MZ 80

Silybum marianum, commonly known as Milk thistle or St. Mary’s thistle, has been used to support liver health for over 2000 years. Learn about MZ 80, the specific extract used in Legalon.

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The Ingredients

Silybum marianum, commonly known as Milk thistle, has been used to support liver health for over 2000 years.1 Because of this, there are many Milk thistle preparations available in the market which may vary due to growing, harvesting, extraction and production methods. This may also result in varying amounts and bioavailability of the primary active constituent – silymarin and its major component called silibinin (also known as silbin or silybinin).1

In Legalon®, a specific extract of Milk thistle is used – called MZ 80. Legalon with MZ 80 has been developed using a patented production process to allow for easier absorption of silibinin and has been extensively researched in clinical trials and scientific studies to support healthy liver function.

Discover more about MZ 80 used in Legalon and the key studies that support its benefits.

Silybum marianum in history

Silybum marianum, commonly known as Milk thistle or St Mary’s thistle, is a herbal remedy that is commonly used to support liver health.

More about Milk Thistle in history

Silybum marianum is a familiar thorny plant that’s prickly leaves contain splashes of white, which were historically referred to as “Mother Mary’s milk”. This is how the nickname milk thistle came to life.

Native to Europe, the value of Silybum marianum has been known for at least 2000 years as an important medicinal herb. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s, that the biochemical composition of Milk thistle was identified at the Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, Munich.2

Following this discovery, Legalon was developed using a specific extract of Milk thistle, known as MZ 80. Legalon with MZ 80 has been extensively researched to support healthy liver function and has been recommended to millions of people worldwide for over 40 years.8-15

The specific extract used in Legalon: MZ 80

The Legalon extract of Silybum marianum is known as MZ 80 and has been extensively researched over the past few decades to support liver health. Research suggests that it can help protect liver cells against day-to-day toxins and damage.

Silymarin is the primary active constituent in the Silybum marianum plant and has three principle components, known as flavonolignans (silibinin, silychristin, and silydianin).1

More about the specific Milk thistle extract MZ 80

The specific extract in Legalon is made using a patented production process to help ensure the primary active constituent, silymarin, and its key components (specifically silibinin) are more easily absorbed.

The below graph shows the blood plasma concentration (a measure of absorption) of the active component (silibinin) for three milk thistle preparations including MZ 80. MZ 80 was shown to have high levels of bioavailability resulting in high plasma concentration of silibinin in less than two hours.3

Research on how MZ 80 works

Your liver is vital to your health and wellbeing playing many roles in your body.

Research studies suggest that MZ 80 in Legalon works in a number of ways to support healthy liver function.

Learn about the ways MZ 80 can support liver health

Antioxidant effect
Increases antixoidants to help relieve oxidative stress and protect liver cells against toxins and damage.4-7

Liver detoxification
Supports healthy liver detoxification and elimination processes.4,6,7

Liver protection
Protects the liver from daily free radical damage.4-6

Anti-inflammatory action
Helps reduce inflammatory processes in the liver. 4-5

MZ 80 in Legalon: Clinical & Scientific Research

Legalon with exclusive extract MZ 80 has been studied over the past few decades in more than 5500 patients worldwide.8-15 The below is a selection of clinical studies conducted with MZ 80 to support liver function.

ALBRECHT ET AL., 1992 8

2637 patients with liver concerns studied over 8 weeks*
CLINICAL RESULTS

in subjective complaints of:

  • fatigue, fullness, loss of appetite, and nausea

*The number of Legalon capsules was subjective based on trial recommendation, with the average being 4 x 70mg tablets (equivalent to 2 capsules of Legalon).

SCHUPPAN ET AL., 1998 9

998 patients with liver concerns studied over 15 weeks*
CLINICAL RESULTS

in symptoms of:

  • fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, fullness

*Average period of observation was 107 days (equiv to 15.2 weeks).  1 Legalon capsule, one to three times daily (140 to 420 mg/day)

HASHEMI ET AL., 2009 10

100 patients with liver concerns studied over 24 weeks*
CLINICAL RESULTS

vs. placebo:

  • help to mormalise serum liver enzymes

*2 groups; 1 Legalon capsule, 2 times daily (280 mg/day) or placebo

BUTOROVA ET AL., 2010 11

70 patients with liver concerns studied over 2 months*
CLINICAL RESULTS

vs. no treatment:

  • Subjective improvements in well-being, fatigue and feeling of liver fullness

*2  groups; 1 Legalon capsule, three times daily (420 mg/day) or placebo

SALMI ET AL., 1982 12

106 patients with liver concerns studied over 4 weeks*
CLINICAL RESULTS

vs. placebo in help to:

  • repair liver cells
  • normalise serum liver enzymes

*2  groups; 1 Legalon capsule, three times daily (420 mg/day) or placebo

FINTELMANN ET AL., 1998 13

66 patients with liver concerns studied over 28 days*
CLINICAL RESULTS

vs. placebo in help to:

  • normalise serum liver enzymes

*2  groups; 1 Legalon capsule, three times daily (420 mg/day) or placebo

SZILARD ET AL., 1987 14

49 patients with liver concerns due to toxic overload studied over 1 month*
CLINICAL RESULTS

vs. placebo in help to:

  • subjective well-being
  • normalise serum liver enzymes

*2  groups; 1 Legalon capsule, three times daily (420 mg/day) or placebo

FEHER ET AL., 1989 15

36 patients with liver concerns studied over 6 months*
CLINICAL RESULTS

vs. placebo in help to:

  • normalise serum liver enzymes
  • increase in antioxidative enzymes in body

*2  groups; 1 Legalon capsule, three times daily (420 mg/day) or placebo

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

SFI Health Difference

What makes MZ 80 in Legalon simply different?

Natural healthcare products containing Milk thistle can vary considerably depending on how they are produced. The specific MZ 80 extract used in Legalon is the result of a highly controlled and patented production process with careful consideration at every stage of creation. This helps to ensure that the final product is high quality with consistency of active components,  consistently reliable, and researched in clinical trials and studies.

That means, you can be sure that the product you are getting contains the same specific extract demonstrated in clinical studies to support liver health. That’s the SFI Health difference.

MZ 80 in Legalon: A Summary

Helps protect and detoxify liver cells

By helping to protect liver cells against toxins, aiding in healthy liver detoxification, and supporting liver cells2-16

Over 30 years of research

Backed by decades of research supporting effects of MZ 80 on liver function2-16

Consistent quality

Rigorous quality control processes and extensive testing to help ensure that the MZ 80 extract can provide the desired health outcomes demonstrated by clinical studies

Well tolerated and used worldwide

By millions of people for over 40 years.

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Our Source To Patient Philosophy

We make sure our natural medicines are consistent.

Not only do the clinical studies on our products demonstrate real health outcomes, they demonstrate the results you can expect from the same products you see on shelf. It’s all part of our Source to Patient philosophy.

See the steps taken to make our products

References

  1. Commission E Monograph, Milk thistle
  2. Butorova et al., Exp Clin Gastroenterol 2010;3:85-91.
  3. Schulz et al., Arzneimittelforschung1995;45:61–64.
  4. Saller et al., Forsch Komplementärmed2008;15:9–20.
  5. Trappoliere M, et al.,  Hepatology2009; 50:1102-111.
  6. Velussi M, et al.,  Hepatology1997; 26:871-879.
  7. Muzes et al., Orv Hetil1990;131:863–866.
  8. Albrecht et al., Z Klein Med1992; 47(2): 87-92.
  9. Schuppan et al., Z Allgemeinmedizin1998; 74:577-584.
  10. Hashemi et al., Hepatitis Monthly2009; 9: 265-270.
  11. Butorova et al. Exp Clin Gastroenterol. 2010;3:85-91.
  12. Salmi & Sarna. Scand J Gastroenterology1982; 17: 517-21.
  13. Fintelmann et al., Therapiewoche1980, 30: 5589-5594.
  14. Szilard et al., Acta Medica Hungarica 1988; 45(2): 249-256.
  15. Feher et al., Orvosi Hetilap1989; 130,51:2723-2727.
  16. Ferenci et al., J Hepatology1989;9:105–113.