Comparisons
Milk Thistle or Artichoke Leaf?
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) and artichoke leaf (Cynara cardunculus) often appear together in digestive and liver products. Their uses and restrictions in the EMA assessments differ. The table is built from the sourced cards of both herbs.
| Aspect | Milk ThistleSilybum marianum | Artichoke LeafCynara cardunculus (syn. C. scolymus) |
|---|---|---|
| Strongest evidence | T Traditional use | B Limited clinical evidence |
| Needs | Liver, Kidney & Urinary, Digestion | Digestion |
| Form | Seed | Dried Herb & Tea |
| How to use | Pour 100 ml of boiling water over 3–5 g of crushed seed; drink before meals. | Pour 150 ml of boiling water over 1.5 g of chopped dried leaf. |
| Pregnancy | Avoid | Avoid |
| Breastfeeding | Avoid | Avoid |
| Recommended minimum age | From age 18 | From age 12 |
| Drug interactions | No recorded interactions | No recorded interactions |
| Duration limit | Not stated | See a doctor if no better after 2 weeks |
Which one, when?
Milk Thistle
Traditionally used for fullness and indigestion, and to support liver function once serious disease is ruled out; good-quality trials in alcohol- or hepatitis-related liver disease found no meaningful effect. Not recommended under 18.
Full card →Artichoke Leaf
Traditionally used for indigestion with fullness, bloating and wind; in a placebo-controlled trial its leaf extract reduced functional dyspepsia symptoms. Not used with bile duct disease, gallstones or liver disease.
Full card →Good to know
- People allergic to the daisy family (Asteraceae) should use neither.
- See a doctor at once for yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or a change in stool colour.
- Neither is recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Sources
- European Union herbal monograph on Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., fructusEMA HMPC · 2018 · MonographSource accessed:
- European Union herbal monograph on Cynara cardunculus L. (syn. Cynara scolymus L.), folium – Revision 1EMA HMPC · 2018 · MonographSource accessed:
- Efficacy of artichoke leaf extract in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia: a six-week placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre trialAlimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · 2003 · Randomized controlled trialSource accessed:
- Milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C liver diseases: a systematic Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group review with meta-analyses of randomized clinical trialsAmerican Journal of Gastroenterology · 2005 · Systematic reviewSource accessed: