title: Neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) on neurons in culture.
abstract: Herbal products are being increasingly used as dietary supplements and therapeutic agents. However, much more research must be performed in order to determine the biological basis for their putative clinical effects. We tested the effects of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) extract on the differentiation and survival of cultured neural cells. Milk thistle enhanced nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth in PC-12 neural cells and prolonged their survival in culture. Milk thistle extract also protected cultured rat hippocampal neurons against oxidative stress-induced cell death. Our data demonstrate that milk thistle extract can promote neuronal differentiation and survival, suggesting potential benefits of chemicals in this plant on the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. kitturs@upstate.edu
authors.forename: Smita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kittur
authors.forename: Skuntala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilasrusmee
authors.forename: Ward A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mattson
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Straube-West
authors.forename: Chumpon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilasrusmee
authors.forename: Burk
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lubelt
authors.forename: Dilip S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kittur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D020944:Silybum marianum / Q000737:chemistry*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D058085:Iron Compounds; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor