Silymarin

Silymarin (SIL), a standardized plant extract containing about 60% polyphenole silibinin, is used as a hepatoprotective agent, it retards collagen accumulation in early and advanced biliary fibrosis secondary to complete bile duct obliteration in rats, it also may play a role in the therapy of (alcoholic) liver cirrhosis.^[1,2]

Silymarin modulates imbalance between cell survival and apoptosis through interference with the expressions of cell cycle regulators and proteins involved in apoptosis; it also shows anti-inflammatory as well as anti-metastatic activity; it has the protective effects in various tissues, suggest a clinical application in cancer patients as an adjunct to established therapies, to prevent or reduce chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy-induced toxicity.^[3]

Silymarin possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties which may lead to the prevention of skin cancer in in vivo animal models, suggests that it is a promising chemopreventive and pharmacologically safe agent which can be exploited or tested against skin cancer in human system, moreover, it may favorably supplement sunscreen protection and provide additional anti-photocarcinogenic protection.^[4]

Silymarin induces apoptosis primarily through a p53-dependent pathway involving Bcl-2/Bax, cytochrome c release, and caspase activation.^[5]

Silymarin and silibinin cause G1 and G2–M cell cycle arrest via distinct circuitries in human prostate cancer PC3 cells.^[6]

[1] Boigk G, Stroedter L, Herbst H, et al. Hepatology, 1997, 26(3):643-9.

[2] Saller R, Meier R, Brignoli R. Drugs, 2001, 61(14):2035-63.

[3] Ramasamy K, Agarwal R. Cancer Lett, 2008, 269(269):352-62.

[4] Katiyar S K. Int J Oncol, 2005, 26(1):169-76.

[5] Katiyar S K, Roy A M, Baliga M S. Mol Cancer Ther, 2005, 4(2):207-16.

[6] Deep G, Singh R P, Agarwal C, et al. Oncogene, 2006, 25(7):1053-69.

[7] Korany M A, Haggag R S, Ragab M A A, et al. Arab J Chem, 2013, 06.021.