St Mary's Thistle

A large plant belonging to the daisy family (Asteraceae), St. Mary’s thistle has a long-standing reputation as a bitter liver herb used as a preventative measure for liver damage caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and chemical toxins. Perhaps of even more interest at this time of year, is the fact that the seeds of St. Mary’s thistle are often the first choice of herb to protect the liver from the ill effects of excessive alcohol consumption as they minimise hangovers and reduce toxic fatty degeneration of the liver.  

In practice, St. Mary’s thistle is commonly used for treating digestive disorders and any indication whereby improved liver function or liver protection may be a benefit. As well as being a general ‘liver cleansing’ agent, the seeds have been used traditionally to treat jaundice, hepatitis, haemorrhoids and psoriasis. The specific species name marianum preserves the legend that the white mottling surrounding the venation of the leaves was a result of a single drop of the Virgin Mary's milk as it gently fell onto the leaf surface. This medicinal plant is traditionally used as a galactogogue (stimulating milk production) and as a tonic for nursing mothers, perhaps contributing to the word origins of the other common name, milk thistle, along with the milky sap it exudes.  

There is often a connection between poor liver health and depression and St. Mary’s thistle is specific for depression that follows hepatitis. The British herbalist Gerard referred to it as ‘the best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases.’ Melancholy, a term that is often equated with depression, derives its name from the Greek words ‘black bile’ and was treated historically with liver herbs, in addition to mood-enhancing plants. 

References

Jones L. A Working Herbal Dispensary. Aeon Books:Glasgow. 2023. p.237

Braun L, Cohen M. Essential Herbs and Natural Supplements. Chatswood:Elsevier. 2017. p. 866

HEC monograph