REVIEW OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STATINS AND THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF SILYBIN MARIANUM IN THE TREATMENT OF LIVER CANCER

The therapeutic benefits of milk thistle, attributed largely to silymarin, a flavonolignan derived from the milk thistle Silybum marianum (L.), have long been used in traditional medicine. Silymarin has been shown to have a variety of pharmacological effects, including hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and cardioprotective activity. The derivatives and secondary metabolites of this plant have a variety of anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic characteristics. SC-CO2 was a new and environmentally friendly technology used to extract these powerful metabolites from silybin of Albanian origin. The extract included substantial amounts of linoleic and oleic acids, with 32% and 26.4%, respectively, detected in the extract. These significant percentages are attributed to the multiple benefits of milk thistle. This article addresses the effects of medical treatments such as statins along with the beneficial effect of milk thistle on liver cancer.