Phytotherapy

Milk thistle

Silybum marianum

Mechanism

Der Silymarin-Komplex (u. a. Silibinin) aus den Früchten der Mariendistel wirkt membranstabilisierend an Hepatozyten und antioxidativ. Traditionell wird Mariendistel zur Unterstützung der Leber verwendet; in equinen Settings wurde der adjuvante Einsatz untersucht. Die Evidenz beim Pferd ist begrenzt.

Cautions

· Not a stand-alone therapy for liver disease — consult a vet

Sources

JEVS 2013Hackett et al. — Milk thistle in horses (JEVS)

Pferdeheilkunde 2019Pferdeheilkunde — Silymarin equin

PMID:17213517Pradhan & Girish 2006 (Indian J Med Res) — Review Silymarin hepatoprotektiv

Equiterna Score

61/100

solid

Science4.5/10

Practical experience6/10

Safety8.4/10

Overall score scale

high overall75–100solid55–74limited0–54

How the Equiterna Score is built

The Equiterna Score combines three dimensions into a value of 0-100: science (40%), practical experience (30%) and safety (30%). It is transparently derived from evidence level, attributed sources (PubMed/journals), legal classification and cautions. The FEI doping status is shown separately as a competition-law note and does not enter the score. Commissions and vendor relationships have no influence on the score. In addition, the editorial safety rating caps the result: it limits the safety dimension and the overall tier (orange: at most solid). For entries rated red, no score is calculated at all. The rating never raises anything — a green rating does not lift a calculated value.

An editorial assessment of the evidence and safety situation — not a healing claim and not an individual recommendation. It does not replace veterinary advice.

Dosageapprox. 1–2 g/100 kg BW/day (standardised to ~80% silymarin)

AMG statusComplementary feed

FEI statusNot listed

SafetyVery safe

Evidenceemerging

Knowledge connections

Related conditions

Laminitis & Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) →liver support under metabolic strain

PPID (Equine Cushing's Syndrome) →liver support in senior metabolism

Sweet Itch (Summer Eczema) →liver support with recurrent skin strain

Liver Disease (Hepatopathy) →silymarin, membrane-stabilising/antioxidant (traditional liver support)

Mud Fever / Pastern Dermatitis →liver support with recurrent skin strain (traditional)

Hives (Urticaria) →liver support with recurrent skin strain (traditional)

Mange / Mites (Chorioptes/Sarcoptes) →liver support with recurrent skin strain (traditional)

Insulin Dysregulation / Insulin Resistance (ID/IR) →liver support under metabolic strain (traditional)

Hyperlipemia / Fatty Liver →liver support in the vet-supervised recovery phase (traditional, not curative)

Cryptopyrroluria (KPU) — a debated topic →traditional liver support — no evidence for a KPU-specific effect

Coat Change Disorders →liver support during the metabolically intensive change phase (traditional)

Photosensitisation (Light Dermatitis) →liver support ONLY in the liver-associated (secondary) form (traditional, adjunctive)

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Liver Damage (Ragwort, Senecio etc.) →silymarin, membrane-stabilising/antioxidant (traditional liver support) — does not replace removing the poison source and veterinary therapy

Cholangiohepatitis / Bile Duct Inflammation (possibly with gallstones) →silymarin, membrane-stabilising/antioxidant (traditional liver support) — only adjunctive to veterinary therapy

Journal articles on this compound

EMS und Hufrehe-Prävention — der Hebel liegt in der Ration →PPID erkennen — was hinter dem Equinen Cushing-Syndrom steht →

All sources in the study library →

Frequently asked questions

Is Milk thistle a feed or a veterinary medicine for horses?

Equiterna classes Milk thistle as “Complementary feed”. Legal framework: Regulation (EU) 2019/6 / TAMG (DE/AT), Feed Regulation (EC) 767/2009.

Is Milk thistle allowed at FEI competitions?

In the profile, Milk thistle is listed with the FEI status “Not listed”. The current FEI list is authoritative, so please check its latest version.

Which dosage do the sources give for Milk thistle?

Stated in the profile: approx. 1–2 g/100 kg BW/day (standardised to ~80% silymarin). This is information from the literature, not an instruction for an individual horse.

Which sources are there for Milk thistle?

The profile cites: JEVS 2013, Pferdeheilkunde 2019, and PMID:17213517.

Usage note

This content is for information and education. It does not replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment. If your horse shows signs of illness, consult a veterinarian.

“Nothing forced can ever be beautiful.”

Xenophon · On Horsemanship (c. 365 BC)

Equiterna is an intermediary platform for equine knowledge, marketplace and tools — not a veterinary-medicines dealer, veterinary practice or pharmacy. Compound information is source-attributed (PubMed, specialist journals, NRC/GfE, EU regulations) and free of healing claims. Legal framework: Regulation (EU) 2019/6 / TAMG (DE/AT), Feed Regulation (EC) 767/2009, FEI Prohibited Substances List, HWG.