Common Name : Milk Thistle Other Name : Marian Thistle, St. Mary's Thistle. Botanical Name : Silybum Marianum (l.) Gaertn. Plant Family : Asteraceae Synonyms : Carduus Marianus L.part Used : Seeds Overview : Milk Thistle Is A Flowering Herb Native To The Mediterranean Region. It Has Been Used For Thousands Of Years As A Remedy For A Variety Of Ailments, And Historically Was Thought To Have Protective Effects On The Liver And Improve Its Function. Its Primary Active Ingredient Is Silymarin, Which Is A Potent Antioxidant Composed Of Several Flavonoid Compounds. The dried seeds contain 1-4% silymarin flavonoids. (silibinin, silydianin, and silychristin), vitamin E (tocopherols), and about 90% fatty acids. It also contains fatty acids, silbonol and apigenin, as well as quercetin, taxifolin and biogenic amines.