Title: Protect Your Liver Detoxify it

Author: Betty Norton

The liver is the largest organ and performs more functions than any other single organ of the body. It is the body’s master detoxifier and cleanses the system of environmental toxins and metabolic wastes. The word liver means to live and the importance of the liver should not be overlooked due to the vital role it plays. By taking Milk Thistle the liver receives valuable nutrients which can helps protect the liver from harmful chemical compounds, helping to keep the body in a health state.

Kare and Hope were very proud that their Milk Thistle chosen for study in conjunction with AIDS DRUG called indinavir. The study done in Canada and presented at XV International AIDS Conference, 2004. The reason of the study because many people with HIV individuals have started to use Milk Thistle to help manage the liver toxicity that may be caused by the indinavir drug. After running many tests through out the test period the results showed that Milk Thistle did not appear to significantly alter plasma concentrations of indinavir.

How Kare & Hope Milk Thistle was chosen for the study?

 Due to the importance of this study the Milk Thistle chosen had to meet the follow criteria, consistency of active ingredient, dose, number of capsules in bottle and cost. The products chosen to test were all available from health food stores in downtown Toronto. After The University of Ottawa analyzed many products the winner was the Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) from Kare and Hope Inc. Kare and Hope Inc. is Canadian manufacture, which was been in business since 1989 and is 100% Canadian company.

Kare and Hope were very proud to be chosen for this study, as health and wellness has always been very important to this company. Whenever wants to protect or cleanse your liver, make sure to pick Kare & Hope Milk Thistle

Link to the study

* Betty Norton is a clinical herbalist and nutritional consultant in Victoria, BC. Canada

Kare & Hope Milk Thistle was selected for study in conjunction with AIDS DRUG

The quality of life for many HIV patents is supported by a well-known herb called Milk thistle. HIV is a very serious condition, which can require a potent drug called Indinavir. This particular anti HIV medication has helped many people suffering with this condition, but it can cause liver toxicity. Many individuals have started to use Milk Thistle to help manage the liver toxicity. This in theory is wonderful idea but it is known fact that some herbs and pharmaceuticals drugs may have some very harmful side effects. The question is does Milk thistle and Indinavir have a negative effect when taken together.

            In study done in Canada and presented at XV International AIDS Conference, 2004, Sixteen health males were put on a 3-month trial period. They were put into two groups. The one group took milk thistle the other did not. All participants received Indinavir. The Milk thistle group received 456 mg milk thistle 3 times a day away from meals starting on day 2 of the trial stopping on day 30. After running many tests through out the test period the results showed that Milk Thistle did not appear to significantly alter plasma concentrations of indinavir.

Due to the importance of this study the Milk Thistle chosen had to meet the follow criteria, consistency of active ingredient, dose, number of tables in bottle and cost. The products chosen to test were all available from health food stores in downtown Toronto. After The University of Ottawa analyzed many products the winner was the Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) from Kare and Hope Inc.

Kare and Hope Inc. is Canadian manufacture, which was been in business since 1989 and is 100% Canadian company. Kare and Hope were very proud to be chosen for this study, as health and wellness has always been very important to this company. They are especial proud of their Milk thistle because they truly understand the positive effects this herb has on the liver. The liver is the largest organ and performs more functions than any other single organ of the body. It is the body’s master detoxifier and cleanses the system of environmental toxins and metabolic wastes. The word liver means to live and the importance of the liver should not be overlooked due to the vital role it plays. By taking Milk Thistle the liver receives valuable nutrients which can helps protect the liver from harmful chemical compounds, helping to keep the body in a health state.

Ref: Milk Thistle and Indinavir: A randomized controlled pharmacokinetics study and Meta-analysis 2005 Mar, 61(1): 1-7.Epub 2005 Jan 22. PMID: 15666173

Articles > Milk Thistle  & Aids Drug Study

Author: Ontario HIV Treatment Network

Kare & Hope Milk Thistle was selected for study in conjunction with AIDS DRUG

Summary for the RCT ( For less technical reading read the above article)

It is well known that the prolonged use of Natural Health products may alter Protease Inhibitor concentration( anti HIV drugs) potentially producing suboptimal drug concentration leading to drug resistance. In some, and in others increasing exposure resulting in drug toxicity. Milk Thistle is a herbal remedy commonly used by people with HIV for the management of liver toxicity related to anti-HIV medication. Previous clinical trials done to determine Milk Thistle/ Indinavir interactions concluded that there was no significant interaction although they showed large decreases of Indinavir in plasma within some individuals, but these studies were limited by not employing a control group. In a new Randomized controlled study approved by The Ontario HIV treatment network which included US and UK cooperation, Milk Thistle does not appear to significantly alter plasma concentration of Indinavir.

Before the study, different Milk Thistle products in Toronto health food stores were analysed at the University of Ottawa, consistency, cost and patient preferences were determined. The product chosen for the trial was from Kare and Hope Inc. and it contained an average 456mg of Milk Thistle.

The study was a 3 period trail with 16 healthy young male patients participating. They were randomized to a Milk Thistle group and a control group. All participants received Indinavir in three phases with the Milk Thistle given from day 2 to day 30 of the trial. The result was that Indinavir levels were not reduced significantly in the presence of Milk Thistle.

As Increased efforts are needed to design trials that can adequately display or reject plant-extract drug interactions, Milk Thistle continues to be a useful supplement for HIV patients treated with Indinavir.


This study was supported by The Ontario HIV Treatment Network:
 

1. University of Oxford

2. Dept. of Medicine, University of Toronto

3. UK Cochrane Centre, Oxford UK

4. Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Canada

5. Sunnybrook & Women’s College Hospital

6. Dept. of Medicine, Mayo Clinic

7. Dept. of Medicine, University of Queensland

8. Watson Laboratories, USA

9. McMaster University

Milk Thistle  & Aids Study (Complete Research)

To view an abstract of the study Click here

To obtain a copy of the complete research that was conducted by aforementioned organizations please contact us.