Unclear
Milk thistle
silymarin. Herbs & mushrooms.
During treatment: In one small trial in children with leukemia, it reduced liver side effects of chemotherapy without harming treatment.
- Verdict
- UnclearThere isn't enough human evidence to say either way.
- How sure
- Rung 2 · LimitedFew, small or conflicting human studies, or only indirect measures such as blood markers.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
None shown; side effects of treatment
What the evidence shows
Small trials only. In children with leukemia, silymarin reduced chemotherapy's effects on the liver without harming treatment. In 30 people with head and neck cancer, it lowered rates of radiation mouth sores. Very few side effects were reported.
What to do
Not shown to treat cancer. If you'd like to try it for side effects, ask your care team first.
Sources
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Related
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