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Milk thistle is an annual or biennial plant. It has reddish-purple flowers. It grows to three feet tall. It's often considered a weed. It comes from Europe. It grows in dry, rocky soils. Milk thistle seeds (Silybum marianum) have been used for hundreds of years to treat liver and gallbladder disease. Milk thistle contains a group of bioflavonoids. These are called silymarin. They're made from the seeds of the thistle. The most active of the group is silybin. These may protect the liver from damage. It works by stopping toxins from attaching to the liver cells. It also neutralizes free radicals. It's been used to treat toxic-mushroom poisoning, cirrhosis, and hepatitis.