Liver damage is a potential side effect of some chemotherapeutic agents. Now scientists from Columbia University report that the herb milk thistle was helpful in protecting children undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia from liver toxicity. The study lasted a month and included 50 children. Those who were given capsules containing milk thistle had lower levels of liver enzymes than those who had taken placebo capsules. Elevated liver enzymes are usually a sign that the organ is struggling. The investigators caution that patients must not take this herb on their own because it may interact with certain chemotherapy drugs. But with further research, doctors may start prescribing milk thistle to protect the liver during chemotherapy.
[Cancer, online, Dec. 14, 2009]
The People's Perspective on Medicine