Potential applications and effects of silymarin in domestic animals – a review

Abstract

Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignan fractions from the medicinal plant milk thistle, which is primarily used as a hepatoprotector in humans and animals, and acts as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic agent. As a dietary supplement, it is increasingly used to treat various liver diseases, some intoxications, prevent side effects of chemotherapy and protect the kidneys in dogs, birds, poultry, rabbits, cats, horses and other animals. The use of silymarin in dairy cows showed an improved biochemical profile of cows, reduced occurrence of ketosis and increased milk production. In pigs, nutrient digestibility, total average daily feed intake, and average daily weight gain improved, while in sport horses, silymarin supplementation accelerated the return of cortisol levels to pre-exercise levels. Lipidosis of the liver or fatty liver disease is a common disorder among captive parrots. After long-term administration of 100–150 mg/kg silymarin in food every 8–12 hours, the health condition improved significantly according to the testimonies of parrot owners and veterinarians. In intensive poultry production systems, silymarin is used in broilers as a hepatotonic, to improve carcass characteristics, to boost the immune system and intestinal health, and as a growth promoter, and in laying hens to improve egg quality. In addition, it mitigated the negative effects of mycotoxins in broilers,chickens and Japanese quails. Although numerous studies are known about the effect of milk thistle and silymarin, their use on animals is not yet widespread.