Review of Silymarin as a Model for Hepatotherapeutic Drug Development Using Herbal Resources

간질환의 경향분석과 한약을 이용한 약물개발 모델로서의 실라마린제제 고찰

Herbal plants or traditional Oriental medicine have been considered as a potential resource of new drug development worldwide. However, traditional Korean medicine has given little effort to the field of new drug development. This study reports on a plant-derived hepatotherapeutic drug, silymarin, which has been popularly used in many countries. It was discovered as an active compound from Silybum marianum (milk thistle) which has been known as a medicinal plant having hepatoprotective properties in both European and Asian countries. While it has been used as an herbal prescription in Asia, its active compounds or scientific mechanisms were intensively studied in Europe. Currently, silymarin is one of the most powerful herbal extracts in the world, and its usage is being expanded to many other medical purposes. This report would be helpful for providing an informative example of herbal-derived drug development to Oriental doctors or scientists in the Oriental medicinal field.