Product Overview
Parts used: Dried ripe seeds
TCM category: Herbs that clear Heat and relieve Toxicity
TCM nature: Cool
TCM taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: Gallbladder Liver
Scientific name: Silybum marianum
Other names: Holy thistle, Blessed thistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Saint Mary's thistle, Variegated thistle or Scotch thistle
Use of milk thistle seeds (Shui Fei Ji) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitionner, they will be best able to guide you.
Preparation: Remove impurities and dry.
Dosage: 3.5 to 14 grams
Main actions according to TCM*: Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Regulates the flow of Qi in the Liver and tonify Gallbladder.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which milk thistle seeds may be prescribed by TCM doctors*: Hepatitis Jaundice Cirrhosis Abdominal pain Cholangitis Gallstones
Key TCM concepts behind milk thistle seeds (Shui Fei Ji)'s properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), milk thistle seeds are plants that belong to the 'Herbs that clear Heat and relieve Toxicity' category. Herbs in this category are used to clear inflammatory and infectious conditions, referred to as 'Internal Heat' in TCM. This is why most of the herbs in this category will have both antibacterial and antiviral properties. In TCM one has too much 'Heat' in their body as a result of a deficiency of 'Yin' (which is Cold in nature, see our explanation on Yin and Yang) or, more commonly, an excess of Yang (Hot in nature). Herbs that clear Heat and relieve Toxicity treat the latter while, at the same time, removing infectious toxins from the body. As such they tend to be Cold or Neutral in nature.
As suggested by its category milk thistle seeds are plants that are Cool in nature. This means that milk thistle seeds tend to help people who have too much "heat" in their body, although with less effect than a plant that would be Cold in nature. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Those who have too much heat in their body are said to either have a Yang excess (because Yang is Hot in nature) or a Yin deficiency (Yin is Cold in Nature). Depending on your condition milk thistle seeds can help restore a harmonious balance between Yin and Yang.
Milk thistle seeds also taste Bitter. The so-called "five elements" theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Bitter ingredients like milk thistle seeds tend to have a cleansing action on the body by clearing heat, drying dampness and promoting elimination via urination or bowel movements.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what organs and meridians they target. As such milk thistle seeds are thought to target the Gallbladder and the Liver. Similar to modern medicine, in TCM the Gall Bladder stores and releases bile produced by the Liver. It also controls the emotion of decisiveness. The Liver on the other hand is often referred as the body's "general" because it is in charge of regulating the movements of Qi and body fluids. It also takes a leading role in balancing our emotions.
