Silybins: Antiviral liver analeptics

Abstract Silybins, also known as silibinins (in pharmacopeias), are ubiquitous flavonolignans with promising health benefits against obesity, cancer, liver damages, and viral diseases. Initially, discovered in “silymarin” a generic name used for the methanolic extracts of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seeds. Besides, these plant metabolites have been isolated from white flowers bearing a variety of Silybum marianum, Gentiana apiata (whole plant), roots of Curcuma longa L., and Aspergillus iizukae (a fungal endophyte of milk thistle). Over the last couple of decades, silybins have received a great deal of research regarding extraction, biogenesis, metabolism, and clinical interventions in an effort to modulate the biological activities of silybin or to improve its physical properties, such as solubility. A fundamental breakthrough in silybin chemistry was the determination of the absolute configurations of silybin A and silybin B, and the development of the methods for their separation. Recently, this plant bioactive has shown promising analeptic potential against alcoholic, virial, mutation, and drug-induced liver damages. This chapter contains key facts dealing with silybin chemistry, sources, extraction, pharmacokinetics, and clinical applications.