Silybin is a component of silymarin, a group of flavonolignans found in the milk thistle plant (Silymarin marianum). Evidence suggests that silybin (sometimes also called silibinin) and the other flavonolignans are potent antioxidants in humans and animals. The ability of silibin to protect from oxidative stress makes it a potentially therapeutic agent in a number of conditions where oxidative stress is a factor. In terms of the brain, oxidative stress is implicated in the development of mood disorders. Evidence from animals studies suggest that silybin is neuroprotective in animals. For example, one study showed that administration of silybin could protect diabetic mice from DNA damage and reduce oxidative stress in the brain. This supports other evidence that shows that milk thistle flavonolignans are potential neuroprotective agents due to their antioxidant effects, and in this regard they may be a useful tool in the prevention and development of mood disorders.
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