Vol. 290, Issue 3, 1375-1383, September 1999

Stimulatory Effects of Silibinin and Silicristin from the Milk Thistle Silybum marianum on Kidney Cells

Johann Sonnenbichler, Fortunato Scalera, Isolde Sonnenbichler and Roland Weyhenmeyer

Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany (J.S., F.S., I.S.); and Madaus AG, Köln, Germany (R.W.)

The biochemical influence of flavonolignans from the milk thistle Silybum marianum has been tested on kidney cells of African green monkeys. Two nonmalignant cell lines were selected, with the focus of the work on the fibroblast-like Vero line. Proliferation rate, biosynthesis of protein and DNA, and the activity of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (as a measure of the cellular metabolic activity) were chosen as parameters for the effect of the flavonolignans. Silibinin and silicristin show remarkable stimulatory effects on these parameters, mainly in Vero cells; however, isosilibinin and silidianin proved to be inactive. In vitro experiments with kidney cells damaged by paracetamol, cisplatin, and vincristin demonstrated that administration of silibinin before or after the chemical-induced injury can lessen or avoid the nephrotoxic effects. The results warrant in vivo evaluations of the flavonolignan derivatives.