Milk Thistle - History and Folklore
By the Classical period, Greeks and Romans had learned that some types of thistles, such as the artichoke, were quite tasty when properly prepared. Some thistles became assigned to the treatment of specific illnesses. The golden thistle was believed to treat bad breath, as well as balding due to the mange.
In Medieval Europe, the milk thistle was a remedy for snakebite and rabies. The plant has veins that contain a white, milky-appearing liquid, so was naturally considered useful for encouraging lactation. The milk thistle acquired the additional names of Marian thistle and lady's-thistle.
Milk thistle was included in Renaissance herbal collections, where it was listed as useful to "expel melancholie" (Gerard 1597), as a "friend to the liver and bloode" (Westmacott 1694), and as good for obstructions of the liver and spleen, for jaundice, and for kidney stones (Culpeper 1653).
