Impacts of Supplementation with Silymarin on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

• Published in: Antioxidants 2024-04, Vol.13 (4), p.390
• Main Authors: Mohammadi, Shooka, Asbaghi, Omid, Afrisham, Reza, Farrokhi, Vida, Jadidi, Yasaman, Mofidi, Fatemeh, Ashtary-Larky, Damoon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Atherosclerosis; Bias; Blood pressure; blood pressure (BP); Blood sugar; Body mass index; Body weight; C-reactive protein; cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS); Cardiovascular diseases; Cholesterol; Clinical trials; Diabetes; Drug dosages; Fasting; Glucose; glycemic parameters; Glycosylated hemoglobin; Health aspects; Hemoglobin; Herbal medicine; High density lipoprotein; Insulin; Laboratory testing; lipid profile; Lipids; Lipoproteins; Low density lipoprotein; Low density lipoproteins; Medical research; Meta-analysis; Metabolism; Obesity; Researchers; Risk factors; Serum levels; Silymarin; Software; Supplements; Systematic review; Triglycerides; Type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 2076-3921; 2076-3921
• DOI: 10.3390/antiox13040390

It has been suggested that silymarin (SIL) supplementation has positive effects on cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS). This systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis assessed the impacts of SIL administration on cardiovascular risk factors. A systematic search of multiple databases was performed to identify eligible controlled trials published up to January 2023. The analysis used a random-effects model and included 33 trials with 1943 participants. It was revealed that SIL supplementation led to a notable reduction in serum levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) (weighted mean difference (WMD): -21.68 mg/dL, 95% CI: -31.37, -11.99; < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD: -1.25 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.25, -0.26; = 0.013), total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: -13.97 mg/dL, 95% CI: -23.09, -4.85; = 0.003), triglycerides (TG) (WMD: -26.22 mg/dL, 95% CI: -40.32, -12.12; < 0.001), fasting insulin (WMD: -3.76 mU/mL, 95% CI: -4.80, -2.72; < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (WMD: -17.13 mg/dL, 95% CI: -25.63, -8.63; < 0.001), and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) (WMD: -0.85%, 95% CI: -1.27, -0.43; < 0.001) in the SIL-treated groups compared to their untreated counterparts. In addition, there were no substantial differences in body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), C-reactive protein (CRP), body weight, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) between the two groups. These outcomes suggest that SIL consumption reduces certain CMS risk factors and has favorable impacts on lipid and glycemic profiles with potential hypotensive effects. These findings should be supported by additional trials with larger sample sizes and longer durations.