Porwal et al Journal of Drug Delivery & Therapeutics. 2019; 9(5):199-206 ISSN: 2250-1177 [199] CODEN (USA): JDDTAO Available online on 15.09.2019 at http://jddtonline.info Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics Open Access to Pharmaceutical and Medical Research © 2011-18, publisher and licensee JDDT, This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, provided the original work is properly cited Open Access Review Article Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle): Review on Its chemistry, morphology, ethno medical uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities Omji Porwal 1* , Muath Sheet Mohammed Ameen 2 , Esra T Anwer 3 , Subasini Uthirapathy 4 , Javed Ahamad 4 , Amani Tahsin 4 * 1 Head of Department of Pharmacognosy, Tishk International University, Pharmacy Faculty, 100 Meter Street and Mosul Road, Erbil, KRG, IRAQ 2 Dean of Department of Pharmaceutics, Tishk International University , Pharmacy Faculty, 100 Meter Street and Mosul Road, Erbil, KRG, IRAQ 3 Head of Department of Pharmaceutics, Tishk International University , Pharmacy Faculty, 100 Meter Street and Mosul Road, Erbil, KRG, IRAQ 4 Department of Pharmacy, Tishk International University, 100 Meter Street and Mosul Road, Erbil, KRG, IRAQ ABSTRACT The oldest remedies identified to mankind are herbal medicines. India is recognized worldwide for its Ayurvedic treatment. India has rich history of using many plants for medicinal purposes. Remedial plants are cooperating extremely dynamic position in customary drugs for the action of a variety of illness. However a key obstacle, which has hindered the promotion in use of alternative medicines in the developed countries, is no evidence of documentation and absence of stringent quality control measures. There is a demand for the evidence of every investigate effort execute on conventional remedies in the appearance of certification. The purpose of current review is to make accessible up-to-date information on, botany, morphology, ecological biodiversity, therapeutic uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities on diverse parts of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn ( S. marianum). This review was assembled using technical literature from electronic search engine such as Springer link, Bio Med Central, Pub Med, Scopus, Science Direct, Scielo, Medline and Science domain. Supplementary texts were obtained from books, book chapters, dissertations, websites and other scientific publications. S. marianum a member of the Asteraceae family, is a tall herb with large prickly white veined green leaves and a reddish-purple flower that ends in sharp spines. It is native of the Mediterranean region and which has also spread in East Asia, Europe, Australia and America. It is grown as a commercial crop in several countries, including Iran and Pakistan. Confident chemical constituents were exposed cognate as silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silychristin, silydianin, apigenin 7-O-β-(2″- O-α-rhamnosyl)galacturonide, kaempferol 3-O-α-rhamnoside-7-O-β-galacturonide, apigenin 7-O- β-glucuronide, apigenin 7-O-β- glucoside, apigenin 7-O- β-galactoside, kaempferol-3-O- α-rhamnoside, kaempferol, taxifolin and quercetin. The plant is exclusively used as anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, hypocholesterolaemic, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and as an anti- oxidant. Seeds of the plant are also used as an anti-spasmodic, neuroprotective, anti-viral, immunomodulant, cardioprotective, demulcent and anti-haemorrhagic. The plant is also serves as a galactagogue, agent that induces milk secretion and used in the treatment of uterine disorders. The plant is employed in dissimilar conventional schemes of remedy in the cure of different illness. The present paper enumerates the Pharmacognostic, morphological and ethnobotanical, pharmacological importance of the S. marianum, which may help the researchers to set their minds for approaching the utility, efficacy and potency of the plant. Keywords: Medicinal plants, Silybum marianum, Asteraceae, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Article Info: Received 12 June 2019; Review Completed 01 August 2019; Accepted 19 August 2019; Available online 15 Sep 2019 Cite this article as: Porwal O, Mohammed Ameen MS, Anwer ET, Uthirapathy S, Ahamad J, Tahsin A, Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle): Review on Its chemistry, morphology, ethno medical uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities, Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2019; 9(5):199-206 http://dx.doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v9i5.3666 *Address for Correspondence: Prof. Dr. Omji Porwal , Head of Department of Pharmacognosy, Tishk International University, Pharmacy Faculty, 100 Meter Street and Mosul Road, Erbil, KRG, IRAQ Introduction Plants are used for a variety of purposes. The history of natural products is relatively old and dates back to the time when the early man became conscious of his environment. Cultured and civilized man is said to have been on earth for some two or three million years and he has struggled for his life during the greater portion of the era. Thousands of years’ effort by examination much has thought him to distinguishes between useful and harmful plants. Since then herbs have been used in all cultures as an important source of medicine 1 . The history of human culture and civilization of Egypt,