By David Gutierrez, contributing writer to Natural News
A chemical extracted from milk thistle seeds may function as a non-invasive treatment for a rare hormonal condition caused by a brain tumor, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and published in the journal Nature Medicine on February 9.
The condition, known as Cushing disease (the most common variety of Cushing syndrome), stems from a tumor in the pituitary gland of the brain. This tumor leads to increased levels of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in the body, which in turn causes the adrenal glands to release elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol. These abnormally high hormone levels produce a variety of health problems, such as rapid weight gain, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, increased rate of infections, and even depression and cognitive dysfunction.
