Silychristin is one of the main flavonolignans found in Silybum marianum (milk thistle) extract, a herbal remedy traditionally used for liver disorders. While silymarin (the crude extract containing silychristin, silybin, and other related compounds) has a long history of use in liver conditions, including fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis), most research focuses on the entire silymarin complex rather than silychristin alone.

Several animal and in vitro studies suggest that silymarin and its components possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic properties that may benefit liver health. Some small clinical trials and reviews indicate that silymarin supplementation can improve biochemical markers (such as ALT, AST) and reduce liver fat accumulation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. The mechanisms proposed include reducing oxidative stress, modulating lipid metabolism, and protecting hepatocytes from injury.

However, specific evidence for silychristin, as opposed to silymarin or silybin, is limited. The majority of clinical studies do not isolate silychristin as a single agent. Therefore, while scientific evidence exists for the silymarin complex in supporting fatty liver disease, the direct clinical evidence for silychristin alone is weak. The overall rating reflects that the use of silychristin for fatty liver disease is supported by some scientific rationale, but robust, targeted clinical evidence is currently lacking.