The herbal supplement milk thistle (silymarin) recently won good reviews for a test-tube performance: In a lab study, it reduced liver inflam-mation and even seemed to interfere with hepatitis C replication. For years positive people have used the botanical remedy to liven up livers weakened by hepatitis or HIV-med processing—despite a 2006 survey that found the supplement ineffective in human trials. The new report, in the May 2007 Gastroenterology, said silymarin may work if sufficiently high doses of good quality extract are used. The authors also named one commercially available version—Ultra Thistle—that shows some activity against hep C. While scientists pursue these efforts, check with your doc before whetting your thistle.