Imam Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned celery, which is hot and dry and clears blockages in the liver and spleen, and whose leaves are moist and beneficial for the stomach and for a cold liver. Celery is also a diuretic, and is therefore effective for the kidneys, brings on menstruation, and dissolves stones.
As for the seeds, they are an aphrodisiac and useful against bad breath.
Celery can also be consumed as juice or in a salad, with cucumber, lemon, and beetroot. The Sunnah also teaches us that ginger is very good for the liver; it can be taken in capsule form or as an herbal tea.
Among the best plants for improving the state of the liver and eliminating toxins from it is milk thistle, from which silymarin is extracted. It is available in capsule form, and two may be taken per day. In addition, the Arabs used to give the sick rosemary tea, and two bowls a day may be taken to cleanse the liver.
What the science says: the liver
What published research says about the remedies mentioned above, as background information — the studies address material causes; healing belongs to Allah.
The liver
Milk thistle's silymarin improves liver markers in fatty liver disease and various liver conditions according to meta-analyses (Ann Hepatol, 2024) (World J Gastroenterol, 2017); the Mediterranean diet (olive oil, vegetables, fish) reduces liver fat (Clin Nutr, 2022). Artichoke, black radish, rosemary and dandelion are the traditional drainers; fasting gives the liver a rest. Precaution: viral hepatitis or cirrhosis should be followed by a specialist; certain plants are hepatotoxic (comfrey, greater celandine, kava) — do not improvise.
