Table 2 Subgroup analyses of the effects of silymarin consumption on liver enzymes

AST

Age (Year)

 < 50

39

− 0.703

− 1.054, − 0.352

0.000

0.000 (94.14)

 ≥ 50

14

− 0.545

− 0.852, − 0.237

0.001

0.000 (81.37)

BMI

 < 30

13

− 0.889

− 1.428, − 0.350

0.001

0.000 (93.66)

 ≥ 30

4

− 0.326

− 0.746, 0.094

0.128

0.042 (63.46)

Dosage (mg/day)

 < 400 mg

26

− 0.905

− 1.396, − 0.415

0.000

0.000 (94.87)

 ≥ 400 mg

28

− 0.494

− 0.764, − 0.224

0.000

0.000 (88.42)

 ≤ 140 mg

9

− 0.988

− 1.883, − 0.093

0.031

0.000 (94.93)

Treatment Duration (Month)

 ≤ 2 month

28

− 0.664

− 1.040, − 0.289

0.001

0.000 (92.71)

 > 2 month

26

− 0.676

− 1.050, − 0.302

0.000

0.000 (92.95)

Dosage and Treatment Duration

 ≤ 140 mg

and

 ≤ 2 month

7

− 1.142

− 1.548, − 0.736

0.000

0.000 (76.25)

Type of disease

NAFLD

13

− 0.916

− 1.437, − 0.394

0.001

0.000 (92.52)

Thalassemia

4

− 1.017

− 2.404, 0.370

0.151

0.000 (95.39)

T2 Diabetes Mellitus

5

− 0.719

− 1.123, − 0.315

0.000

0.039 (60.39)

Viral hepatitis

8

− 0.655

− 1.021, − 0.289

0.000

0.000 (78.51)

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis

3

− 0.656

− 1.621, 0.310

0.183

0.000 (92.06)

Anti-tuberculosis Drugs Induced liver injury

4

0.037

− 0.362, 0.436

0.856

0.071 (57.40)

Type of study

Randomized

19

− 0.506

− 0.933, − 0.079

0.020

0.000 (92.36)

Randomized Double blind

34

− 0.781

− 1.120, − 0.441

0.000

0.000 (93.06)

Type I error

0.01

54

− 0.670

− 1.013, − 0.326

0.000

0.000 (92.69)

ALT

Age (Year)

 < 50

39

− 1.186

− 1.577, − 0.795

0.000

0.000 (95.03)

 ≥ 50

19

− 0.258

− 0.566, − 0.148

0.001

0.000 (71.06)

BMI

 < 30

15

− 0.700

− 1.074, − 0.327

0.000

0.000 (89.77)

 ≥ 30

5

− 0.206

− 0.459, 0.051

0.101

0.077 (52.15)

Dosage (mg/day)

 < 400 mg

26

− 1.507

− 2.028, − 0.987

0.000

0.000 (95.34)

 ≥ 400 mg

33

− 0.514

− 0.963, − 0.484

0.000

0.000 (89.27)

 ≤ 140 mg

11

− 1.304

− 1.842, − 0.766

0.000

0.000 (90.52)

Treatment Duration (Month)

 ≤ 2 month

29

− 0.964

− 1.423, − 0.504

0.000

0.000 (94.87)

 > 2 month

30

− 0.877

− 1.183, − 0.572

0.000

0.000 (90.69)

Dosage and Treatment Duration

 ≤ 140 mg

and

 ≤ 2 month

7

− 0.831

− 1.269, − 0.393

0.000

0.000 (81.21)

Type of disease

NAFLD

13

− 0.847

− 1.261, − 0.432

0.000

0.000 (89.22)

Thalassemia

4

− 1.234

− 2.509, 0.041

0.058

0.000 (94.49)

T2 Diabetes Mellitus

5

− 1.291

− 2.395, − 0.186

0.022

0.000 (92.20)

Viral hepatitis

13

− 0.399

− 0.629, − 0.168

0.001

0.002 (61.90)

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis

3

− 1.085

− 2.712, 0.542

0.191

0.000 (96.76)

Anti-tuberculosis Drugs Induced liver injury

4

− 0.026

− 0.582, 0.531

0.928

0.004 (77.28)

Type of study

Randomized

16

− 0.222

− 0.739, 0.295

0.400

0.000 (92.52)

Randomized Double blind

33

− 1.221

− 1.582, − 0.860

0.000

0.000 (93.79)

Type I error

0.01

59

− 0.912

− 1.261, − 0.563

0.000

0.000 (93.24)

ALP

Age (Year)

 < 50

11

− 0.150

− 0.721, 0.420

0.606

0.000 (92.96)

 ≥ 50

13

− 0.243

− 0.684, 0.197

0.279

0.000 (88.72)

 < 30

7

− 0.402

− 1.160, 0.356

0.299

0.000 (94.01)

BMI

 < 30

6

− 0.292

− 0.482, − 0.102

0.003

0.663 (0.00)

Dosage (mg/day)

 < 400 mg

11

− 0.187

− 0.757, 0.384

0.521

0.000 (92.34)

 ≥ 400 mg

15

− 0.273

− 0.696, 0.149

0.205

0.000 (92.50)

Treatment Duration (Month)

 ≤ 2 month

16

− 0.400

− 0.877, 0.077

0.101

0.000 (94.18)

 > 2 month

10

− 0.006

− 0.414, 0.402

0.976

0.000 (84.80)

Type of disease

Thalassemia

2

− 0.472

− 0.790, − 0.154

0.004

0.782 (0.00)

Viral hepatitis

4

− 0.473

− 1.287, 0.340

0.254

0.000 (87.17)

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis

2

− 0.062

− 0.390, 0.265

0.709

0.864 (0.00)

Anti-tuberculosis Drugs Induced liver injury

4

− 0.207

− 0.843, 0.430

0.525

0.000 (90.59)

Type of study

Randomized

8

0.051

− 0.630, 0.731

0.884

0.000 (94.91)

Randomized Double blind

13

− 0.197

− 0.506, 0.113

0.213

0.000 (81.40)