Lactagogue Activity of Aqueous Extract of Javanese Ginseng Leaves on Wistar Mice

Abstract

The plant known as Javanese ginseng (Talinum paniculatum Gaertn) contains polyphenols, steroids, flavonoids, and other chemical substances that can enhance breast milk production by stimulating the mammary glands to make more milk. This study aims to investigate the potential of Javanese ginseng leaves to induce milk production in adult mother mice. The infusion technique was used to extract the ginseng leaves. The amount of breast milk reflected by the mice's weight before and after breastfeeding is used to calculate the possibility of increasing breast milk. The 25 mother mice used in this study were separated into five groups, including the normal control group (which received NA-CMC 0.5%), the positive control group (which received a commercial breastfeeding promoter including katuk plants at a dose of 117 mg/kg BW), and group D1 (which received a 5000 mg/kg BW infusion of Javanese ginseng leaves), group D2 (which received a 2500 mg/kg BW infusion of Javanese ginseng leaves), and group D3 (which received a 1250 mg/kg BW infusion of Javanese ginseng leaves). The results showed that mother mice that received Javanese ginseng leaf infusion produced more breast milk than the normal controls. Mother mice given 5000 mg/kg of Javanese ginseng leaf infusion showed the highest percentage (13%) increase in breast milk production. However, its capacity to do so was less than commercial breast milk-promoting products, with a 26% increase in breast milk production. We conclude that Javanese ginseng leaf extract used by breastfeeding mothers could enhance breast milk production.