Evaluvation of the Lactogenic activity of Erythrina indica Lam. leaves

Abstract

Erythrina indica Lam. is used as a galactagogue in folklore medicine. But no report is available to validate its herbal galactagogue activity in literature. So, this in vivo study was designed to assess the galactagogue activity of juice of Erythrina indica tender leaves. The milk production was assessed by parameters including the milk yield, weight gain of mother ratsand pups during the experimental period, serum cortisol and prolactin level, glycogen and protein content of mammary gland also were measured and compared with experimental group and respective control group. To estimate the milk yield, the weights of the pups were taken before and after 60 min of drug administration. On oral administration of the Erythrina indica tender leaf juice, milk yield and prolactin level were statistically significant. The other parameters like body weight of mother and pups, glycogen, and protein level were also found to be clinically significant and statistically not significant and the cortisol level is not significantly decreased. This study proves the galactagogue activity of Erythrina indica, by increasing the milk yield, and serum prolactin level in the lactating rats.