Background: Insufficient milk production can lead to stress and discomfort for mothers. As a result, some mothers turn to herbal medicine to enhance milk production. This study aims to review the impact of herbal medicine on breast milk production based on existing scientific literature
Materials and Methods: In this overview, online databases such as Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, CIVILICA, and the Google search engine were searched for studies on the impact of herbal medicine on increasing milk production published up to February 2023. Two independent authors conducted the screening, selection, and quality assessment of the selected research using the CONSORT Statement.
Results: Five systematic reviews, encompassing a total of studies, were included in this overview. One review, which analyzed nine experimental studies, found that torbangun leaves, young papayas, moringa leaves, katuk leaves, and banana buds contain chemical compounds that can enhance the production and secretion of breast milk. Two reviews, based on eight experimental studies, indicated that the consumption of fenugreek and milk thistle significantly increased breast milk production compared to the control group, although the studies exhibited high heterogeneity. Another systematic review, which included 41 experimental studies, reported increased milk volume in 13 studies involving Bu Xue Sheng Ru, Chanbao, Cui Ru, banana flower, fenugreek, ginger, a mix of fenugreek and ginger with turmeric, ixbut, mixed botanical tea, Sheng Ru He Ji, silymarin, Xian Tong Ru, and palm dates. However, a meta-analysis was not feasible due to high heterogeneity.
Conclusion: There is evidence that certain herbal medicines may increase milk production in mothers. However, the magnitude of these effects remains uncertain due to substantial heterogeneity among the studies, imprecision in measurements, and incomplete reporting. High-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to assess the efficacy and safety of galactagogues.