Background: Poor breastmilk production in mothers is a major concern worldwide. Galactogogues are increasingly being used as treatments that help to initiate and sustain adequate breast milk production.

Objective: To determine the clinical effects of Lysiphyllum strychnifolium (Craib) A. Schmitz (LS) tea in terms of breastmilk volume, nutrition in the milk content, and the infant weight among nursing women with normal delivery.

Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in nursing women with normal delivery in Kut Chum and Loengnoktha Crown Prince Hospitals, Thailand. Eighty-four participants were randomly divided equally into two groups. The intervention group received LS tea while the control group received only warm water before each meal three times a day for seven days. Breastmilk volumes were measured, recorded on day 4 and 10 and analyzed for nutrient composition. Infant weight and adverse effects were also recorded.

Results: The mean breastmilk volumes were 62.86±44.90 mL/time in the LS group, which were higher than those of the control group at 47.38±32.18 mL/time, without statistical significance (p=0.073) between groups on day 4. All the participants in the intervention group started secreting breastmilk, while five participants in the control group could not give sufficient breastmilk supply on day 4. Fat, carbohydrate, and mean differences of infant weight increased significantly, and protein decreased significantly in both groups. However, there was no significant difference between both groups. Moreover, adverse effects of LS were not observed in the present study.

Conclusion: LS tea has the potential to function as a galactogogue in mothers by increasing breastmilk volume and initiating lactation.

Keywords: Lysiphyllum strychnifolium (Craib) A. Schmitz; Galactagogues; Ya-Nang-Daeng; Breastmilk; Nutrition content

DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2022.02.13267

Received 2 August 2021 | Revised 17 January 2022 | Accepted 17 January 2022