Is Appalachian bunchflower safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Appalachian bunchflower. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
A nursing mother ingested one tablespoon of cooked Veratrum parviflorum . She had detectable levels of veratramine and cyclopamine in her milk, but no adverse effects were reported in her infant. The extent of nursing after the ingestion was not reported.[ 1 ]
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. A nursing mother developed nausea and vomiting approximately 2 hours after ingestion of approximately one tablespoon of cooked Veratrum parviflorum . She had sinus bradycardia with heart rate of 56, with incomplete right bundle branch block. After discharge from the emergency department, she provided 4 milk samples. The initial sample contained 405 mcg/L of veratramine. About 5 hours later, the milk concentration was 136 mcg/L and about 15.5 hours later on the next morning, the milk sample contained 303 mcg/L of veratramine. In a final milk sample 9 hours later, veratramine was undetectable ( 44 mcg/L). The cyclopamine concentration of cyclopamine was above the limit of detection (11 mcg/L), but below but below the limit of quantification (32 mcg/L) in all samples.[ 1 ] Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.