Is Cumin safe while breastfeeding?

Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Cumin. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.

Effects on the breastfed infant

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on milk supply

Women who were between 14 and 90 days postpartum and reported lactation failure were given instructions on breastfeeding technique and encouraged to exclusively breastfeed. If their infants had gained less than 15 grams in 1 week, they were randomized to receive either two tablespoonfuls of a mixture containing wild asparagus or an identical placebo for 4 weeks. In each 100 grams, the mixture contained Asparagus racemosus 15 grams, Anethum soiva 1 gram, Ipomea digitata 1 gram, Glycyrrhiza glabra 1 gram, Spinacia oleracea 2.5 grams, Cuminum cyminum 0.5 gram, and Panchatrinamol 1 gram. Of the 64 women randomized, 11 did not complete the trial. Serum prolactin measurements were made before a morning nursing before treatment, and after 4 weeks of treatment. Infant weight gains and the number of supplemental feedings were recorded initially and after 4 weeks of therapy. No differences were found in the changes in serum prolactin, infant weight gain or amount of supplementation between the treatment and placebo groups after 4 weeks of therapy. No side effects or changes in liver function tests occurred during the study.[ 10 ] One hundred fifty-eight mothers in Iran of who reported difficulty in breastfeeding were given either a proprietary mixture of herbs (Shirafza Drop) or a chlorophyll solution as a placebo. The herbal mixture contained the purported galactogogues fennel, anise, cumin, black seed, and parsley. Infant ages ranged between 0 and 6 months and they were exclusively breastfed. Weight gain of the infants was measured over time. No difference in infant weight gain was seen between the two groups of infants.[ 11 ] Blinding and randomization in this study is unclear. In an uncontrolled, non-blinded multicenter study in India, 1132 patients who reported inadequate milk supply were give a mixture (Lactancia, Corona Remedies Pvt. Ltd.) to take in a dose of 30 grams twice daily. The product contains Asparagus racemosus (wild asparagus, shatavari), Cuminum cyminum (c

Levels in milk

Maternal Levels . Eighteen nursing mothers who were nursing their infants of 8 to 53 weeks of age were served a curry dish that contained an average of 1.06 mg of eugenol. The baseline eugenol concentration in milk was 1.11 mcg/L in one sample. Eugenol was found in concentrations of 1.63 mcg/L, 1.78 mcg/L and 2.92 mcg/L in the 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hours samples from the same mother. Eugenol was below the limit of detection in all other samples.[ 8 ] Twenty nursing mothers who were nursing their infants with a mean of 25 weeks of age were served a standardized curry dish that contained an average of 22 mg of cuminaldehyde, 1.1 mg of eugenol, and 35 mg of linalool. Mothers donated one milk sample each before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 h after the eating the curry dish. Cuminaldehyde reached its maximum concentration in milk after 1 hour in two participants, after 2 hours in three participants, after 3 hours in two participants, after 4 hours in three participants and after 5 hours in three participants. In ten participants, cuminaldehyde was not detected in milk. Peak milk cuminaldehyde concentrations ranged from 0.74 to 61.87 mcg/L when it waws detected. Eugenol reached its maximum concentration in milk after 1 hour in two participants, after 2 hours in two participants, after 3 hours in three participants, after 4 hours in one participant after 5 hours in two participants, after 6 hours in three participants and after 8 hours in three participants. In seven participants, eugenol was not detected in milk. Peak milk eugenol concentrations ranged from 0.29 to 11.43 mcg/L. Eugenol concentrations averaged 200% higher after milk samples were treated with beta-glucuronidase, indicating transfer of conjugated eugenol into milk. Linalool reached its maximum concentration in milk after 1 hour in eleven participants, after 2 hours in six, after 3 hours in two participants, while in one participant, the maximum was not clearly determinable. Peak milk linalool concentrations ra

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.