Is Goat's Rue safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Goat's Rue. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Two breastfed infants, aged 15 and 20 days, were admitted to the hospital for a reported lack of weight gain in the previous 7 to 10 days, caused by "difficult feeding". The parents reported restlessness and vomiting during the past day. One of the mothers also reported feeling drowsy and weak. On examination, the infants were afebrile but had hypotonia, lethargy, emesis, weak cry, poor sucking and weak responses to painful stimuli. Infant laboratory values, electrocardiograms and blood pressures were normal, and septic work-ups were negative. Both mothers had both been drinking more than 2 liters daily of an herbal tea mixture reportedly containing licorice, fennel, anise, and goat's rue to stimulate lactation. After the mothers discontinued breastfeeding and the herbal tea, the infants improved within 24 to 36 hours. Symptoms of the affected mother resolved rapidly after discontinuing the herbal tea. After 2 days, breastfeeding was reinstituted with no further symptoms in the infants. Both infants were doing well at 6 months of age. The authors attributed the maternal and infant symptoms to anethole, which is found in both anise and fennel, but not goat's rue; however, the anethole levels were not measured in breastmilk, nor were the teas tested for their content.[ 8 ]
Effects on milk supply
A group of 5 nursing mothers were given no herb for 5 days, 15 mL of a 5% of goat's rue infusion orally 3 times daily for 10 days, followed by another 5-day control period from days 15 to 20. Their diet and environment were kept constant during the study period. Milk volume was measured daily and milk fat percentage was measured on days 5, 10, 15 and 20. The goat's rue had no effect on milk volume or fat content.[ 9 ] Because of the lack of randomization, blinding and controls, and small number of participants, no valid conclusion can be made from this study on the galactogogue effects of goat's rue. Goat's rue extract (Galegran, Rieswerke, [Graz, Austria]) was given in an unspecified dose to increase the milk supply in an old, uncontrolled observational study of 336 women whose milk production was thought to be lower than normal. Increased milk output of 30 to 60% was observed.[ 10 ] Because of the lack of randomization, breastfeeding support, and placebo control no valid conclusion can be made from this study on the galactogogue effects of goat's rue. In another old study that was not blinded, randomized or placebo controlled, goat's rue extract (Galegran, Rieswerke, [Graz, Austria]) was given in an unspecified dose to 50 postpartum women from the third to fifth days postpartum. Fifty untreated women were used as comparators. The milk output increased by 75% in the untreated women and by 125% in the treated women, but the volumes of milk were spread over wide ranges. Also, the quality of milk was determined based on the dry weight values of fat, protein and lactose in another 100 women (50 treated and 50 untreated). The increase in milk resulted in a proportional increase in the tested components; however, the differences were all in the normal range and not statistically significant.[ 11 ] Similar to the above study, no valid conclusion can be made from this study on the galactogogue effects of goat's rue. Sixty-six postpartum mothers (22 in each of 3 groups) wit
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date. 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.