Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of selected Thai medicinal plant-derived Galactogogue extracts

Plant-derived galactogogues are compounds produced by plants that help to increase the production of prolactin. This group of medicinal plants has long been used in traditional recipes to stimulate breastmilk production in breastfeeding women [1], [2] but information of their antioxidant and antibacterial activities has limited. Therefore, this study aims to determine the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of selected Thai medicinal plant galactogogue extracts collected from northeast Thailand. Sixteen plant samples were extracted to obtain water and ethyl acetate extracts and the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and antibacterial activity of the extracts were evaluated. From the results, the water extracts of Caesalpinia sappan and Ochna integerrima (IC₅₀ 9.47 ± 0.59 and 10.86 ± 0.10 ppm, respectively) and the ethyl acetate extracts of C. sappan, Salacia chinensis and O. integerrima (IC₅₀ 9.85 ± 0.84, 9.17 ± 0.30 and 13.25 ± 0.52 ppm, respectively) exhibited strong DPPH scavenging activity (IC₅₀ of standard ascorbic acid 5.39 ± 0.32 ppm). The highest TPCs were found in the water extract of C. sappan and ethyl acetate extract of O. integerrima (682.67 ± 6.11 and 985.34 ± 0.76 mg GAE/g DW, respectively). In adition, the water extracts of C. sappan and O. integerrima displayed potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive bateria. The antioxidant activity, TPC and antibacterial activities results were in good agreement. These information help to considerate the use of these medicinal plants as natural antioxidant and antibacterial sources. However, their cytotoxicity, active ingredients and other biological activities need to be concerned for safe use.

• References

• 1 Zapantis A, Steinberg GJ, Schilit SL. Use of herbals as galactagogues. J Pharm Pract 2012; 252: 222-231
• 2 Luecha P, Umehara K, Miyase T, Noguchi H. Antiestrogenic constituents of the Thai medicinal plants Capparis flavicans and Vitex glabrata . J Nat Prod 2009; 72: 1954-1959