Polyherbal formula (ASILACT®) induces Milk production in lactating rats through Upregulation of α-Lactalbumin and aquaporin expression.
BACKGROUND
Polyherbal formula (PHF) contains extract of Sauropus androgynous (L.) Merr., Trigonella foenum-graceum L., and Moringa oleifera Lam. considered to induce galactagogue activity. This research aimed to evaluate the galactagogue activity of PHF and its effects on α-lactalbumin (LALBA) as well as aquaporin (AQP) gene expression at messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in mammary glands of lactating rats.


METHODS
Thirty lactating Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6), each has 7 pups. Group I was treated orally with distilled water as negative control. Groups II, III, and IV were orally administered with PHF at 26.25, 52.5 and 105 mg/kg/day, respectively. Group V was treated with domperidone 2.7 mg/kg/day, orally as positive control. The treatment was performed at third day until fifteenth day of parturition. The observed parameters include the galactagogue activity indicating by milk yield of lactating rats, the pup weight changes and lactating rats body weight changes during lactating period, mRNA expression of LALBA and AQP using quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and histopathological analysis of mammary glands at the end of treatment period.


RESULT
The result showed that the PHF groups (52.5 and 105 mg/kg/day) and domperidone were significantly increased milk production of lactating rats (p < 0.05). The levels of mRNA expression of LALBA and AQPs were significantly upregulated by 105 mg/kg/day of PHF or 2.7 mg/kg of domperidone administration (p < 0.0001). Histopathological analysis of mammary glands shows that alveoli diameter was increase 14.59 and 19.33% at 105 mg/kg of PHF and 2.7 mg/kg of domperidone treatment, respectively.


CONCLUSION
The study suggested that PHF has potentially to induce galactagogue activity on lactating period through upregulation of LALBA and AQP genes at the mRNA level.
['Mustofa|||http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0522-8413', 'Yuliani|Fara Silvia|FS|', 'Purwono|Setyo|S|', 'Sadewa|Ahmad Hamim|AH|', 'Damayanti|Ema|E|', 'Heriyanto|Didik Setyo|DS|']
D000818:Animals D020346:Aquaporins D005260:Female D056669:Galactogogues D015870:Gene Expression D007214:Indonesia D007768:Lactalbumin D007774:Lactation D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal D010936:Plant Extracts D051381:Rats D017208:Rats, Wistar D015854:Up-Regulation
Aquaporin expression Sauropus androgynous Trigonella foenum-graceum Moringa oleifera Galactagogue activity α-Lactalbumin expression