Is Gotu Kola Safe in Breastfeeding
Question
I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Gotu Kola? Is Gotu Kola safe for nursing mother and child? Does Gotu Kola extracts into breast milk? Does Gotu Kola has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Gotu Kola influence milk supply or can Gotu Kola decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
Gotu Kola lactation summary
- DrLact safety Score for Gotu Kola is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
- A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of Gotu Kola is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
- Our study of different scientific research also indicates that Gotu Kola does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
- Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Gotu Kola safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
- Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.
Answer by Dr. Ru: About Gotu Kola usage in lactation
At latest update, relevant published data on excretion into breast milk were not found. It contains triterpenic saponins (asiaticoside and madecassoside), tannins, phytosterols and essential oil. Frequent and exaggerated use of triterpenes may cause liver damage. Properties that are attributed for topical use (some clinically tested) like are healing of wound and venous tonic. There is no proof on effectiveness when used by mouth. Because of a low or nil systemic absorption through skin or vaginal mucosa, the topical use is believed be compatible with breastfeeding. Do not use it on the breast or clean it thoroughly to avoid ingestion by the infant. Avoid oral administration.