Effects of Ficus capensis Leaves Aqueous Extracts (Lactogenic Medicinal Plant) on NMRI Mice Milk Secretion

Introduction: Ficus capensis is a plant used in traditional medicine to stimulate lactation in women and animals in Africa. However, the effects of their extracts on the mammary gland are poorly documented. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of Ficus capensis leaves aqueous extracts on NMRI mice milk secretion.

Methodology: This was an experimental animal study using virgin female NMRI mice aged eight to ten weeks. The mice were grouped into for groups of eight mice each. Each group received one of the following products: distilled water, Galactogil™, sulpiride, aqueous extracts (AE) of capensis leaves. Data were analysed and processed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and Stata MP 16 with P ≤ .05 as the significance threshold.

Results: Arborescence of the galactophorous ducts was more developed in the sulpiride lot. Galactogil™, and capensis leaves extracts treated groups showed almost equivalent arborescence with a higher tendency than the distilled water. With histological haematin- eosin staining, the ratio of galactophorous ducts containing secretions to total ducts was higher in the groups of Ficus capensis AE treated group than distilled water (P = .0001). Galactogil™, sulpiride and the group of Ficus capensis extracts each had higher levels of beta-casein in mammary tissue and average prolactinemia than distilled water (P < .01). Mammary tissue stained by immunohistochemistry with anti-prolactin receptor antibodies showed more intensely labelled mammary glands in the sulpiride and Ficus capensis extracts groups. There was no statistically significant difference between average progesteronemia among the different groups.

Conclusion: F. capensis leaves AE administered to virgin female NMRI mice showed lactogenic and mammogenic effects. The extracts were able to increase the nutritional quality of the milk produced, as evidenced by the increase in protein secretion.