Moringa / Moringa oleifera

The Basics

What is Moringa / Moringa oleifera?

Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. It also has antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Brand names for Moringa / Moringa oleifera

N/A

How Moringa / Moringa oleifera is classified

Complementary Therapies, Food, Galactogogues, Phytotherapy, Plants, Medicinal

Moringa / Moringa oleifera During Pregnancy

Moringa / Moringa oleifera pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Moringa / Moringa oleifera while pregnant

N/A

Taking Moringa / Moringa oleifera While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Moringa / Moringa oleifera?

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves contain vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids as well as a number of glycosides. It is used as a galactogogue in Asia,[1] particularly in the Philippines where it is called malunggay. Two small studies from the Philippines indicate that it might have some activity as a galactogogue in mothers of preterm infants.[2][3] Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[4] Moringa oleifera leaves are widely used as a food and medicine in Asia and Africa and one small study found no adverse effects in nursing mothers who ingested moringa leaves.[2] No data exist on the safety of Moringa in nursing infants. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Maternal / infant drug levels

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves contain vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids as well as a number of glycosides. It is used as a galactogogue in Asia,[1] particularly in the Philippines where it is called malunggay. Two small studies from the Philippines indicate that it might have some activity as a galactogogue in mothers of preterm infants.[2][3] Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[4] Moringa oleifera leaves are widely used as a food and medicine in Asia and Africa and one small study found no adverse effects in nursing mothers who ingested moringa leaves.[2] No data exist on the safety of Moringa in nursing infants. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Possible effects of Moringa / Moringa oleifera on milk supply

Mothers who delivered an infant before week 37 of gestation were randomized to receive commercial capsules containing Moringa oleifera leaves 250 mg (n = 31) or identical placebo capsules containing flour (n = 37) twice daily from day 3 postpartum. Mothers were given instruction on using a breast pump, then pumped their breasts every 4 hours and recorded the volume of milk produced from days 3 to 5. At baseline, control mothers collected a much lower volume of milk than mothers in the treatment group. (87 vs 114 mL). Mothers in the treatment group had a greater increase in milk volume on day 4 (67% vs 42%) and day 5 (180% vs 38%) than mothers in the placebo group. Milk volumes on day 5 were 320 mL in the treatment group and 120 mL in the control group.[2] Although well designed, problems with this study include the small number of patients, the large difference in milk volumes at baseline, a high dropout rate in each group, and lack of intent-to-treat analysis.

A study presented in abstract form only studied 40 mothers with infants less than 37 weeks of gestation and producing less than 100 mL of milk on day 2 postpartum. Mothers were randomized to receive unspecified doses of domperidone, metoclopramide, Moringa oliefera leaves (dosage form not stated), or placebo. Mothers used a breast pump to collect milk at unspecified intervals and serum prolactin was measured on days 3, 7 and 14 postpartum. Baseline milk production was equivalent among the groups. On days 7 and 14, milk volume in all of the treatment groups was greater than in the placebo group. The highest volume was in the domperidone group, followed by metoclopramide, and Moringa oliefera. No correlation was found between serum prolactin and milk volume.[3]

Possible alternatives to Moringa / Moringa oleifera

None listed