Ethnobotanical survey and nutritional composition of medicinal plants used for traditional galactagogue practice in Katsina state, Nigeria

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Katsina state, Northern Nigeria to document medicinal plants commonly used by lactating mothers to boost breast milk production. Two hundred and forty (240) respondents made up of (120) nursing mothers, (60) herbalists and (60) traditional birth attendants were interviewed. Ethnobotanical data was obtained using the structured questionnaire method. Standard procedures were followed to analyse the phyto-chemical, proximate, mineral concentrations and chemical composition of the ethanolic extract of the most cited plants. Forty (40) plant species belonging to 38 genera distributed among 24 families are used as galactagogues in Katsina state, Nigeria. All the plant samples contained alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and terpenoids. Anthraquinones were found to be absent in Andropogon gayanus, Moringa oleifera and Pennisetum glaucum while phytosterol was absent in Pennisetum glaucum and Vernonia amygdalina. They were also found to contain nutrient compositions in varying amounts. Crotalaria retusa had the highest moisture (12.80%), crude lipid (13.50%) and crude fibre (21.76%) content. Momordica balsamina has the highest ash (13.76%) content. Pennisetum glaucum had the highest carbohydrate content (76.19%) and energy content (364.95%). Mineral analysis revealed that Andropogon gayanus, Momordica balsamina and Vernonia amygdalina showed equal phosphorus (0.3 ppm) contents. Crotalaria retusa showed the highest chromium (2.59 ppm) and copper (1.31 ppm) content. GC/MS analysis revealed that Momordica balsamina contained 99 phytoconstituents. With only 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- identified as the only phytoconstituents showing phytoestrogen activity. The indigenous knowledge about lactating mothers in Katsina state, Nigeria used medicinal plants to boost breast milk production is documented.