USE OF HERBAL GALACTOGOGUES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR OXYTOCINE INJ. FOR MILK LET DOWN IN DAIRY CATTLE
Introduction–
Livestock sector plays a vital role in the rural economy as providing family income and generating gainful employment in the rural sector .India is leading country in total milk production. During the last two decades, India has emerged as world’s no 1 nation in the dairy sector and has witnessed rapid development in the milk production. On other hands, the productivity of dairy animals in India is very low because of various factors like underfeeding, malnutrition, various diseases, stress, etc which hamper the economy of the dairy industry. With the demand for organic food and ban on the use of certain antibiotics,hormones like oxytocine , harmful residual effects and cost effectiveness in the livestock feed, the search for alternative feed additives has become the necessity of the day. Herbal feed additives could either effect feeding pattern, or effect the growth of favourable microorganisms in the rumen, or stimulate the secretion of different digestive enzymes, which in turn may improve the efficiency of nutrients utilization or stimulate the milk secreting tissue in the mammary glands, resulting in improved productive and reproductive performance of dairy animals . A medicinal herb has properties to improve digestibility, galactagogue,antibacterial, immunostimulation, coccidiostatic, anthelmintic, antiviral or antioxidative . Herbals are concentrated foods those provide vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that sustain and strengthen the human and animal body. Indian history is very rich in herbal medicine and one of the oldest surviving systems of healthcare in the world known as ayurveda. Ayurveda is a natural therapy and totally based on herbs. These herbs were being used since pre-vedic time because they were safe to use, cheap and easily available, has no side effect and no residual effect in milk . So, their inclusion in the diet should be encouraged to enhance animal’s performance, easy let down of milk,improve feed efficiency, maintain health and alleviate adverse effect of environmental stress. Traditional herbal medicines in veterinary practice have a large potential as an alternate therapy. A galactogogue is a substance that promotes lactation in dairy animals. It may be synthetic, plant-derived, or endogenous. They act through exerting an influence on an adreno-hypothalamohypophyseal-gonadal axis by inhibiting hypothalamic dopaminergic receptors or by inhibiting dopamine producing neurons. These medications increase prolactin secretion by antagonizing dopamine receptors . Galactogogues stimulate the activity of alveolar tissue and raise the secretory activity and thereby restore and regulate milk yield . The animal production can be enhanced by using different herbals as a component of animal feed. Now a day’s herbal plants are broadly used as animal feed additives, having galactogogue properties like Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), Jivanti (Leptadenia reticulata) and Methi (Trigonella foenum).
Galactogogues are medications that aid in initiating, maintaining, and augmenting of adequate milk production. The term galactogogue refers to substances that augment established lactation, whereas the term galactopoietic is used independently to describe the hormone preparations which enhance milk production in an animal already in lactation . Galactogogues may be synthetic, plant-derived or endogenous products. They act through exerting an influence on adreno-hypothalamo-hypophyseal-gonadal axis by blocking hypothalamic dopaminergic receptors or by inhibiting dopamine producing neurons. These medications increase prolactin secretion by antagonizing dopamine receptors . Most of the information about herbal medication comes from Indian Traditional Knowledge (ITK) because more than 80% of world population depends on it for primary health care and the information is passed through generations . Herbs and their preparations have multiple diverse useful actions on the human and animal health.
In the case of cattle which do not normally letting down milk in the absence of the calf, it is traditional practice to stimulate milk flow by very brief suckling followed by partial milking, after which the calf is allowed to suck the residual milk. Poor milk ejection can be due to impaired oxytocin release, mammary insensitivity to oxytocin or to pituitary dysfunction (Murugaiyah et al., 2001). Moreover, cow’s temperament can contribute to the impaired milk ejection since stress was found to inhibit oxytocin release.
Milch animals are susceptible to shock or stress caused from nutritional deficiencies, trauma, infection or extreme environmental changes such as lot adaptation stress in animal. While such stress does not necessarily exhibit its most extreme form in shock in all cases, it nevertheless adversely affects the milch animal. Unfortunately, if animals are frightened, fear may trigger the release of the hormone adrenaline, which is an antagonist of oxytocin. Death of calves is a common reason for short lactations, as tropical milch animal often fail to letting down of milk unless stimulated by suckling. Due to this there is a decrease in the milk production.
The milk producers are not having alternative remedy for solving problem of letting down of milk in milch animals, oxytocin injection is still used for the same inspite of knowing its undesirable side effects. Moreover the biochemical half-life of injected oxytocin is very short and requires several injections. Oxytocin injection which may result into get animal habituate as well as hormonal imbalance which causes fertility problems like repeat breeding, threats of abortion and threats of uterine prolapse. Biosecurity is another problem, since many farmers use same needle for the different animals which spreads contagious diseases. A better way would be the use of a long action composition, which provided a similar response over an extended time period.
A significant problem with herbal medicine is that herbs are slow acting in treating an ailment. In contrast, allopathic drugs act comparatively quickly. For this reason, veterinarians prefer allopathic drugs as the effective means of treatment, even though the drugs have side effects. Clearly, it would be desirable to increase the speed by which herbal medicines act, but while maintaining the natural, herbal character of the medicine so as to avoid or minimize harmful side effects. An increasing number of people are gaining awareness of the advantages of herbal medicine together with a concern over the disadvantages of modern purified drugs. Consequently, there has been an increasing public interest in the use of herbal based compositions. Thus, many people consider herbs primarily useful as a maintenance or prophylactic treatment to be taken regularly in order to prevent onset of illness. A faster acting type of herbal medicine would create far broader utility.
Herbal based feed compositions for solving problem of letting down of milk in milch animals comprising mixture of effective amount of an extract and/or bioactive fraction or powder of at least one medicinal herb. The medicinal herbs are selected from the group of Asparagus, Gossypium, Foeniculum, Lepidium, Chlorophytum, Ipomoea, Withania and Leptadenia.
USE OF OXYTOCIN IN DAIRY ANIMALS AND ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS
Oxytocin is a hormone released from anterior pituitary gland in animals as well as human beings. This hormone is protein in nature and it is transported through blood from the site of release to the site of action. Physiologically this hormone is important for milk let down as it causes contraction of smooth muscle cells surrounding the milk producing cells called as alveoli and also helpful in birth as it causes contraction of smooth muscles of uterus to expel the fetus outside the body of the mother.
Misuse of oxytocin by farmers——–
In India, unfortunately oxytocin is being used blindly by farmers living in villages for milk let down in their animals without knowing its harmful effects on their animals. Farmers are using oxytocin injection before milking almost twice a day in cattle and buffaloes for this purpose. The purpose of using oxytocin injection in their animals by the farmers is to get more milk and hence, to get more profit after selling more milk to people but they don’t know its harmful effects on animals. Although , In India ,the sale of oxytocine on the medicine counter is ban without the veterinarian’s prescription but sorry to say that it is easily available even on a general store of villages. It is widely being used in the dairy industry despite there being a ban on its sale, except by a prescription from a registered medical practitioner.
Harmful effects of oxytocin misuse on animals———
The use of oxytocin in animals in unethical because the use for milk let down is painful to animlas as the action of hormone causes the uterus of the cattle to contract, causing immense pain. Oxytocin is banned under Section — 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960), the Food and Consumable Substances Adulteration Act and the Drug Control Laws cannot be sold without a prescription from a registered medical/veterinary practitioner. The law clearly bans the “introducing (of) any substance into the female organ of a milch animal with the object of drawing off from the animal any secretion of milk.” However, this drug is mostly used on cattle through direct injection.
Not only this drug makes cows barren sooner but also lowers the lifespan of the animal, thus causing economic loss to the owner in the long run. The frequent use of oxytocin in animals also cause decreased birth rate, low quality of milk produced and animals culled earlier. Veterinary experts have pointed out that use of the sustained use of drug can cause hormonal imbalance in animals and harms the reproductive system of animals, reducing their lifespan. Oxytocin use for milk let down also increases the chances of mastitis (locally called as Thanaila) because sustained use for milk let down may cause damage to milk synthesizing cells.
Humans are at risk—
There are many adverse effects on humans due to consmption of milk obtained from animals subjected to oxytocin injections. Medical experts have pointed out that use of the drug can cause hormonal imbalance in humans. Due to hormonal imbalances created by exogenous source of hormones like oxytocin in milk and dairy products, the age at which girls attain menarche has come down drastically from 16 years of age to 10 years of age. Boys have been diagnosed with gynaecomastia (breast enlargement). It is very harmful for humans who unwittingly are made to consume an artificially created hormone. Humans face all the harmful effects of this drug. Children are most susceptible to its effects and it is known to have caused imbalanced hearing and weak eyesight. Common symptoms are exhaustion and loss of energy pregnant women should avoid milk that may have been adulterated with oxytocin because use of such milk by the pregnant women may lead to abortion and babies may born with deformities and low resistance levels. Use of such milk also increases the risk of haemorrhage in mothers after birth. Individual women may be hypersensitive to oxytocin and it can inhibit breastfeeding. Oxytocin seriously affects the growth of hormones especially in females because of which minor girls attain early puberty. After oxytocin is injected into the cow, and the milk produced is consumed immediately by pregnant women, then there is the likelihood of abortion but if milk is boiled properly prior to use then this can be avoided.
Mechanism of Galactogogues as oxytocin——
, This post is related to an alternative herbal based remedy for solving problem of letting down of milk in milch animals. The herbal composition of the galactogogues acts on central nervous system, giving stress free anxiolytic effect resulting in a smooth ejection. It makes the contraction of the cisternal cavity to facilitate milk ejection which helps the emptying of alveoli. The herbal composition increases the blood circulation in the udder which reduces the chances of occurrence of infections such as Mastitis, udder, oedema etc. The herbal composition of the galactogogues reduces milk resurge time taken for the milk ejection after initiation of the tactile stimulus. The composition comprises an effective amount of an extract and/or at least one bioactive fraction or powder from herbs such as Asparagus, Gossypium, Foeniculum, Lepidium, Chlorophytum, Ipomoea, Withania, Leptadenia etc. with or without dicalcium phosphate (DCP), chelated minerals and mineral mixture; and process for the preparation of such extracts or powder and herbal compositions.
The “Letting down” is a reflex, which is stimulated by the hormone oxytocin. The actual milking can begin after the letting down reflex has been elicited. The hormone oxytocin is required to enable milch animal to fully letting down the bulk of her milk. A sucking calf or a gentle pre-milking routine is the only way for the ilch animal to release this hormone and letting down her milk more fully.
Suckling for a short period (1-2 minutes only) before milking, to stimulate milk letting down is a common practice in many farms, but the presence of calves during milking may complicate management, specially when machine milking is used. An alternatively used in some farms is only to allow suckling after milking.
Milking stimuli, such as a sucking calf, a warm wash cloth, the regime of parlour etc., causes the release of a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is released from the pituitary gland, below the brain, to begin the process of milk letting down. As a result of this hormone stimulation, the muscles begin to compress the alveoli, causing a pressure in the udder known as letting down reflex, and the milk components stored in the lumen are released into the duct system. The milk is forced down into the teat cistern from which it is milked. The letting down reflex fades as the oxytocin is degraded, within 4-7 minutes. It is very difficult to milk after this time.
Ejection of milk is accomplished by contraction of the myo-epithelial cells surrounding each alveolus. The ejection process results in a rapid transfer of milk from the lobulo-alveolar spaces into larger ducts. The flow of milk due to passive withdrawal, which is greatly increased following ejection, is commonly known as letting down. In some occasions, the intra-mammary pressure is sufficiently great to overcome the resistance of the teat sphincter so that the milk may leak from the teat. Milk ejection is a neurohormonal reflex associated with the release of oxytocin. Milk ejection reflex has a neural (afferent) and a hormonal (efferent) component.
Physical stimulation of the teats, either by the calf’s suckling or the milkers hands, excite receptors from which nerve impulses are send to the posterior pituitary gland causing secretion of the hormone oxytocin. The hormone is transported via the blood to the mammary gland. Because both hormones and nerve impulses are involved in the milk ejection reflex, it is called a neurohormonal reflex. Oxytocin stimulates the contraction of the alveoli and small ducts thereby emptying the milk into the larger ducts and the cistern. Hereafter the milk can be evacuated from the udder.
The contraction of the alveoli may, to some extent, be enhanced by tactile stimuli of the udder (massaging, squeezing) the so-called tap reflex. When calves suckle, they butt at the udder in order to increase milk secretion. Manual massage of the udder during milking imitates this reflex.
The greatest amount of innervation in the mammary gland of the milch animal is in the teats. Mechanical stimulation of the teat activates pressure-sensitive nerve receptors in the skin of the teat. The nerve impulses travel to the brain through the spinothalamic nerve tract. When the cell bodies of the oxytocin-containing neurons are stimulated by these impulses originating in the teat, an action potential moves down the oxytocin-containing neurons from the cell body in the hypothalamus down the axon to the neuron ending in the posterior pituitary. This causes release of oxytocin and neurophysin into the blood. The efferent pathway starts at this point. The efferent pathway begins with the release of oxytocin into the blood. Oxytocin is released into the blood in response to action potential of nerve impulses originated in the teat. It then travels to the mammary gland and binds to protein receptor sites on the epithelial secretory cells. This results in contraction of the secretory cells and expulsion of milk from the mammary gland.
Various stressful stimuli that inhibit milk ejection are associated with increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Oxytocin action can be blocked by catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). The hormones are usually released in response to stressful situations and increase the tone of the smooth muscles of the mammary ducts and blood vessels. This results in the reduction of oxytocin reaching the myo-epithelial cells and partial occlusion of the mammary ducts. Moreover, epinepherin directly blocks oxytocin from binding to myo-epithelial cells. This is termed as peripheral inhibition of milk ejection. Thus, exogenous oxytocin will not cause milk ejection in animals exhibiting peripheral inhibition.
A common cause of failure to milk ejection is associated with stress. The stress inhibits the release of oxytocin from the posterior pituitary gland (central inhibition of milk ejection). Exogenous oxytocin is usually administered in these cases causing milk ejection. Based on the above discussion about peripheral and central inhibition of milk ejection, it can be stated that milk ejection occurs as a result of oxytocin release, which is normally couples with inhibition of the central and peripheral inhibitory controls. Milch animals are sensitive to changes in the environment. They may withhold the milk, if they are uncomfortable with the situation. If the animals are stressed, scared or in pain, the hormone adrenaline is secreted. This hormone causes constriction of the blood vessels, thereby hindering the supply of sufficient amount of oxytocin to the udder. Adrenaline also directly acts on the myo-epithelial cells in the alveoli by blocking the oxytocin receptors. The inhibition if milk letting down will result in the leaving of milk in the secretory parts of the udder. Continuous exposure of stress to the cattle will affect the milk production negatively. Post parturient death of calf, separation of calf after birth, change of place, owner, climatic conditions and stress due to long travel, change of milker or milking routine, application of wrong milking technique or milking machines in bad conditions are the main reasons for the milch animals to withhold the milk.
Lactogenesis and role of galactogogues—-
Milk production (lactogenesis), which is a consequence of neuro-endocrine event, is a complex neurophysiological process that involves interaction of a number of physical and emotional factors along with action of multiple hormones, mainly prolactin. During parturition and expulsion of the placenta, progesterone concentration reduced resulting in initiation of full milk supply . Dopamine agonists and antagonists regulate prolactin synthesis and secretion through interaction with the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary and thereby control milk production . Thereafter, prolactin levels gradually decrease but milk supply is maintained or increased by local feedback mechanisms . Therefore, an increase in prolactin levels is mandatory to increase milk production but not to maintain its supply. The anterior pituitary plays a significant role for the development of the mammary gland, initiation of lactogenesis and lactation that has been described following the administration of pituitary extracts. So the term ‘prolactin’has been described for pituitary substance. It is assumed that, pituitary extract is rich in growth hormone responsible for milk production in lactating cattle. Lactogenesis and ejection both are stress for lactating cows and in turn are affected by stress of any other reason. As because hormone action is completely dependent on emotion and stress, so control of stress is the primary factor on the way of lactogenesis .An effective nutritional regimen and use of herbal galactogogues act synergistically to enhance milk yield which would prompt a good augmentation in productivity of dairy herd. Herbal galactogogues act through interactions with dopamine receptors by exerting an influence through adreno-hypothalamo-hypophysealgonadal axis resulting in enhanced prolactin concentration and thereby augmenting milk production . Yet there is another set of herbal source like alfa alfa, aniseed and raspberry act by exerting a synergistic effect by promoting appetite, controlling stress and increasing productivity as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Oat straw, dandelion, vervain, marshmallow, lemon balm, pot marigold, chamomile are the herbal supplements those act as galactogogues, stomachic and carminatives by improving the efficiency of feed utilization to alleviate adverse effects of environmental stress and enhance the overall animal performance and health as well. These indigenous herbs are also helpful in improving reproductive health status, subclinical mastitis and agalactia .
Some important herbs and their effect over galactopoesis are compiled here–
- Trigonella foenum graecum (Fenugreek/fenugreek)
- Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
- Pimpinella anisum (Anise)
- Galega officinalis (Goat’s Rue)
- Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari)
- Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle)
Commercial drugs available in market used as galactogogues.——
Brand name—————- Composition as per the label———- Dosage———– Company
Alfimilk——- Prebiotic, rumen protected vitamins, ionophores.– 10g OD—- Vetnex
Ksheeradhara—— Calcium lactate gluconate, lactobacillus sp. vitamins, proteins.— 50g daily— Brilliant
Lactofat——- Asparagus racemosus, Leptadena reticulata, Nardostachys jatamansi, lactobacillus
species, vitamins.— 30g per day—– Dosch
Lepta milk forte —— Herbal aqueous extract, vitamins, minerals.—- 30-40ml bid— Concept
Payapro—— Leptadena reticulata, Nigella sativa, Foeniculam vulgare,Pueraria tuberosa,
Glycerriza globra, Cuminum cyminum and Asparagus racemosus.—- 4 boli daily— Ayurvet
Ruchamax—- Allium sativum, Azadirachta indica, Calotrophis orocera, Centratherum
anthelmenticum, Eclipta elba, Commiphora mukul, Embelica ribes, Piper longum, Picorrhiza kurora and Zinziber officinale.—- 15 gm OD—- Ayurvet
Leptaden—– Asparagus racemosus and Leptadena reticulate.—— 10-15 tabs bid— Alarsin
DudhNahar—- Acacia catechu, Acacia nilotica, Anethum graveolens, Asparagus racemosus,
Coriandrum sativum, Cuminum cyminum, Foeniculum vulgare, Leptadena reticulata, Lepidium sativum, Celosia argentea, Sesamum indicum and Tinospora cordifolia with jiggery (unrefined sugar) and natural clay.— 40 biscuits daily—– Abhumka
Besides it several herbal galactogogues are available in the market under different brands like Milk out of Intas.
Use and future prospect of herbal galactogogues—
As many herbal plants contain large number of chemical active principles, having galactogenic properties; can be used as herbal medicine for of letting-down of milk in milch animals. Among these, Fenugreek , Fennel , Raspberry leaf/Red Raspberry , Nettle and Nettle leaf , Blessed thistle , Chaste berry , Alfalfa , Black cohosh , Dill, Goat’s Rue , Milk thistle , Giant Cane Abuta or Laghu Patha and extracts of Bhringraj false daisy , Black Nightshade , Jivanti , Ashwagandha and Shatavari plant ingredients have been emphasized in Ayurveda to induce lactogenesis and lactation. So, a thorough, critical and scientific evaluation is necessary to include theses herbs as potent herbal galactogogues. A bulk of literatures have spoken about the isolation of active principles of herbs through study, thus questioning about their safety and efficacy as such, because the theoretical concerns have not been proved experience Judging an herb by individual constituents does not take into account the possible ameliorating effects of its other constituents. Again these herbs can be potentially toxic if not used properly at proper dose, drug form and through specified route of administration. Just because they are natural, doesn’t mean they are entirely safe. Standardization of methods and quality control data on safety and efficacy are essential for the understanding of the use of these herbs. Hence, it is high time that further research on pharmacokinetics, dose rate, long and/or short-term detrimental effects of these agents on the metabolic rate of related body tissues should be done, before marketing them as large/ small ruminant medicine. Again, it is imperative to probe into actual mode of action in order to exploit the compounds responsible for the observed galactopoetic activity by focusing on the target organ. The research dents on indigenous herbal products/ medicinal plants as galactogogues need patent rights in order to have foreign recognition . Worldwide figure presents, hundreds of plants used as galactogogue have estrogenic, oxytocic or other reproductive hormonal effects in laboratory conditions . Before selecting any galactogogue, a report of complete animal health history as well as its productive and reprodu ctive status, including any medical conditions, history of parity, current medications is important before administration of any drug. The therapeutic approach is to detect the root cause of the agalactia so as to administer a medication or herb that seems to target the same
Anti-galactogogues—–
Certain herbs, termed as anti-galactogogue, are contraindicated during lactation as their constituents areexcreted as milk residues which can be toxic.Alkaloids containing plants like Alkanet ( Borage , Butterbur , Coltsfoot , Comfrey Joe-pye weed , and Indian snake root are highly hepatotoxic and are readily excreted through milk .Alder buckthorn , Cascara sagrada , Aloe , Alder buckthorn , Bearberry , Sennaleaf ( spp.), Black Cohosh , Prickly ash bark and Pulsatilla plant contain some toxic irritants as well as rich in anthraquinones and hence act as intestinal irritants and purgatives causing adverse effect on digestive system. Dong Quai has an estrogenic effect, so it is not recommended in milch animals . Antigalactagogue herbs (opposite to herbs with galactagogue properties) Bilberry , Black Walnut , Mugwort , Osha , Parsley leaves , Peppermint oil , Sage and . prevent or decrease the secretion of milk and are recommended against postpartum mastitis and lessen engorgement . But, still yet the mechanisms of actions of above plants/herbs need experimental actions for conformation
Use of herbal galactogogue for safe and sound milk production is prerequisite now a days because of increasing the demand for organic food and the ban on the use of certain antibiotics, harmful residual effects and cost effectiveness in the livestock feed. Herbals inclusion in the diet should be encouraged to enhance animal’s performance, improve feed efficiency, maintain health and alleviate adverse effect of environmental stress. Galactogogues stimulate the activity of alveolar tissue and increase the secretory activity and thereby restore and regulate milk yield.
FACTS & MYTHS REGARDING USE OF OXYTOCIN IN MILK LETDOWN & VETERINARY USE
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
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Reference-On Request.
