Goat's Rue

Goat's rue (Galega officinalis) leaves and flowering tops contain numerous guanidine derivatives, including galegine which may cause hypoglycemia. Goat's rue is widely used internationally as a galactogogue.[1-4] No scientifically valid clinical trials support this use, although some old, poorly controlled studies found an effect. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[5] Although it has a long history of use as a galactogogue, very limited scientific data exist on the safety and efficacy of goat's rue in nursing mothers or infants. In general, goat's rue is well tolerated, but it might cause hypoglycemia, so caution should be used in women taking antidiabetic drugs. Diarrhea and hepatomegaly occurred in a woman taking fennel, fenugreek, and goat's rue as galactogogues.[6] 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. More detailed information about dietary supplements is available elsewhere on the LactMed Web site.