Quercetin improves postpartum hypogalactia in milk‐deficient mice via stimulating prolactin production in pituitary gland

Abstract

Postpartum dysgalactia is a common clinical problem for lactating women. Seeking out the safe and efficient phytoestrogens will be a promising strategy for postpartum dysgalactia therapy. In this study, the postpartum mice within four groups, including control group, the model group, and the treatment groups intragastrically administrated with normal saline, bromocriptine, bromocriptine plus 17α-ethinyl estradiol, and bromocriptine plus quercetin, respectively, were used. The results showed that quercetin, a kind of natural phytoestrogen, could efficiently promote lactation yield and mammary gland development in the agalactosis mice produced by bromocriptine administration. Mechanically, quercetin, such as 17α-ethinyl estradiol, significantly stimulated prolactin (PRL) production and deposition in the mammary gland in the agalactosis mice determined by western blotting, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Furthermore, quercetin could increase the expression of β-casein, stearoyl-CoA desaturase, fatty acid synthase, and α-lactalbumin in the breast tissues that are responsible for the production of fatty acid, lactose, and galactose in the milk at the transcriptional level determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Specifically, quercetin promoted primary mammary epithelial cell proliferation and stimulated prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression probably via AKT activation in vitro. In conclusion, this study indicates that estrogen-like quercetin promotes mammary gland development and lactation yield in milk-deficient mice, probably via stimulating PRL expression and release from the pituitary gland, as well as induces PRLR expression in primary mammary epithelial cells.

Dietary Intake of Polyphenols Enhances Executive/Attentional Functioning and Memory with an Improvement of the Milk Lipid Profile of Postpartum Women from Argentina

“…Lignans (lariciresinol, pinoresinol) and phenolic acids also contribute ( Herchi et al 2014 ; Zhong et al 2021 ). Quercetin induces sensitivity to prolactin and the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase and fatty acid synthase in the murine mammary gland ( Lin et al 2018 ).…”

“…Certain antioxidant effects on human milk lipids were reported ( Poniedziałek et al 2018 ; Valls-Bellés et al 2021 ). Although the physiological mechanisms remain unclear, they may protect against peroxidative damage-related lipid degradation, upregulate gene expression related to lipid metabolism in the mammary gland, modulate neuroendocrine pathways, and enhance milk lipid clearance ( Codini et al 2020 ; Downing et al 2017 ; Lin et al 2018 ). Thus, additional biochemical studies are still needed because lipids are indispensable nutrients for healthy child development ( Brink and Lönnerdal 2020 ).…”

Ethanol Extract of Carica papaya Leaf Can Increase Breast Milk in Lactating Rat

“…Papaya leaves contain alkaloid compounds such as carpaine and pseudocarpaine, enzymes (papain, chymopapain, and cystatin), tocopherol, ascorbic acid, tannins, nicotinic acid, saponins, peonidins, chlorogenic acid, the coumarin compound, and phenolic compounds as the main phytochemicals and flavonoids [34], [35], [36]. Quercetin as a phytoestrogen can stimulate prolactin production [37]. The content of metabolite compounds in papaya leaves is the same as that in three types of plants that are widely used as a galactogogue, namely Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek), Asparagus racemosus (shatavari), and Moringa oleifera (malunggay) [38].…”

Study and Experimental Validation of the Functional Components and Mechanisms of Hemerocallis citrina Baroni in the Treatment of Lactation Deficiency

“…Based on the 'drugs-targets-disease' network, the results of screening the bioactive compounds of daylily showed that a total number of 62 compounds positively affect breast milk secretion, with quercetin, kaempferol, thymidine, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin being the most important compounds. The published literature has indicated that quercetin initiated the lactation process by promoting the prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression and increased the expression of β-casein, stearoyl-coenzyme a desaturase, fatty acid synthase, and α-lactalbumin in mammary tissue, which are responsible for the production of fatty acids, lactose, and galactose in milk [31]. Rutin promotes the regulation of hormone secretion associated with the development of breast tissue, such as estrogen, growth hormone, and PRL [32].…”

“…Network pharmacology prediction results showed that, among the common targets between daylily and lactation, there were several targets involved in regulation of breast involution [41], including STAT3, MAPK1, and IL 6, and some targets with the function of the functional differentiation of mammary gland [42,43], such as CCND1, PRLR, and TGFB1, as well as targets which have ability of regulating the biosynthesis of milk components [39], including AKT1, TF, and INS, etc. Furthermore, quercetin has been reported to promote milk secretion by significantly increasing PRLR levels [31]. Kaempferol has a significant potential to inhibit STAT3 and IL6 expression [44].…”