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A double blind study was performed in 41 women to establish the effectiveness of ginsenoside triol(a chemical component of Ginseng saponins) in suppressing puerperal lactation and to compare it with that of bromocriptine. Forty one women who were delivered normally and who did not wish to breast feed were randomly allocated to one of three groups. Ginsenoside triol was given orally in a daily dose of 0.23gm to 22 cases, bromocriptine in a daily dose of 5mg to 7 cases, and placebo in apparently identical capsules to 12 cases respectively for 14 days starting from delivery. The clinical effectiveness of treatments was assessed by recording milk secretion, engorgement of the breast and breast pain. Serum prolactin levels were assayed radioimmunologically using Diichi human prolactin kit. The inhibitory effect on milk secretion was greatest in cases receiving bromocriptine. On the 3rd day postpartum, the inhibitions by placebo, ginsenoside triol andbromocriptine were 16.7%, 27.3% and 100% respectively. On the 7th day postpartum, placebo suppressed milk secretion in 50.0%, ginsenoside triol in 68.2%, whereas, bromocriptine in 100%. The prevention of breast engorgement and pain was also greatest in bromocriptine group. On the 3rd day postpartum, the preventions by placebo, ginsenoside triol and bromocriptine were 16.7%, 22.7% and 100% and on the 7th day postpartum 58.3%, 72.7% and 100% respectively. Initial serum prolactin levels before delivery were similar in all groups, ranging their mean values around 300ng/ml. Under ginsenoside triol treatment, the mean prolactin value declined gradually with fluctuation to 181.5ng/ml on the 7th day and 66.3ng/ml on the 14th day, and there was no difference in the profiles of serum prolactin between ginsenoside triol and control groups. On the other hand, serum prolactin levels in bromocriptine group fell rapidly to 34.0ng/ml on the 3rd day and 37.0ng/ml on the 14th day. In terms of milk secretion, breast engorgement and pain, ginsenoside triol seemed to have some e
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