Scientific name

Galega officinalis

Family

Leguminosae

Origin

southern Europe

Synonyms

Capraggine

Used Parts

Drug given by leaves and aerial parts of a galley

Chemical constituents

• Flavonoids;
• Polysaccharides;
• Tannins;
• saponins;
• Galegina (guanidine derivative);
• Alkaloids (peganina);
• Allantoin.

Galega in Herbalist: Property of the Galega

The galega is a plant that folk medicine commonly uses to promote lactation, as an antidiabetic remedy and with anti-inflammatory activity.

Despite the experimental demonstration of the hypoglycemic activity of some substances contained in the plant, there are no adequate clinical studies conducted on the subject.

Biological activity

Various properties are attributed to the galega, among which the hypoglycemic one stands out.

This activity, attributable to the galegina contained in the plant, has been confirmed by several in vitro studies. However, there are not enough clinical studies able to demonstrate the real therapeutic efficacy of galegine in reducing excessive blood glucose levels. Furthermore, this compound has a certain toxicity, since it is able to suppress mitochondrial activity; for this reason, its use is generally not recommended.

Finally, galactogogue properties are also ascribed to the plant (ie it seems that it is able to favor the production of breast milk after birth) and anti-inflammatory properties, confer it by the allantoin and the flavonoids contained in it.

However, the use of the galega did not obtain official approval for any type of therapeutic indication.

Despite this, it is not uncommon for this plant to be included in the composition of food supplements used to promote the production of breast milk; or that it is used in herbal teas used both to stimulate the secretion of breast milk and to control blood glucose levels (for more information, see the article on "Galega nelle Tisane" ).

Galega in folk medicine and homeopathy

In folk medicine, the galega has long been used as a diuretic, galactogogue, hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory remedy.

The galega is also exploited by homeopathic medicine, where it can be found in the form of granules, oral drops and mother tincture.

In this context the plant is used in case of insufficient production of breast milk after delivery, back pain and muscle atrophy.

The amount of homeopathic remedy to be taken can be different between one patient and another, also depending on the type of disorder to be treated and according to the type of preparation and homeopathic dilution that is intended to be used.

Contraindications

Avoid taking galega in the event of hypersensitivity to one or more components.

Pharmacological Interactions

• oral antidiabetics

Warnings

Written cases of intoxication in animals, with the appearance of dyspnea, foam from the mouth, accesses of cough and death that occurs due to pulmonary edema. Responsible for the toxicity of the galega is the galegina, a base derived from guanidine: guanidines also have hypoglycemic activity, but in the therapeutic field they are now replaced by biguanides (metformin).