INTERLEUKIN 5 AND TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR ALPHA-LOWERING EFFECT OF BALINESE TRADITIONAL LACTATING RECIPE CONTAINING SAUROPODS ANDROGYNOUS (L) MERR ON PRIMIPAROUS COLOSTRUM PROFILE: RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL

Abstract This study investigates the effects of Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr, a traditional Balinese lactating recipe, on lowering Interleukin-5 (IL-5) and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) levels in colostrum of primiparous mothers. The research employed a randomized control trial involving 90 participants, divided into a treatment group that consumed the recipe for seven days and a control group. Colostrum samples were collected on the first and seventh days postpartum, and immune mediators were measured using ELISA. The results indicated that the administration of Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr significantly reduced TNF-α levels and increased IL-5 levels in the treatment group, compared to the control group. These findings suggest that Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr has potential anti-inflammatory effects in postpartum mothers, improving colostrum quality, which may contribute to better neonatal immunity. The study highlights the potential of traditional medicinal plants in maternal health and their role in immune modulation during lactation. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term benefits and mechanisms underlying these effects.