A New Dietary Supplement Based on Bovine Blood: Recovering Brazilian Children from Malnutrition

Abstract

Two compounds ("Prothemol" and "Plasmel"), based on bovine blood as source of high quality-protein, were tested as supplement for malnourished children. Prothemol is a powder containing desiccated bovine red cells, with 23.32 g% protein and 18.8 mg% iron, without any limiting amino acid. Plasmel (a syrup) contains 44.7% bovine plasma, 54.3% saccharose and 1500 IU% retinol. Children, 32-60 month old, from a day-nursery service in Recife, Brazil, received Prothemol + Plasmel for 90 (n = 14) or 180 days (n = 8). When compared to age-matched control children (n = 12 and n = 6, respectively), they presented significantly higher increments in weight and height, and in some haematological parameters. Clinical signs associated to malnutrition (faces suggesting suffering or sadness; brightnessless eyes; apathy; reduced mobility; reduced communication with their classmates and adults) were found in 12 treated children (85.7%) and in 9 controls (75%). Recovery from these signs begun after 51 ± 20.6 and 103.5 ± 14.6 days, for the treated and control groups, respectively (P < 0.05) and occurred in 100% of the treated children and in 67% (6 of 9 children) in the controls. We suggest that Prothemol + Plasmel is an effective dietary supplement to help treating malnutrition in children, recovering them from clinical signs indicative of improving neural functions.

Manipulation of rat litter size during suckling influences cortical spreading depression after weaning and at adulthood

“…In children, strong links between impaired neurodevelopmental outcome and reduction of some neural functions have been reported, as assessed by stereo-acuity, color vision and contrast sensitivity (Dowdeswell et al 1995;Powls et al 1997). Such physiological alterations may have implications in functional deficits of memory formation and visual function, as well as of behavioral disturbances in responses to novel and competitive situations (Barret and Radke-Yarrow 1985), less capability to develop physical-and verbal activity, as well as deficits in executing cognitive tasks (MeeksGardner and Grantham McGregor 1994;Pollitt et al 1995;Teodó sio et al 2000). Disturbances in cognitive development have also been associated with the deficiency of specific compounds of the breast milk, like polyunsaturated fatty acids (Lucas 1997).…”

NADPH-diaphorase Histochemical Labeling Patterns in the Hippocampal Neuropil and Visual Cortical Neurons in Weaned Rats Reared during Lactation on Different Litter Sizes

“…Data in very low birthweight infants and children have pointed to strong links between impaired neurodevelopmental outcome and reduced visual function, as assessed by stereo-acuity, color vision and contrast sensitivity (Dowdeswell et al, 1995;Powls et al, 1997). Behaviorally, malnourished children present disturbances in response to novel and competitive situations (Barret and Radke-Yarrow, 1985), less capability to develop physical-and verbal activity, as well as deficits in executing cognitive tasks (Meeks-Gardner and GranthamMcGregor, 1994;Pollitt et al, 1995;Teodó sio et al, 2000). Also, the deficiency of specific compounds of the breast milk, like polyunsaturated fatty acids, has been associated with disturbances in cognitive development (Lucas, 1997).…”