[A study on two gut hormones in breast milk].
OBJECTIVE
To determine if motilin and gastrin are present in breast milk and to measure their concentrations in human milk and cow milk.


METHODS
The concentration of motilin was measured in 17 samples of human colostrum, 18 samples of human mature milk, 8 samples of cow colostrum and 20 samples of cow mature milk by radioimmunoassay. The concentration of gastrin in human milk was also determined by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
Motilin concentration in human colostrum was the highest (416.34 +/- 183.95ng/L), being higher than that in human mature milk (272.91 +/- 148.73ng/L, that in cow colostrum (229.51 +/- 63.68ng/L) and that in cow mature milk (35.46 +/- 16.94ng/L). Evidently the difference in motilin concentration was very significant between human milk and cow milk. The gastrin concentration in human colostrum was 17.20 +/- 11.98ng/L, being higher than that in human mature milk (5.62 +/- 2.33ng/L).


CONCLUSIONS
Human milk, especially human colostrum, contains high concentrations of motilin and gastrin. Breast feeding, especially early breast feeding, may promote the maturation of the developing gut in neonates and infants.
Lu
M
M
Research Unit of Pediatrics, Xu zhou Medical College.
Yao
F
F
Guo
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009037:Motilin / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D005755:Gastrins; D009037:Motilin