title: 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.
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Nutrição , da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Rua Prof. Nelson Chaves, S/N. 50670-901 Recife PE , Brazil.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Teodósio
authors.affiliation: b Departamento de Pediatria , da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Rua Prof. Nelson Chaves, S/N. 50670-901 Recife PE , Brazil.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: c Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas , da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Rua Prof. Nelson Chaves, S/N. 50670-901 Recife PE , Brazil.|d Laboratório Farmaceutico do Estado de Pernambuco (LAFEPE) , 52171-010 Recife PE , Brazil.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: d Laboratório Farmaceutico do Estado de Pernambuco (LAFEPE) , 52171-010 Recife PE , Brazil.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dimenstein
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Nutrição , da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Rua Prof. Nelson Chaves, S/N. 50670-901 Recife PE , Brazil.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Guedes
keywords: Bovine blood; Development; Essential amino acids; Malnutrition; Prothemol + Plasmel