The Effect of Pomegranate Paste on Neonatal Jaundice Incidence: A Clinical Trial in Women during Pregnancy

Purpose: Some topics such as women’s life style and nutrition and using some special medicines during pregnancy have been discussed and demonstrated as effective factors on infant’ health. Based on recommendations in Iranian traditional medicine, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pomegranate paste consumed by women during their pregnancy on the neonatal jaundice incidence. Methods: In this single-blinded controlled clinical trial, 80 healthy pregnant women were randomly divided into 2 groups, as treatment and control. The treatment group members added pomegranate paste to their daily diet from the 34th week of the pregnancy to birth, as administered. The levels of neonates’ bilirubin were checked in the 5th day of the delivery. Results: Both the need of phototherapy and the mean level of neonates’ bilirubin in the group fed with pomegranate paste were significantly lesser compared to control group. The number of neonates who were undergone phototherapy in the pomegranate paste receiving group was significantly lesser than that in the control group (P value = 0.029). By measuring the total bilirubin, statically significant difference between the treatment group and the control group was seen (P value = 0.021). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest the possible effect of adding pomegranate paste to pregnant women’s diet on the incidence of neonatal jaundice.

Comparison of horse and cow milk on sleep disorders in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:a double-blind randomized clinical trial study

Approximately 25%–50%of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have sleep problems.The aim of this study is to compare the effect of horse milk with conventionally-fed cow’s milk on sleep disorders in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.In this randomized double-blind crossover study,30 patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were randomly selected and divided into two groups.All patients underwent a 45-day period of horse milk consumption and a 45-day period of cow milk consumption and they continued their drug treatment.A one-week interval between two periods of milk consumption was considered as the washout period.The severity of sleep disorder in the studied patients was determined based on the short form of the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire(CSHQ).Twenty-two(73.3%)male and eight(26.7%)female patients were included in this study.The mean age of the patients was 8.9 years.Our results showed that horse milk consumption improved the CSHQ score.For the group of patients consuming horse milk prior to cow milk,reductions of total CSHQ(P-value=0.001)and subscale 1(P-value<0.001)scores were significant.For the group of patients consuming cow milk first,in addition to the total CSHQ(P-value<0.001),subscale 3(P-value=0.001)and 4(P-value=0.009)dropped significantly.On the other hand,the results indicated that cow milk consumption increased the CSHQ score.Specifically,for the group of patients consuming horse milk first,the total CSHQ(P-value=0.001),subscale 3(P-value=0.016),and subscale 4(P-value=0.010)increased significantly.The mean values of the first,second,third,and fourth subscales of CSHQ before and after the washout period were not significantly different between the two groups.According to the study,consuming horse milk was significantly better than cow milk in improving the total score of CSHQ in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Effects of rhubarb(Rheum ribes L.)syrup on dysenteric diarrhea in children:a randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND：Rheum ribes L.is a plant native to China,Iran,Turkey,India,and a few other countries.Antidiarrheal activity is considered to be one of its important properties according to various systems of traditional medicine.An increasing rate of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has led to treatment failure in some cases of shigellosis in children,and underlines a need for safe,efficient and valid options.OBJECTIVE：The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of R.ribes syrup as a complementary medicine for treatment of shigellosis in children.DESIGN,SETTING,PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS：This randomized,doubleblind,placebocontrolled trial started with a group of 150 children aged between 12–72 months with suspected Shigella dysentery.R.ribes syrup or placebo syrup was administered to the intervention and control groups,respectively for 5 days.In addition,the standard antibiotic treatment（ceftriaxone for the first 3 days and cefixime syrup for 2 further days）was administered to both groups.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES：Body temperature,abdominal pain,need for antipyretics,defecation frequency,stool volume and consistency and microscopic stool examination were recorded as outcome measures.Any observed adverse effects were also recorded.RESULTS：Mean duration of fever and diarrhea in the R.ribes group was significantly lower than that in the placebo group（P=0.016 and 0.001,respectively）.In addition,patients in the R.ribes group showed shorter duration of need for antipyretics and shorter duration of abdominal pain（P=0.012 and 0.001,respectively）.However,there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the microscopic stool analyses.Furthermore,no adverse effect was reported.CONCLUSION：R.ribes syrup can be recommended as a complementary treatment for children with Shigella dysentery.