The oral motor capacity and feeding performance of preterm newborns at the time of transition to oral feeding

The objective of the present study was to determine the oral motor capacity and the feeding performance of preterm newborn infants when they were permitted to start oral feeding. This was an observational and prospective study conducted on 43 preterm newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of UFSM, RS, Brazil. Exclusion criteria were the presence of head and neck malformations, genetic disease, neonatal asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, and kernicterus. When the infants were permitted to start oral feeding, non-nutritive sucking was evaluated by a speech therapist regarding force (strong vs weak), rhythm (rapid vs slow), presence of adaptive oral reflexes (searching, sucking and swallowing) and coordination between sucking, swallowing and respiration. Feeding performance was evaluated on the basis of competence (defined by rate of milk intake, mL/min) and overall transfer (percent ingested volume/total volume ordered). The speech therapist's evaluation showed that 33% of the newborns presented weak sucking, 23% slow rhythm, 30% absence of at least one adaptive oral reflex, and 14% with no coordination between sucking, swallowing and respiration. Mean feeding competence was greater in infants with strong sucking fast rhythm. The presence of sucking-swallowing-respiration coordination decreased the days for an overall transfer of 100%. Evaluation by a speech therapist proved to be a useful tool for the safe indication of the beginning of oral feeding for premature infants

Natural Trans-crotonin: The Antiulcerogenic Effect Of Another Diterpene Isolated From The Bark Of Croton Cajucara Benth

The nor-clerodane diterpene trans-crotonin isolated from the bark of Croton cajucara BENTH. was investigated for its ability to prevent the formation of gastric-mucosa ulceration in different experimental models in mice. The results obtained from crotonin were compared with those obtained with another diterpene, DHC (trans-dehydrocrotonin) in the same models. When previously administered (p.o.) at the dose of 100 mg/kg, crotonin, as well as DHC, significantly reduced (p0.05). The results suggest that crotonin presents a significant anti-ulcer effect when assessed in these ulcer-induced models. As with DHC, the antiulcerogenic effects of crotonin are probably related to anti-secretory or/and gastroprotective properties of this substance. In light of results obtained with DHC and natural trans-crotonin in the present study, we concluded that the A-ring of both diterpenes is not directly involved in the antiulcerogenic activity.254452456Di Stasi, L.C., Santos, E.M.C., Moreira Dos Santos, C., Hiruma, C.A., (1989) Plantas Medicinais Da Amazônia, pp. 127-128. , Editora UNESP, São PauloSouza Brito, A.R.M., Nunes, D.S., (1997) Ciência e Cultura, 49, pp. 402-408Souza Brito, A.R.M., Rodríguez, J.A., Hiruma-Lima, C.A., Haun, M., Nunes, D.S., (1998) Planta Med., 64, pp. 126-129Hiruma-Lima, C.A., Spadari-Bratfisch, R.C., Grassi Kassisse, D.M., Souza Brito, A.R.M., (1999) Planta Med., 65, pp. 325-330Rodriguez, J.A., Haun, M., (1999) Pharmacology and Taxicology, 65, pp. 1-5Hiruma-Lima, C.A., Gracioso, J.S., Toma, W., Almeida, A.B.A., Paula, A.C.B., Brasil, D.S.B., Muller, A.H., Souza Brito, A.R.M., (2001) Phytomedicine, 8, pp. 94-100Hiruma-Lima, C.A., Gracioso, J.S., Toma, W., Paula, A.C.B., Almeida, A.B.A., Brasil, D.S.B., Muller, A.H., Souza Brito, A.R.M., (2000) Biol. Pharm. Bull., 23, pp. 1465-1469Olfert, E.D., Cross, B.M., McWilliam, A.A., (1993) Canadian Council on Animal Care, 1, pp. 1-213. , Ottawa, OntarioItokawa, H., Ichihara, Y., Kojima, H., Watanabe, K., Takeya, K., (1989) Phytochemistry, 28, pp. 1667-1669Mizui, T., Doteuchi, M., (1983) Jpn. J. Pharmacol., 33, pp. 939-945Szelenyi, I., Thiemer, K., (1978) Arch. Toxicol., 41, pp. 99-105Rainsford, K.D., (1978) J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 39, pp. 669-672Levine, R.J., (1971) Peptic Ulcer, pp. 92-97. , ed. by Pfeiffer, C. J., Munksgaard, CopenhagenShay, H., Komarov, S.A., Fels, S.S., Meranze, D., Gruenstein, M., Siplet, H., (1945) Gastroenterol., 5, pp. 43-61Bolton, J.P., Palmer, D., Cohen, M., (1978) Digest. Diseases, 23, pp. 359-364Sun, S.B., Matsumoto, T., Yamada, H., (1991) J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 43, pp. 699-704Wallace, J.L., Granger, D.N., (1996) FASEB J., 10, pp. 731-740Weir, D.G., (1988) Br. Med. J., 296, pp. 195-200Lewis, D.A., Hanson, P.J., (1991) Progress in Medicinal Chemistry, pp. 201-231. , ed. by Ellis G. P., West G. B., Elsevier Science Publishers, AmsterdamAlkofahi, A., Atta, A.H., (1999) J. Ethnopharmacology, 67, pp. 341-345Kitazawa, E., Sato, A., Takahashi, H., Kuwano, H., Ogiso, A., (1980) Chem. Pharm. Bull., 28, pp. 227-234Desai, J.K., Parmar, N.S., (1994) Agents Actions, 42, pp. 149-152Sarosiek, J., Slomiany, B.L., Kojima, K., Swierczec, J., Slomiany, A., Konturek, S.J., (1984) J. Appl. Biochem., 5, pp. 429-436Guth, P.H., Paulsen, G., Nagata, H., (1984) Gastroenterol., 87, pp. 1083-1090Szabo, S., (1987) Scand. J. Gastroenterol., 22, pp. 21-28Parnaham, M.J., Brune, K., (1987) Agents Actions, 21, pp. 232-234Murakami, M., Lam, S.K., Inada, M., Miyake, T., (1985) Gastroenterol., 88, pp. 660-665Kitagawa, H., Fujiwara, M., Osumi, Y., (1979) Gastroenterol., 77, pp. 298-302Koo, M.W.L., Ogle, C.W., Cho, C.H., (1986) Pharmacology, 32, pp. 326-334Sato, N., Kawano, S., Tsuji, S., Ogihara, T., Yamada, S., (1995) Scand. J. Gastroenterol., 30, pp. 14-20Whittle, B.J., (1981) Gastroenterol., 80, pp. 94-98Droy-Lefaix, M.T., (1988) Prostaglandins: Biology and Chemistry of Prostaglandins and Related Eicosanoids, pp. 345-360. , ed. by Curtis-Prior P. B., Churchill Livingtone, New YorkWallace, J.L., Whittle, B.J., (1985) Eur. J. Pharmacol., 115, pp. 45-51Bilski, J., Sarosiek, J., Murty, V.L.N., Aono, M., Moriga, M., Slomiany, A., Slomiany, B.L., (1987) Biochem. Pharmacol., 36, pp. 4059-4065Hiruma-Lima, C.A., Gracioso, J.S., Nunes, D.S., Souza Brito, A.R.M., (1999) J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 51, pp. 341-34