Evaluation of the preventive effects of purgative manna on neonatal icterus in Sanandaj

ABSTRACT

Herbal medicines have been used commonly as a traditional therapeutic method for treatment of medical disorders. Previous studies had shown that purgative manna [Shirkhesht] can be used for the treatment of infantile icterus, however no study has been performed on the preventive effects of this herb on infantile icterus. This study was conducted to evaluate the preventive effects of purgative manna on neonatal icterus. This was a double blind clinical trial and included neonates born in Besat Hospital, in Sanandaj. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of blocked randomization. Twenty four hours after birth, five drops of oral purgative manna drop [BiliNaster produced by Sobhan Co.] was given to the intervention group three times a day, for three days and a placebo produced by the same company was given to the infants in the control group with the same dose for three days. Bilirubin was measured every day from the third to fifth days. This study included 140 neonates. Intervention and control groups had no significant difference in regard to basic variables such as sex, type of birth, and billirubin. 11 neonates [15.7%] in purgative manna group and 15 neonates [21.4%] in placebo group had developed icterus which showed no significant difference [p=0.38]. In addition, the mean values of billirubin measured in the control and intervention groups from the third to fifth days were 12.2 mg/deciliter [ +/- 2] and 12.5 mg/deciliter [ +/- 1.9] respectively which had no significant statistical difference [p=0.54]. According to the results of this study, use of five drops of purgative manna three times a day, for three days, did not have any preventive effect on neonatal icterus between the third and fifth days after birth. Some studies have showed the effectiveness of this drug in preventing neonatal icterus, but we did not observe such effect in our study