The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for five full months for mothers receiving counselling support was 70 per cent compared to 6 per cent for the control group. The mothers in the counselled group initiated breastfeeding earlier, were less likely to give prelacteal and postlacteal foods. The authors also noted that in the counselled group, infant weight gain and the duration of lactational amenorrhoea were greater. Antibacterial properties of xanthine oxidase in human milk Stevens, C. R. et al . Although the incidence is greater in developing countries, it is also prevalent in industrialized countries.
Human milk is a rich source of the enzyme xanthine oxidase.
This enzyme is capable of producing mild microbicidal superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Both these compounds convey antimicrobial protection to the infant's stomach Additionally the xanthine oxidase operating in the low pH and low O2 of the infant stomach is able to generate nitric oxide from nitrates and nitrites available. The researchers propose an antibiotic role for the nitric oxide derived from xanthine oxidase activity. Using breastmilk samples from 25 fullterm mothers, samples were collected from days 2 to 112 postpartum. All 175 samples analyzed showed nitric oxide activity with the greatest activity seen in hind milk samples.