Molecule in mother's milk protects baby's delicate intestines

London, July 1 : Scientists have discovered a wonder molecule in mother's milk that protects and repairs the delicate intestines of newborn babies.

Called pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI), the ingredient is found at its highest levels in colostrum - the milk produced in the first few days after birth.

PSTI is a molecule normally found in the pancreas, and protects it from being damaged by the digestive enzymes it produces. It seems to play a similar protective role in the gut.

The lining of a newborn's gut is particularly vulnerable to damage as it has never been exposed to food or drink. The new study highlights the importance of breastfeeding in the first few days after birth.

Queen Mary researchers from London University found small amounts of PSTI in all the samples of breast milk they tested but it was seven times more concentrated in colostrum samples. The ingredient was not found in formula milk.

The researchers examined the effects of PSTI on human intestinal cells in the lab. They also found that it could prevent further damage by stopping the cells of the intestine from self-destroying.

Additional research suggests that PSTI could reduce damage by 75 percent. The Queen Mary team has also found that PSTI is produced in the breast but until now they did not know exactly why, said a Queen Mary release.

Ray Playford of the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary, who led the study said: "We know that breast milk is made up of a host of different ingredients and we also know that there are a number of health benefits for babies who are breast-fed."

"This study is important because it shows that a component of breast milk protects and repairs the babies' delicate intestines in readiness for the onslaught of all the food and drink that are to come," he added.