Comparative trial of Liv 52 and Orabolin in marasmus.

In a child, hunger is one of the raw drives which promotes survival and adequate nutrition. Anorexia is a common complaint with which children are brought to the physician. The first five years of life are critical for growth and development. Food fads, social customs and infections may interfere with proper intake and absorption of the right kinds of nutrients. Thus, morbidity and mortality are high in the young below 5 years. For management of a child with poor appetite it is common practice to prescribe some multivitamin and mineral preparations or an enzyme compound to aid digestion. The drugs we choose must be harmless. Anabolic steroids have often been used for their nitrogen retention properties. The liver is a key organ concerned with appetite, digestion and absorption. A liver “stimulant” such as Liv.52 (Himalaya Drug Co., Bombay), a herbal preparation, has been claimed to have cholerectic and stimulatory properties, to revive lost appetite and to promote growth.