Gripe water is a product sold in many countries around the world to relieve colic and other gastrointestinal ailments and discomforts of infants. No evidence supports the efficacy of gripe water, and its use poses risks to the infant. The original formula contained alcohol and sugar in addition to sodium bicarbonate and dill oil. Present-day products do not contain alcohol, and may contain fennel oil and ginger extract in addition to or replacement for dill oil. In some countries gripe water products still contain sugar.
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History
Gripe water was invented in 1851 by William Woodward, an English pharmacist who did his apprenticeship in Lincolnshire and later bought a business in Nottingham. Gripe water was adopted as a prescription by physicians. In the 1840s, babies in Eastern England were afflicted by a condition known as "fen fever", and during that time there was also an outbreak of malaria in England. Woodward took his inspiration from the treatments for malaria and "fen fever". He noted that the formula used to treat fen fever was an effective "soother of fretful babies and provided relief from gastrointestinal troubles in infants." The original Woodward's Gripe Water contained 3.6% alcohol, dill oil, sodium bicarbonate, sugar, and water. Woodward registered "Gripe Water" as a trademark in 1876. It was initially marketed with the slogan "Granny told Mother and Mother told me."
In 1993, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered an automatic detention of all shipments of Woodward's into the U.S. on the basis of its being an unapproved drug. In response to the FDA's import alert, Woodward's and other manufacturers have continued marketing gripe water products, but as dietary supplements.
Use
The formulation now varies according to brand and the country of manufacture. In many countries, including the original source country (UK), alcohol is no longer in the product. Sugar may be in the product. Sodium bicarbonate, dill oil, fennel oil and sometimes ginger extract are the ingredients claimed to be effective. Evidence of gripe water's effectiveness has been limited to anecdotal accounts. Its commercial success has led to imitation brands of varying formulas.
Gripe water is recommended by some pediatricians and alternative practitioners as a 'natural' option. It is available in the United States as an over-the-counter dietary supplement. A 2000 review in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine found that most of the ingredients in Woodward's gripe water are of little value in relieving infantile discomfort and that any benefit may be no more complicated than the baby receiving some liquid.
In a study conducted in Puducherry, India, two-thirds of mothers of infants ages 1 to 6 months admitted administering gripe water to their children. The mothers believed that gripe water helps in digestion and prevents stomach ache. However, infant colic, vomiting and constipation were significantly more common in gripe water administered infants compared to those who were exclusively breast fed.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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