Evaluation of Efficacy of an Herbal Compound on Dry Mouth in Patients With Head and Neck Cancers

Abstract

Dry mouth is a common complication of radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. This study compared the efficacy of an herbal compound containing Malva sylvestris and Alcea digitata (Boiss) with artificial saliva (Hypozalix) for improving the symptoms of dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients. The study examined a total of 62 subjects assigned to 2 groups. The herbal compound and Hypozalix were administered for 4 weeks. Efficacy was assessed using the visual analog scale and by grading the degree of dry mouth. Both groups showed a significant difference between visual analog scale before and following intervention. There was also a significant difference in visual analog scale between groups at 4 weeks after onset of intervention. The herbal group showed a significant difference between the grade of dry mouth before and after intervention, but no change was observed for grade of dry mouth in the Hypozalix group. This study supports the efficacy of the herbal compound for controlling symptoms of dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients.

Interventions for the management of radiotherapy-induced xerostomia and hyposalivation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…One open-label parallel study assessed the effectiveness of four-week use of an herbal compound containing Malva sylvestris and Alcea digitata powder compared to artificial saliva (Hypozalix) [24]. No objective measures were used in this study, however the visual analogue score showed a significant differences between the two treatment in lessening xerostomia symptoms.…”

“…Table 2 shows study populations, interventions, and extracted outcome measures for eligible trials. Seventeen studies used changes in xerostomia symptoms as an outcome; outcome measures included the visual analogue scale (nine studies) [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25], the xerostomia inventory (one study) [26], the Walizer Mouth Dryness questionnaire (one study) [27], the global rating of change scale (two studies in one paper) [28], general xerostomia questionnaires (two studies) [29,30], and the xerostomia items of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Head and Neck Module (EORTC-H&N35) instrument (two studies) [31,32]. At endpoint, symptoms were assessed shortly after administration of the intervention in three studies [28,29], and after 180 minutes in one trial [19], and therefore refer to symptoms perceived by participants during enhancement of salivary gland function.…”

Efficacy of a Persian Medicine Herbal Compound (Alcea digitata Alef and Malva sylvestris L.) on Prevention of Radiation Induced Acute Mucositis in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Pilot Study

“…The antioxidant (21), anti-inflammatory (22), and antimicrobial (23,24) effects of these plants were investigated in the recent studies. Also, it was shown that A.digitata and M.sylvestris are mucilaginous plants that can be used to improve dry mouth (25).…”

Xerostomia: reasons and methods of correction

“…Результаты мультицентрового рандомизированного двойного слепого клинического исследования, результа-ты которого опубликованы в 2015 г. в журнале EvidenceBased Complementary & Alternative Medicine («Альтерна-тив ная и дополнительная доказательная медицина»), показали высокую эффективность спрея искусственной слюны по сравнению с гомеопатическими средствами у онкологических больных [50].…”