Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28870110›Full record

SynthesisIntegrative cancer therapies2018

Herbal Medicine for Xerostomia in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Bongki Park, Hyeonseok Noh, Dong-Jun Choi

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Integrative cancer therapies, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Nutrients · 2025
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Effects of herbal medicine for xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients: an observational study in a tertiary cancer hospital.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019
    Observational
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Bongki Park1 Ilsan Oriental Hospital, Dongguk University Medical Centre, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
Hyeonseok Noh2 Department of Clinical Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
Dong-Jun Choi1 Ilsan Oriental Hospital, Dongguk University Medical Centre, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital · KRKyung Hee University · KR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundXerostomia (dry mouth) causes many clinical problems, including oral infections, speech difficulties, and impaired chewing and swallowing of food. Many cancer patients have complained of xerostomia induced by cancer therapy.

objectiveThe aim of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy of herbal medicine for the treatment of xerostomia in cancer patients. MATERIALS AND

methodsRandomized controlled trials investigating the use of herbal medicines to treat xerostomia in cancer patients were included. We searched the following 12 databases without restrictions on time or language. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

resultsTwenty-five randomized controlled trials involving 1586 patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 24 formulas were examined in the included trials. Most of the included trials were insufficiently reported in the methodology section. Five formulas were shown to significantly improve the salivary flow rate compared to comparators. Regarding the grade of xerostomia, all formulas with the exception of a Dark Plum gargle solution with normal saline were significantly effective in reducing the severity of dry mouth. Adverse events were reported in 4 trials, and adverse effects of herbal medicine were reported in 3 trials.

conclusionsWe found herbal medicines had potential benefits for improving salivary function and reducing the severity of dry mouth in cancer patients. However, methodological limitations and a relatively small sample size reduced the strength of the evidence. More high-quality trials reporting sufficient methodological data are warranted to enforce the strength of evidence regarding the effectiveness of herbal medicines.

Indexed as

Drugs, Chinese HerbalHerbal MedicineHumansMouthwashesNeoplasmsPhytotherapyPlants, MedicinalRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicXerostomiaDrugs, Chinese HerbalMouthwashesherbal medicinerandomized controlled trialsreviewtraditional East Asian medicinexerostomia

Identifiers

PMID28870110
PMCPMC6041902
OpenAlexW2751161605

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.