Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36864527›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of medical research2023

Prevention of radiotherapy-related oral mucositis with zinc and polyherbal mouthwash: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

Marzieh Sahebnasagh, Vahideh Aksi, Fatemeh Eslami, Hossein Lashkardoost, Jamal Kasaian, Shiva Golmohammadzadeh, Bahareh Parkam, Reza Negarandeh, Fatemeh Saghafi, Adeleh Sahebnasagh

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of medical research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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

11 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Time-dependent efficacy of zinc supplements in preventing oral mucositis after chemoradiotherapy: a meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Trial
  6. Radiomitigators: Breakthroughs in Post-Radiation Recovery.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
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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

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Marzieh SahebnasaghSchool of Dentistry, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
Vahideh AksiStudent Research Committee, School of Dentistry, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
Fatemeh EslamiStudent Research Committee, School of Dentistry, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
Hossein LashkardoostSchool of Public Health, Addiction & Behavioral Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
Jamal KasaianNatural Products and Medicinal Plants Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
Shiva GolmohammadzadehNanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Bahareh ParkamImam Ali Hospital, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Sari, Iran.
Reza NegarandehStudent Research Committee, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Fatemeh SaghafiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran.
Adeleh SahebnasaghClinical Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran. masoomehsahebnasagh@gmail.com.
North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences · IRMashhad University of Medical Sciences · IRMazandaran University of Medical Sciences · IRShahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA significant percentage of head and neck cancer (HNCs) patients receiving RT experience oral mucositis (OM). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the polyherbal (containing chamomile, peppermint oil, Aloe vera, and honey) and zinc mouthwashes in comparison to the control (chlorhexidine) and placebo groups for prevention of radiation-induced OM.

methodsThis study was a double-blinded randomized clinical trial, conducted on 67 patients with HNCs undergoing radiotherapy. The eligible participants were randomized to receive either one of the following; zinc sulfate, polyherbal, chlorhexidine (Vi-one 0.2% CHX), or placebo mouthwash for 6 weeks. Follow-up evaluation of oral hygiene and the checklists of OM and the intensity of pain were filled out according to WHO assessment tool, Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale (OMAS), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) in all the participants weekly for seven consecutive weeks.

resultsThe results of present clinical trial demonstrated that the use of either zinc sulfate or polyherbal mouthwash significantly reduced the scores of OM and the severity of pain during weeks 2 to 7 after consumption compared with the CHX or placebo mouthwashes (P < 0.05). According to the post hoc analysis and compared with the placebo, a significantly better result was reported for zinc sulfate and polyherbal mouthwashes at weeks 2 to 7, but not for the CHX mouthwash.

conclusionThis study showed that the use of zinc sulfate or polyherbal mouthwashes is effective in prevention of both OM severity scores and pain related to OM intensity at weeks 2 to 7 following consumption in HNCs patients. Trial registration IRCT20190123042475N1 and IRCT20190123042475N2. Registration date: 2019-06-09, 2019-07-26.

Indexed as

MouthwashesStomatitisChlorhexidineHumansZincZinc SulfateChlorhexidineMouthwashesZincZinc SulfateHead and neck cancerMouthwashOral mucositis (stomatitis)PolyherbalPreventionRadiotherapyZinc sulfate

Identifiers

PMID36864527
PMCPMC9979417
OpenAlexW4322773346

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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 Socratic graph.