Systematic review on phytotherapy in neonatology

Area of Science:

• Neonatal medicine
• Complementary and alternative medicine

Background:

• Phytotherapy (herbal medicine) is economically significant and widely used in Germany for various age groups, including pregnancy.
• Patient demand for phytotherapy is high, suggesting potential use in the neonatal period.
• Existing data covers younger children and pregnancy, indicating a possible gap in neonatal research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of existing literature on phytotherapy in neonatology.
• To identify research trends and gaps in the use of herbal medicine for newborns.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted across multiple scientific databases (e.g., Cochrane, Medline, EM-BASE).
• Keywords included 'neonatology,' 'newborn,' 'preterm,' 'phytotherapy,' 'phytomedicine,' and 'herbal drugs.'
• Inclusion criteria focused on clinical randomized controlled studies.

Main Results:

• Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria, encompassing various study designs (case control, observational, interview, questionnaire, retrospective).
• Key topics investigated included aromatherapy, external applications, and internal effects of herbal teas.
• The heterogeneity in study design and explanatory power was noted.

Conclusions:

• The current evidence base for phytotherapy in neonatology is heterogeneous and largely insufficient.
• Aromatherapy showed the most promising, yet still limited, study situation.
• Methodologically rigorous studies are essential to evaluate the significance of phytotherapy in newborns due to high parental demand and scientific/economic needs.