Efficacy of natural products in preventing oral mucositis resulting from cancer therapies: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Oral mucositis significantly compromises the quality of life for patients undergoing cancer therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of natural products in either preventing or alleviating oral mucositis resulting from cancer treatments. Methods: A systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted, sourcing data from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Airiti Library, and Wan Fang Data Knowledge Service Platform until August 2023. The study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021285433). Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) and R software 4.1.3 were used for analysis. Results: From 1556 identified articles, 36 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were analyzed, involving 2083 patients. Honey, notably, was found to significantly reduce the overall incidence of oral mucositis compared to standard care, with a relative risk (RR) of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.67–0.96). It was particularly effective against moderate-to-severe oral mucositis (grade ≥ 2), reducing incidence with RR of 0.48 (95% CI: 0.30–0.75) versus placebo and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.34–0.93) against standard care. Other natural products, including propolis, chamomile, and P. major L., also demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing the incidence of oral mucositis. Regarding pain relief, honey, and P. major L. emerged as effective, significantly reducing pain severity with a mean difference (MD) of −2.96 (95% CI: −3.80 to −1.94) compared to placebo. Concussion: This network meta-analysis supports the use of honey, propolis, chamomile, and P. major L. as effective natural products in the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis among cancer patients. Specifically, honey is highlighted for its significant impact on reducing both the overall incidence and the severity of moderate-to-severe oral mucositis. By leveraging their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, integrating these natural products into the standard care regimen could markedly improve the well-being of individuals undergoing cancer therapy.