Review of clinical studies of herbal products as a treatment option in recurrent Aphthous stomatitis

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the repeated occurrence of lesions in the intraoral sites having diverse etiology leading to pain, inflammation, and difficulty in eating and speaking. Common treatment options available for RAS are analgesics, corticosteroids, local anesthetics, and antimicrobial agents. The purpose is to reduce the intensity of pain, inflammation, and duration of the ulcer. All the above-mentioned medications if used for a longer duration may result in several complications including antibiotic resistance. It is commonly observed that patients suffering from RAS initiate self-treatment like the application of honey, and turmeric to ulcers, chewing of guava leaves, beetle leaves, etc., based on traditional knowledge which results in inconsistent relief and ultimately treatment shifts towards the use of corticosteroids, analgesic as well as antibiotics. There is a need for evidence-based systematic studies that lead to the availability of formulations containing herbal medicines for guaranteed quick relief from pain and reducing recurrence of mouth ulcers. Thus, to prove efficacy of traditional herbal medicine, several clinical trials are being done where these medicines are used as single extract for topical application. The present study aims to critically assess the available data of clinical trials on the topical treatment of RAS using plant-based medicines and identify the most promising plant-based medicine that gives quick relief from RAS.