Clinical Trial of Herbal Medicine in Children

Abstract

Herbal medicines have been used for decades to care for children's health. However, well-controlled clinical studies with herbal medicines in children are rare. Therefore, the authors' aim was to evaluate clinical trials with herbal medicines in children, based on literature searches in PubMed and the Web of Science. A total of 133 trials were identified. 90 studies were randomized, 32.2% were randomized and double-blind. Most of the studies were done in China, in the 6-12 age group and in children with respiratory diseases, most of the herbal medicines with Hedera helix were tested. Analysis shows that studies on herbal medicine are feasible in children. Although clinical trials were found, this literature search was limited and did not include all studies performed. However, only a few high-quality clinical trials have been identified. Therefore, further studies are needed to support good experimental results. A total of 133 trials were identified. 90 studies were randomized, 32.2% were randomized and double-blind. Most of the studies were done in China, in the 6-12 age group and in children with respiratory diseases, most of the herbal medicines with Hedera helix were tested. The review found that studies of herbal medicines are feasible in children and also highlights some significant challenges associated with effective monitoring of their safety.