A Critical Assessment of the Quality of the Published Clinical Trials on the Effect of Herbal Products on the healing of Nipple Fissures in Lactating Women

Background & aim: Assessing the quality of studies is one of the basic principles of evidence-based medicine, which helps clinical experts to choose the best evidence among the published documents. Therefore, this study aimed to critically assess the quality of clinical trials published regarding the effect of herbal products on the healing of nipple fissures in lactating women.Methods: In this critical assessment, the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Cochrane Central, ProQuest, Magiran, and SID were searched without a time limit until February ۲۰۲۵  The keywords of medicinal plant, complementary therapies, herbal therapy, herbal medicine, breast fissure, Sore nipple, nipple fissure, breast wound, and their Persian equivalents were searched. Finally, out of ۷۸۳ searched articles, ۲۱ clinical trials were critically assessed using the CONSORT ۲۰۱۰ checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version ۲۵) and descriptive and inferential statistical methods.Results: Based on the critical appraisal of ۲۱ reviewed articles, overall compliance of the quality of the articles with the CONSORT ۲۰۱۰ checklist was ۶۳.۱%. . The total mean score from the CONSORT Checklist ۲۰۱۰, with a score range of ۱۳-۲۹, was ۲۳.۵ ± ۴.۱. The greatest weakness of the articles was in the results section.Conclusion: The quality of the reviewed clinical trials published in relation to the effect of herbal products on the healing of nipple fissures was moderate. The authors and staff of the journals must evaluate and criticize the articles with the standard principles designed in the valid checklists before publishing them, so it is necessary to receive enough training in this field.

کلیدواژه ها:

Clinical trial ، Critical appraisal ، Medicinal Plants ، Nipple fissure