Effects and mechanisms of medicinal plants on diaper dermatitis: A systematic review

Diaper dermatitis (DD) is one of the most common skin disorders in infants and, if not treated properly, causes several complications such as infection, pain, and itching. The present review was conducted to report the findings on the action mechanisms and effects of medicinal plants on the treatment of DD and diaper rash. The key words "diaper dermatitis" or "diaper rash" or "nappy rash" in combination with "medicinal plant", "herb*", and "phyto*" were used to conduct this review. Relevant articles were retrieved from databases including Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), PubMed, Scopus, Islamic World Science Citation Database (ISC) and Google Scholar. Medicinal plants and plant-based compounds reduce and treat DD mainly due to their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial (mainly antibacterial and antifungal), and antioxidant properties. Helping to accelerate the recovery and regeneration of the skin and to reduce moisture in the diaper environment is another mechanism of medicinal plants, for treating DD. Plants such as Calendula officinalis, Matricaria chamomilla L.,A. barbadensis Mill., Prunusdulcis, Hamamelis, and Lawsonia inermis L. can be useful to treat this condition. Medicinal plants and their compounds comprise an effective treatment for DD and can be used as a supplementary or adjuvant therapy because of low cost, easy use, availability, and lack of systemic effects.