Effects of the Mouthwash Containing Pomegranate Seed Oil on Improving Oral Mucositis in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Background and Objective: Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most painful, and disabling oral inflammatory conditions caused by chemotherapy. This study aimed to determine the pomegranate seed oil (PSO) effect on improving chemotherapy-induced mucositis. Materials and Methods: This single-blind, randomized, clinical trial recruited patients with chemotherapy-induced mucositis in the oncology ward of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran, in 2018 (n = 70). Patients were divided into two groups by randomized block design. The control group was treated with 15 ml of routine mouthwash 4 times daily for 14 days. The intervention group was treated with mixed solution of routine mouthwash and PSO (50:50). The mucositis severity was evaluated on the 1st, 7th and 14th days after the intervention using a checklist for assessing the mucositis severity. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, independent t and repeated measures ANOVA tests. Results: The subjects’ mean ages in the intervention and control groups were 57.48±14.742 and 58.81±14.134 years, respectively. Groups were matched for clinical and demographic characteristics (P 0.05). The mean mucositis severity in the intervention group decreased from 1.97 on the 1st day to 0.52 on the 7th day and to 0.03 on the 14th day (P 0.001). The rates of mucositis severity in the control group were 1.98, 1.47 and 0.63, respectively on these days (P 0.001). Conclusion: The mouthwash containing PSO improved chemotherapy-induced mucositis further than the routine mouthwash. Therefore, PSO can be used along with routine medicinal solutions to relieve and prevent oral mucositis symptoms.