title: Efficacy of Traditional Medicine Product Henna and Hydrocortisone on Diaper Dermatitis in Infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diaper dermatitis (DD) is a common inflammatory disorder in infants, including newborns.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the effects of a traditional medicine product (containing natural henna oil 25%) and hydrocortisone 1% cream on DD in infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a triple-blind, randomized trial, 82 children aged two years or less were randomly divided into two groups of 41 children each to receive either hydrocortisone ointment or henna medicinal product. Infants were treated 3 times a day for 5 days. The severity of dermatitis was assessed on the first, third, and fifth days using a six-point scale. The study was conducted in 2013 in a children teaching hospital in Qazvin, Iran.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups showed an improvement in the severity of DD (mean DD severity on the first, third and fifth days, respectively, was 3.20, 1.39, and 1.20 in the henna group versus 3.20, 2.05, and 1.90 in the hydrocortisone group; P < 0.001). The henna group showed a better response when compared with the hydrocortisone group: the rate of improvement on the fifth day of treatment was 90.2% (37 of 41 children without erythema) in the former versus 61% (25 of 41 patients) in the latter (P = 0.042). No significant side effects were observed in both the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Henna, a traditional medicine product, can be considered an effective and appropriate treatment for DD in infants and children.
authors.affiliation: Traditional Medicine Department, Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abdollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keshavarz
authors.affiliation: Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zeinaloo
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Qazvin Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Manoochehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahram
authors.affiliation: Preventive Medicine Research Center, Department of Community Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Navid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Herbal Medicine Department, Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sadeghpour
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Qazvin Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Maleki
keywords: Diaper Rash; Henna Plant; Hydrocortisone; Lawsonia inermis