title: Randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of complementary therapies for recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the high prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), its etiology is not yet completely clear and there is no completely remedial treatment available at present. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of 4 treatments (silver nitrate, propolis, rhubarb and walnut) for RAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 125 patients with minor aphthae, including 25 patients per group: cauterization with silver nitrate, propolis, rhubarb extract, walnut extract and placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No patient reported adverse effects related to the treatment received. There were significant (P<.001) differences in the time elapsed until symptom resolution. The fastest treatment was silver nitrate (1.16 days), followed by the 3 alternative treatments (1.60 days with propolis, 1.84 with rhubarb and 2.00 with walnut; with no differences between them), and finally the placebo (4.64 days). The mean healing time of the lesions was statistically higher (8.96 days) for the placebo than for the 4 treatments: silver nitrate (7.32 days), propolis (6.80), rhubarb (7.72) and walnut (8.00).
authors.affiliation: Medicina Oral, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España. Electronic address: alberodr@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Archilla
authors.affiliation: Centro Odontológico M'fedal Afailal Bab Okla, Tetuán, Marruecos.
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raissouni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002425:Cautery / Q000379:methods; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D031324:Juglans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011429:Propolis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012250:Rheum; D012835:Silver Nitrate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011429:Propolis; D012835:Silver Nitrate
keywords: Complementary therapies; Estomatitis aftosa recurrente; Extracto de nogal; Extracto de ruibarbo; Juglans; Nitrato de plata; Propolis; Própolis; Rheum; Silver nitrate; Stomatitis, aphthous; Tratamientos alternativos