A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PHYTOTHERAPIES FOR NEWBORN JAUNDICE IN IRAN

Neonatal jaundice is one of the most common diseases among neonates that may cause irreparable complications such as kernicterus. This systematic review article was conducted to report and introduce medicinal plants that are used to treat neonatal jaundice in Iranian traditional medicine. To conduct this systematic review, the terms jaundice and icterus combined with the terms ethnobotanical, ethno-medicinal plants, ethnopharmacology, phytotherapy, and Iran were used to search for potentially relevant publications in Google Scholar, and Scientific databases ISI, PubMed, and Scopus. According to ethnobotanical evidence, six plant species from five families consisting of Cotoneaster discolour, Ziziphus jujube Miller, Hordeum vulgare L., Alhagi graecorum Boiss, Fumaria parviflora, and Chicorium intybus have been more frequently reported to be used to treat neonatal jaundice in Iran on which a number of studies have been conducted. However, a combination of two or more number of these plants has been reported to be used for treating neonatal jaundice. Although the plants and their compounds cause reduction in neonatal jaundice through different mechanisms of action, they cannot be considered an independent treatment in most cases. Therefore, it is recommended to use plants and their compounds as a complementary treatment to reduce bilirubin.