RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Sleep complaints are common health issues in the general population. These conditions are associated with poorer physical and psychological activity, and they may have important social, economic, and personal consequences. In the last years, several food supplements with different plant extracts have been developed and are currently taken for improving sleep. Study Objectives. The aim of this study is to systematically review recent literature on oral plant extracts acting on sleep disorders distinguishing their action on the different symptoms of sleep complaints: difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, waking up too early, and quality of sleep. METHODS: We searched the PubMed database up to 05/03/2020 based on data from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, noncontrolled trials, and cohort studies conducted in children and adult subjects. The search words used contained the following terms: oral food supplement and sleep disorders and the like. The most studied compounds were further analyzed with a second search using the following terms: name of the compound and sleep disorders. We selected 7 emerging compounds and 38 relevant reports. RESULTS: Although nutraceutical natural products have been used for sleep empirically, there is a scarcity of evidence on the efficacy of each product in clinical studies. Valerian and lavender were the most frequently studied plant extracts, and their use has been associated (with conflicting results) with anxiolytic effects and improvements in quality and duration of sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep aids based on plant extracts are generally safe and well tolerated by the population. More high-quality research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of food supplements containing plant extracts in sleep complaints; in particular, it would be interesting to evaluate the association between plant extracts and sleep hygiene guidelines and to identify the optimal products to be used in a specific symptom of sleep complaint, giving more appropriate tools to the medical doctor.
RESUMO
Due to its physical and biological characteristics and safety profile, hyaluronic acid is very widely used in numerous clinical conditions, ranging from its best-known use in cosmetic surgery (as a filler and for its ability to promote tissue regeneration and therefore minimise scarring) to lesser-known fields such as ophthalmic surgery, major abdominal surgery (where it is used to prevent the complication of adhesion bands) and intra-articular use. Studies were recently published in which this type of device was also used in paediatric patients for the management of inflammatory disorders of the oral cavity and teething symptoms. As this is a highly topical field for dentists, we felt it would be useful to review the efficacy and safety of the device in the paediatric population treated, and analyse any discrepancies with the results obtained in the adult population. The preparations of hyaluronic acid used in pediatric dentistry, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and angiogenic properties, proved to be very effective in therapy of oral diseases in children. Further clinical research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of these products to dispel doubts about any side effects.