The Use of Arnica Montana in the Cicatrization of the Umbilical Cord

Plain-language summary

Neonatal infections are still one of the leading causes of mortality among newborns worldwide. For example, omphalitis is particularly common and can lead to the development of neonatal sepsis. This pathology more frequently affects developing countries, where hygienic conditions are often precarious, but the incidence of this disease should not be underestimated even in developed countries. Therefore, it is essential to properly care for the umbilical stump during the first days of life to prevent infections, both in the hospital and at home. The complications related to poor hygiene of the umbilical stump can be more or less serious. Mild complications include wet stumps, purulent secretions, granulomas, or periumbilical erythema. The most serious complications involve infections of the umbilical cord stump which can manifest locally or systemically, causing respectively omphalitis or neonatal sepsis. Despite the numerous benefits that derive from proper umbilical cord care, the most suitable approach remains controversial and several modalities of care have been described. The World Health Organization suggests two techniques depending on the neonatal mortality rate. In developed countries the use of dry cord care is recommended while in countries with a high neonatal mortality rate (\>30 deaths/1000 live births) the topical application of antiseptics, such as chlorhexidine, is recommended. Recent studies have focused on the possible advantages of using natural products of plant origin, whose natural anti-inflammatory and dermal protective action is known. Among them, the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties of arnica montana have been studied and it has been shown that the use of a powder containing this plant extract reduces parental stress and drop time of the umbilical cord stump. However, there is little evidence demonstrating the lower rate of mild to moderate complications resulting from umbilical cord stump care with this product.

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