Samital® is a combination of botanical extracts from bilberry, macleaya cordata fruits, and Echinaceas angustifolia roots. These extracts have antifungal, antiviral, analgesic, and antinflammatory properties, as well as activity to protect mucosa and improve fibroblast proliferation. This solution was examined for its effect in prevention and management of oral mucositis.
Bertoglio, J.C., Calderon, S., Lesina, B., Pilleux, L., Morazzoni, P., Riva, A., . . . Petrangolini, G. (2013). Effect of SAMITAL® in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced mucositis in adult oncohematological patients. Future Oncology, 9, 1727–1732.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of SAMITAL in reducing mucositis in patients undergoing treatment for hematologic malignancies
Patients used SAMITAL mouth rinse three to four times daily and held it in the mouth for one minute.
The grade of mucositis was reduced from grade 2 to 0–1 in seven patients (25%). It is stated that pain, mucosal erosions, bleeding, and dysphagia were reduced; however, it is unclear how these were measured.
SAMITAL may have some benefit in the prevention and management of oral mucositis.
The authors suggested performing randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials to confirm the suitability of SAMITAL for the treatment and prophylaxis of mucositis.
Pawar, D., Neve, R. S., Kalgane, S., Riva, A., Bombardelli, E., Ronchi, M., et al. (2012). SAMITAL((R)) improves chemo/radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind Phase II study. Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer.
Investigate the safety and efficacy of SAMITAL in the treatment of oral mucoitis with chemo-radiation therapy.
Patients received either Samital or a matching placebo mouth rinse. Patients were blinded to which treatment they had. Random assignment was not described. Samital is a combination of three botanical drug extracts: vaccinium myrtillus, macleaya cordad, and Echinacea angustifolial root. The formulation is standardized, and forms a gel-like substance when re-constituted. Patients were to use the rinse 4 times daily for a total of 7 weeks. Each rinse was done using 4 aliquots over 30 minutes.
The study was comprised of 17 patients, with a mean age of 52.4 years.
MALES 89%, FEMALES 11%
KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: All had head and neck cancer and were receiving chemo-radiation. All had oral mucositis ≥ grade 3 on study entry, and 30% had cancer of the tongue.
SITE: Single site
SETTING TYPE: Outpatient
LOCATION: India
PHASE OF CARE: Active antitumor treatment
Single, blind, placebo controlled phase II
None of the control group patients completed the study; most only completed seven days. Patients on SAMITAL showed significant improvement from baseline in mucositis grade from 2.94 ± 0.43 to 2.0 ± 0.35, drinking, eating, sleeping, and speaking (p < 0.05) after day 31. Those in the placebo group did not show significant changes from baseline.
Findings suggest that SAMITAL might have some benefit in management of oral mucositis; however, this study has substantial limitations and does not provide strong evidence.
This study examined use of SAMITAL, a botantical preparation, for its efficacy in management of oral mucositis. Some positive effects are described; however, this study does not provide strong evidence. Further well-designed research in this area may be warranted.