Phytotherapeutic, Homeopathic Interventions and Bee Products for Pediatric Infections: A Scoping Review
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Aims and Eligibility Criteria
2.2. Search Strategy
2.3. Data Extraction
2.4. Inter-Rate Agreement
2.5. Quality Assessment
2.6. Outcomes
2.7. Data Synthesis and Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Quality Assessment
3.2. Efficacy
3.3. Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs)
3.3.1. Phytotherapeutic Remedies
Echinacea purpurea Extract
Pelargonium sidoides
Honey and Bee Products
Various Medical Plants
3.3.2. Homeopathic Remedies
3.4. Bronchitis
Phytotherapeutic Remedies
3.5. Otitis
3.5.1. Phytotherapeutic Remedies
3.5.2. Homeopathic Remedies
3.6. Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease (HFMD)
Phytotherapeutic Remedies
3.7. Flu
Phytotherapeutic Remedies
4. Discussion
4.1. Efficacy of Phytotherapeutic, Homeopathic Interventions and Bee Products in Pediatric Acute Infections
4.2. Phytotherapeutic Treatments and Bee Products
4.3. Homeopathic Treatments in Pediatric Acute Infections
4.4. Gaps in the Current Literature and Future Research Perspectives
4.5. Limitations of the Scoping Review
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| RCTs | Randomized Controlled Trials |
| UTIs | Urinary Tract Infections |
| URTIs | Upper Respiratory Tract Infections |
| GI | Gastrointestinal Infection |
| CNS | Central Nervous Systema |
| TSS | Tonsillitis Severity Score |
| SIS | Symptom Severity Score |
| WURSS-21 | Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 |
| CARIFS | Canadian Acute Respiratory Illness and Flud Scale |
| BSS | Bronchitis Severity Scale |
| AOM | Acute Otitis Media |
| HFMD | Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease |
Appendix A
| PubMed | Pubmed phytotherapy OR herbal medicine OR medicinal plants OR plant extracts OR homeopathy OR homeopathic remedies OR complementary medicine OR immune stimulants OR natural remedies AND infection OR infections OR infectious disease OR bacterial infection OR viral infection OR fungal infection AND child OR children OR pediatric OR infant OR newborn |
| Embase | ‘phytotherapy’/exp OR phytotherapy OR ‘herbal medicine’/exp OR ‘herbal medicine’ OR (herbal AND (‘medicine’/exp OR medicine)) OR ‘medicinal plants’/exp OR ‘medicinal plants’ OR (medicinal AND (‘plants’/exp OR plants)) OR ‘plant extracts’/exp OR ‘plant extracts’ OR ((‘plant’/exp OR plant) AND extracts) OR ‘homeopathy’/exp OR homeopathy OR ‘homeopathic remedies’ OR (homeopathic AND remedies) OR ‘complementary medicine’/exp OR ‘complementary medicine’ OR (complementary AND (‘medicine’/exp OR medicine)) OR ‘immune stimulants’ OR ((‘immune’/exp OR immune) AND stimulants) OR ‘natural remedies’ OR ((‘natural’/exp OR natural) AND remedies) |
| Web of Science | ((ALL = (phytotherapy OR herbal medicine OR medicinal plants OR plant extracts OR homeopathy OR homeopathic remedies OR complementary medicine OR immune stimulants OR natural remedies)) AND ALL = (infection OR infections OR infectious disease OR bacterial infection OR viral infection OR fungal infection)) AND ALL = (child OR children OR pediatric OR infant OR newborn) |
| CINHAL | (“phytotherapy” OR “herbal medicine” OR “medicinal plants” OR “plant extracts” OR “homeopathy” OR “homeopathic remedies” OR “complementary medicine” OR “immune stimulants” OR “immunomodulators” OR “natural remedies”) AND (“infection” OR “infections” OR “infectious disease” OR “bacterial infection” OR “viral infection” OR “fungal infection”) AND (“child” OR “children” OR “pediatric” OR “infant” OR “newborn”) |
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| Author | Country | Income | Study Design | Population Size | Age | Infection | Category of Dietary Supplementation | Actives | Intervention vs. Placebo or Standard Therapy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bereznoy VV et al., 2016 [31] | Ukraine | Upper-middle income | RCT | 126 | 6–10 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | Treatment vs. Placebo |
| Cardinale F et al., 2025 [15] | Romania | High income | RCT | 130 | 3–10 years | URTI | Phytotherapy and bee products | Pelargonium sidoides, honey, propolis and zinc | Treatment + standard therapy vs. Standard therapy |
| Chen HF et al., 2023 [32] | China | Upper-middle income | RCT | 443 | 1–14 years | Bronchitis | Phytotherapy | Arctium Lappa, Morus Alba, Mentha Haplo Calyx, Sabillina Tenuifolia, Fritillaria Unibracteata, Peucedanum Praeruptorum Dunn, Aster Tataricus, Citrus Aurantium, Isatis Indogotica, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis. | Treatment vs. 10% treatment |
| Cohen HA et al., 2017 [16] | Israel | High income | RCT | 141 | 2–5 years | URTI | Phytotherapy and bee products | Polysaccharides, Resin, Honey | Treatment vs. standard |
| Cohen HA et al., 2012 [17] | Israel | High income | RCT | 270 | 1–5 years | URTI | Phytotherapy and bee products | Eucalyptus honey, citrus honey, labiatae honey | Treatment 1 or treatment 2 or treatment 3 vs. placebo |
| Gökçe Ş et al., 2021 [33] | Turkey | Upper-middle income | RCT | 164 | 1–18 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Haidvogl M et al., 2007 [48] | Germany | High income | Observational study | 742 | 1–12 years | Bronchitis | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | x |
| Jacobs J et al., 2001 [18] | United States | High income | RCT | 75 | 18 months–6 years | Acute otitis media | Homeopathy | Pulsatilla Ngrans, Chamomilla, Sulfur, Calcarea Carbonica | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Jacobs J et al., 2016 [19] | United States | High income | RCT | 261 | 2–5 years | URTI | Homeopathy | Allium Cepa, Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum, Natrum Muriaticum, Pulsatilla, Hydrastis, Extract of Glycyrrhiza | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Kamin W et al., 2010 [34] | Ukraine | Upper-middle income | RCT | 200 | 1–18 years | Bronchitis | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Kamin W et al., 2012 [20] | Russia | High income | RCT | 220 | 1–18 years | Bronchitis | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Kubo T et al., 2007 [21] | Japan | High income | RCT | 49 | 5 months–13 years | Flu A | Phytotherapy | Ephedrae herba, Armenicae cortex, Cinnamon cortex, Glycyrrhizae radix | Anti-viral therapy + treatment or treatment or anti-viral treatment |
| Liu J et al., 2014 [35] | China | Upper-middle income | RCT | 399 | 1–7 years | HFMD | Phytotherapy | Salgae tataricae cornu, Fritillaria usuriensis maxim, Rheum Officiale Baill, Scutellaria Baicalensis Georgi, Sulfate minerals gypsum, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Luo H et al., 2022 [36] | China | Upper-middle income | RCT | 138 | 2–14 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Bambusae textilis McClure, Crocus sativus, Bovis calculus artifactus, Bergeniae rhizome, Aconitum tanguticum, Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizome, Radix solms-laubachiae, Lagotis brevituba maxim and Santali albi lignum | Treatment vs. standard therapy |
| Malapane E et al., 2014 [37] | South Africa | Upper-middle income | RCT | 30 | 6–12 years | URTI | Homeopathy | Atropa belladonna, Calcarea Phosphoricum, Hepar Sulphuris, Kalium Bichromat, Mercurius protoiodid, and Mercurius biniodid Kalium muriaticum | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Matthys H et al., 2007 [49] | Germany | High income | Observational study | 2099 | Children and adults aged 0–93 years | Bronchitis | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | |
| Nishimura T et al., 2022 [22] | Japan | High income | RCT | 161 | 1–5 years | URTI | Bee products | Acacia honey | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Patiroglu T et al., 2012 [38] | Turkey | Upper-middle income | RCT | 28 | 1–5 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Pedrero-Escalas MF, 2016 [23] | Spain | High income | RCT | 96 | 2 months–12 years | Otitis media | Homeopathy | Agraphis nutans, Thuya occidentalis, Kalium muriaticum and Arsenicum Iodatum | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Peixoto Dm et al., 2016 [39] | Brazil | Upper-middle income | RCT | 60 | 2–15 years | URTI | Phytotherapy and bee products | Bromelin + honey | Treatment (bromelin + honey vs. placebo (honey) |
| Popovych V et al., 2019 [40] | Ukraine | Upper-middle income | RCT | 238 | 6–18 years | URTI | Homeopathy | BNO 1030 extract | Treatment + standard therapy vs. standard therapy |
| Popovych V et al., 2020 [41] | Ukraine | Upper-middle income | RCT | 292 | 6–11 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Gentian root, Vervain herb, Sambuci flox, Rumex herba, primrose flowers | Treatment + standard therapy vs. standard therapy |
| Sarrell EM et al., 2003 [24] | Israel | High income | RCT | 171 | 5–18 years | Otitis media | Homeopathy | Allium sativum, verbascum thapsus, calendula flores, hypercium perfoliatum, lavender, vitamin E | Treatment or treatment + topical anesthetic drops or treatment + antibiotic, or antibiotic + anesthetic drops. |
| Seçilmiş Y et al., 2020 [25] | Canada | High income | RCT | 104 | 5–12 years | URTI | Bee products | Honey, royal jelly, propolis | Bacterial infection: treatment + antibiotic vs. antibiotics Viral infection: Treatment vs. placebo |
| Shadkam MN et al., 2010 [42] | Iran | Upper-middle income | RCT | 139 | 2–5 years | URTI | Bee products | Honey | Treatment or standard therapy A or standard therapy B or control group |
| Sinha MN et al., 2012 [46] | India | Lower-middle income | RCT | 81 | 2–6 years | Otitis media | Homeopathy | Belladonna, Hepar sulphuris, Calcarea carbonica, Chamomilla, Mercurius solubilis | Treatment vs. standard therapy |
| Spasov AA et al., 2004 [26] | Russia | High income | RCT | 133 | 4–11 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Kan Jang or Echinacea purpurea | Treatment A + standard therapy or treatment B + standard therapy or standard therapy |
| Taylor JA et al., 2003 [27] | United States | High income | RCT | 524 | 2–11 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Echinacea purpurea | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Taylor J et al., 2011 [28] | United States | High income | RCT | 120 | 6 months–11 years | Otitis media | Homeopathy | Pulsatilla, Chamomilla, Belladonna, lycopodium | Treatment + standard therapy or standard therapy |
| Timen G et al., 2015 [43] | Ukraine | Upper-middle income | RCT | 78 | 6–10 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Pelargonium sidoides | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Torbicka E et al., 1998 [29] | Poland | High income | RCT | 128 | Infants | URTI | Homeopathy | Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, sulfur | Treatment + standard therapy vs. standard therapy |
| Van Haselen R et al., 2016 [44] | Ukraine and Germany | Upper-middle income and high income | RCT | 261 | 1–11 years | URTI | Homeopathy | Aconitum, Bryonia, Eupatorium Perfolatum, Gelsemium, Ipecuanha, Phosphorus | Treatment + standard therapy vs. standard therapy |
| Voss HW et al., 2018 [45] | Ukraine | Upper-middle income | RCT | 180 | 7 months–12 years | URTI | Homeopathy | Drosera, Coccus cacti, Cuprum Sulfuricum, Ipecacuanha | Treatment vs. placebo |
| Waris A et al., 2014 [47] | Kenya | Lower-middle income | RCT | 133 | 1–12 years | URTI | Bee products | Honey | Treatment vs. standard therapy vs. placebo |
| Weishaupt R et al., 2020 [30] | Switzerland | High income | RCT | 79 | 4–12 years | URTI | Phytotherapy | Exctract of Echinacea purpurea | 5 tablets of treatment or 3 tablets of treatment |
| Current Areas of Clinical Research | Possible Future Studies |
|---|---|
| Use of homeopathic remedies in pediatric respiratory infections by high quality studies | Testing homeopathic treatments in acute respiratory infections like flu, bronchitis, and otitis media in children using well powered blinded RCT placebo vs. interventions and employing validated scores for outcomes assessment |
| Use of phytotherapeutic agents (e.g., Pelargonium sidoides) in school-age children | Testing phytotherapeutics in infants and neonates under 1 year of age |
| Isolated testing of phytotherapeutic treatments or phytotherapeutics and other approaches | Studying combined use of more phytotherapeutics or phytotherapeutics with other potentially synergic compounds (e.g., probiotics) |
| Single-agent studies of Pelargonium sidoides or honey | Evaluating synergic combinations such as Pelargonium sidoides + honey or Pelargonium sidoides + probiotics |
| Effectiveness and safety pf phytotherapeutic agents in young children | Testing phytotherapeutic in infants and children <1 year of age |
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Share and Cite
Bertoni, C.; Alberti, I.; Parri, N.; Agostoni, C.V.; Bettocchi, S.; Zampogna, S.; Milani, G.P. Phytotherapeutic, Homeopathic Interventions and Bee Products for Pediatric Infections: A Scoping Review. Nutrients 2025, 17, 3137. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193137
Bertoni C, Alberti I, Parri N, Agostoni CV, Bettocchi S, Zampogna S, Milani GP. Phytotherapeutic, Homeopathic Interventions and Bee Products for Pediatric Infections: A Scoping Review. Nutrients. 2025; 17(19):3137. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193137
Chicago/Turabian StyleBertoni, Camilla, Ilaria Alberti, Niccolò Parri, Carlo Virginio Agostoni, Silvia Bettocchi, Stefania Zampogna, and Gregorio Paolo Milani. 2025. "Phytotherapeutic, Homeopathic Interventions and Bee Products for Pediatric Infections: A Scoping Review" Nutrients 17, no. 19: 3137. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193137
APA StyleBertoni, C., Alberti, I., Parri, N., Agostoni, C. V., Bettocchi, S., Zampogna, S., & Milani, G. P. (2025). Phytotherapeutic, Homeopathic Interventions and Bee Products for Pediatric Infections: A Scoping Review. Nutrients, 17(19), 3137. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193137

