Babak Daneshfard - ​Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.|Essence of Parsiyan Wisdom Institute, Phytopharmaceutical Technology and Traditional Medicine Incubator, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mahdi Shahriari - Hematology Research Center, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Alireza Heiran - Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Majid Nimrouzi - Department of Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Objective: Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is one of the main side effects of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment. In this trial, we evaluated the efficacy of chamomile in management of neutropenia.   Materials and Methods: This randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in 2-18-year-old children with ALL. Participants in each group daily received 2.5 ml of either chamomile syrup or placebo syrup for a period of 30 days. Participants’ white blood cell (WBC), and absolute neutrophil count (ANC), as well as their quality of life were evaluated.  Results: The study was completed with a total of 40 patients.  An increasing trend of ANC was observed in the treatment group despite the decreasing trend in placebo group, which was statistically significant between the two groups (P Interaction=0.019, 95% confidence intervals=15.076–171.324). No serious side effects were reported. Conclusion: Using chamomile syrup as a complementary therapy in children with leukemia could improve their immunity (as it increased WBC) by minimizing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Chamomile, chemotherapy, Leukemia, Matricaria chamomilla, Neutropenia, Persian Medicine