phytotherapy in treating children’s common cold

Objective: children are frequently afflicted with common colds due to the wide range of circulating cold viruses and their developing immune systems. given their susceptibility to such illnesses, there is a growing interest in exploring natural alternatives to conventional drug therapy. traditional medicine offers a rich tradition of utilizing herbal remedies for the treatment of colds. this review aims to identify and evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicines for treating colds in children. methods: this systematic review employed a comprehensive search strategy to identify relevant literature on the use of herbal medicines for treating common colds in children. authoritative scientific databases, including google scholar, sid, magiran, and scopus, were systematically searched using the following keywords: 'common cold,' 'children,' 'traditional medicine,' 'herbal medicine,' and 'treatment.' irrelevant articles were excluded from the review process. results: the review identified a range of herbal medicines traditionally employed for the treatment of common colds in children. these include tilia cordata (linden), glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), sambucus nigra (elderberry), melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil), hyssopus officinalis (hyssop), inula helenium (elecampane), plantago lanceolata (plantain), althea officinalis (marshmallow), eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus), citrus limonum (lemon), and allium sativum (garlic), among others. conclusion: several medicinal plants possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties that may be beneficial for children. the plants identified in this review, owing to their antimicrobial and antiviral activities, hold potential for alleviating the symptoms of common colds in pediatric populations.