Tehran University of Medical Sciences Traditional and Integrative Medicine 2476-5104 11 2 2026 06 28 1951 1951 EN Dimas Setyadi Putra Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia AND Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Care Innovation, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia Bachren Azra Saputra Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia Deksa Aldebaran Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Agricultural Product Technology Study Program, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia Syntiya Inanda Khoidir Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Agricultural Product Technology Study Program, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia 2025 01 16 2025 05 20 Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a significant global health issue, ranking as the seventh most common cancer worldwide in 2020. Standard treatments like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy often lead to adverse effects such as oral mucositis (OM) and gastrointestinal complications, which negatively impact patients' quality of life (QoL). The use of herbal medicine has emerged as a complementary approach to mitigate these side effects. This review aims to explore and assess the overview and outcomes of herbal medicine use in HNC patients through a review of randomized controlled trial (RCTs) studies. Articles were searched until to October 19, 2024, using two databases: PubMed and The Cochrane Library with the keywords and combinations of ‘AND’ and ‘OR’ to search for relevant studies. Out of 1,312 articles identified, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies were conducted in diverse regions, including Iran, Japan, Taiwan, India, China, Germany, and Brazil, with sample sizes ranging from 20 to 74 participants. Herbal medicine showed potential benefits in managing OM, improving gastrointestinal motility, and alleviating xerostomia. Herbal medicines demonstrate promising efficacy and safety profiles in managing HNC-related complications, such as OM, gastrointestinal issues, and QoL. These findings suggest the potential integration of herbal medicine into HNC management as an innovative and supportive care strategy. https://jtim.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jtim/article/view/1951