The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of the Topical Application of Human Milk in Dermal and Optical Diseases

Abstract

Background and Objective. The topical human milk (THM) is one of the traditional remedies for various cases of injuries, ulcers, and infections for decades. No study was found reporting the adverse effects of human milk. The current study reviews the anti-inflammatory properties of human milk when topically applied to dermal and optical diseases. Methods. The various datasets including Ovid, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Magiran, Irandoc, SID, and IranMedex were searched from 1990 to 2018. From the 119 reviewed articles, 20 articles were selected to be included in the current article. Results. There is a consensus among the literature and ancient texts regarding the effectiveness of THM in curing the various types of skin damages, such as cord separation, atopic dermatitis, diaper dermatitis, conjunctivitis, scratches, insect bite, perineal ulcer, and nipple ulcer. However, the importance of its application has not been given much attention. Conclusion. According to the information obtained from the articles reviewed, the THM appears to be an effective, safe, and available treatment compared to conventional chemical treatments. This study suggests THM as an alternative remedy to minimize the frequent use of chemical-based treatments. More research may be beneficial to reach certainty in terms of curative properties of THM in similar or different injuries in different populations.