Abstract
: To investigate the available evidence on the efficacy of lycopene in the management of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs).
: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and ProQuest databases were searched up to 20 April 2022. All clinical trials that assessed the efficacy of lycopene (I) on the signs/symptoms (O) of patients with OPMDs (P) in comparison to either active control or placebo (C) were included. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan software.
: A total of 27 clinical trials (20 on oral submucosa fibrosis [OSF], five on oral lichen planus [OLP], and two on leukoplakia) were included. Overall, lycopene was efficacious in reducing signs and symptoms of OSF, OLP, and leukoplakia. The pooled data revealed comparable efficacy of lycopene and prednisolone in reducing pain and promoting clinical resolution of OLP. Additionally, the pooled data reported comparable efficacy of lycopene and conventional controls in improving the mouth opening and tongue protrusion in OSF patients.
: The results reveal promising effects of lycopene in alleviating signs and symptoms of OSF, OLP, and leukoplakia. However, owing to the observed heterogeneity and short follow-up periods, further well-designed studies with long-term therapy and follow-up are highly recommended.