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. 2017 Mar 16;17(1):21.
doi: 10.1186/s12905-017-0374-2.

Beneficial effects of a Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel on cervical epithelization, vaginal microbiota and vaginal health: a pilot study in asymptomatic women

Santiago Palacios  1 , Fernando Losa  2 , Damián Dexeus  3 , Javier Cortés  4
Affiliations

Beneficial effects of a Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel on cervical epithelization, vaginal microbiota and vaginal health: a pilot study in asymptomatic women

Santiago Palacios et al. BMC Womens Health. .

Abstract

Background: To assess the effect of a 12-day treatment using a vaginal gel based on niosomes containing hyaluronic acid, ß-glucan, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, Coriolus versicolor, Asian centella, Azadirachta indica and Aloe vera on vaginal microbiota, cervical epithelization and vaginal health.

Methods: Open-label, prospective pilot study conducted in asymptomatic women in daily practice. Cervical epithelization was evaluated by colposcopy using an ectopy epithelization score (from 5: no ectopy to 1: severe ectopy and bleeding), vaginal microbiota using the VaginaStatus-Diagnostic test (Instiüt für Mikroökologie, Herborn, Germany) and further rated by the investigator using a 5-point Liker scale (from 5: normal to 1: very severe deterioration in which all evaluated species were altered), and vaginal health using the Vaginal Health Index.

Results: In 21 women, a positive effect to improve epithelization of the cervical mucosa, with a mean score of 4.42 at the final visit as compared to 3.09 at baseline (P < 0.0001) (43% improvement). In 10 women, there was a trend of improving of vaginal microbiota status, with a mean score of 4.0 at the final visit vs. 3.3 at baseline (P = NS) (21.2% improvement). In 11 women, the Vaginal Health Index increased from 19.0 at baseline to 22.3 at the final visit (P = 0.007). The concentration of Lactobacillus spp. increased 54.5% of women and pH decreased from 4.32 to 4.09.

Conclusions: These encouraging preliminary results provide the basis for designing a randomized controlled study, and for potential use in human papilloma virus infection.

Trial registration: ISRCTN77955077 . Registration date: February 15, 2017. Retrospectively registered.

Keywords: Cervical epithelization; Coriolus versicolor; Niosomes; Vaginal gel; Vaginal health; Vaginal microbiota.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Changes in the study parameters before and after 12-day treatment with a Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Colposcopic images of three patients before and after applying test product
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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