HERBAL MEDICINES AGAINST BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

MONA NAJAF NAJAFI 1#, RAMIN REZAEE 1,6#, NESHAT NAJAF NAJAFI 2, FIROOZEH MIRZAEE 3, TATYANA I. BURYKINA 4, DUMITRU LUPULIASA 5, ANDREEA LETIŢIA ARSENE 6, MASUMEH GHAZANFARPOUR 3*

1Clinical Research Unit, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2Students Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
3Nursing Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
4Department of Analytical and Forensic Medical Toxicology, Sechenov University, 119048, Moscow, Russian Federation
5Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
6Department of General and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
6Neurogenic Inflammation Research Centre, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

*corresponding author: Masoumeh.Ghazanfarpour@yahoo.com
#Authors with equal contribution

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Abstract:
The aim of this systematic review was to present the effect of herbal medicines on both clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of bacterial vaginosis in the reproductive age. Four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were systematically searched for articles that evaluated the effect of herbal medicines on bacterial vaginosis and were published until July 31, 2019. Zataria multiflora was found to be as effective as oral or vaginal metronidazole in improvement of both clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters. However, it caused vaginal irritation and burning. The effect of garlic tablet was reported to be more marked than oral metronidazole in alleviating the clinical symptoms and comparable to that of oral metronidazole in improving laboratory findings. The effect of Nigella sativa was similar to metronidazole in treating both clinical symptoms and laboratory findings. Hypericum perforatum vaginal gel 3% has proved to be as effective as metronidazole vaginal gel 0.75% in preventing bacterial vaginosis. Cure rate (recovery) in Myrtus communis L. plus metronidazole or Berberis vulgaris plus metronidazole was higher than that of metronidazole alone. Treatment with Hypercum perforatum for a week was very well tolerated, and caused no side effect. Herbal medicines including H. perforatum, Z. multiflora, B. vulgaris and Allium sativum was found to be as effective as metronidazole with a fewer side effect. Hence, they might be considered potential candidates to combat vaginosis.

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