Boric acid suppositories to treat vaginitis

A study conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi found that boric acid vaginal suppositories were more effective than oral fluconazole (Diflucan) to treat diabetic women with vulvovaginal candidiasis (a yeast infection) cause by the fungus, Candida glabrata.

64% of patients treated with boric acid were cured compared to 29% of women treated with fluconazole.

Fluconazole has low activity against C. glabrata, so this finding is not surprising.

However, these results support an earlier review of 141 women with positive vaginal cultures of C. glabrata. Dr. Jack Sobel from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit reported that the boric acid regimen (600 mg daily for 2 to 3 weeks) cured the infection in 64% of women with symptoms in Detroit, Michigan and 71% of women at Ben Gurion University in Israel.

There was no advantage in extending therapy to 21 days.

In the same report, flucytosine cream (Ancobon) administered vaginally nightly for 14 days was associated with a successful outcome in 90% of women who failed to respond to boric acid therapy.

Both studies concluded that topical boric acid should be considered for women with C. glabrata vaginitis.

C. glabrata requires higher concentrations of boric acid for inhibition than does C. albicans, the most common cause of vaginal yeast infections.

3/2/07 10:32 JR