A group of researchers from the Department of Chemistry at the Federal University of São Carlos (DQ-UFSCar) has developed a new way to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis, one of the most prevalent female genital infections in existence. Caused by fungi, it causes uncomfortable symptoms such as burning, itching, swelling, redness and thick, white vaginal discharge. The disease affects three quarters of women at least at one point in their lives.
As the treatments available are not always comfortable, as they include intravaginal creams and suppositories that are difficult to apply and their effectiveness may be compromised by possible delays in the application time, the group created a biodegradable sponge made from chitosan that releases the medicine into the body slowly. This way, treatment can be more comfortable and effective.
According to the researcher from the Department of Chemistry at UFSCar (DQ-UFSCar) and first author of the study, Fiama Martins, the tests, which were carried out together with researchers from the Universities of Porto (Portugal), showed that the chitosan sponge, which It is a natural, biodegradable and porous biopolymer, capable of absorbing liquids.
“So, from the perspective of application in the vaginal canal, this sponge will be able to interact with the environment and with the vaginal fluid, absorbing this liquid and favoring the release of antifungals present in this sponge”, he explained.
The group encapsulated clotrimazole, a commercial drug widely used to treat candidiasis in the form of a gel and cream. “In our in vitro application results we obtained very positive results and there was no difference between using the pure drug and using the drug in the sponge”, said Fiama.
She reinforced that with the sponge, the medicine ends up forming a gelatinous film that adheres to the vaginal walls, remaining retained for longer and increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. “Creams normally end up descending and are removed by the force of gravity. With the sponge, the medicine stays in the vaginal canal longer,” she said.
The next step is the clinical study of this material and there is no forecast for the introduction of the product on the market, said the researcher.