# Effect of Cymbopogon olivieri-based herbal vaginal product on bacterial vaginosis

## TL;DR

This study shows that a herbal product made from Cymbopogon olivieri is as effective as metronidazole in treating bacterial vaginosis.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that Cymbopogon olivieri is a viable herbal alternative to metronidazole for treating bacterial vaginosis.

## Key findings

- Cymbopogon olivieri and metronidazole both significantly reduced symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (p<0.05).
- Neither treatment was statistically different from the other in terms of Amsel's criteria improvement.
- Cymbopogon olivieri is a suitable alternative for treating bacterial vaginosis.

## Abstract

Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in reproductive-age women. If it is not treated, the quality of life will be reduced. In this study, the herbal medicine product Cymbopogon olivieri was used for its treatment.

This study was conducted with 90 women. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of 45: Cymbopogon olivieri and metronidazole. The treatment period was 7 days for each group. Improvement status was determined by eliminating at least three out of four of Amsel's criteria. A new variable with two order levels (negative and positive) was constructed. This new variable shows the status of the treatment process. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine the relationship between the new variable and treatment status.

The results demonstrate that Cymbopogon olivieri and metronidazole significantly reduced the burning, itching, malodor, abnormal vaginal discharge, pH, clue cell, and positive whiff test (p<0.05). The findings also demonstrate that neither treatment was statistically different from the other for at least three of Amsel's criteria.

This study shows that the effect of Cymbopogon olivieri on bacterial vaginosis is similar to that of metronidazole. Hence, Cymbopogon olivieri is a suitable option to treat bacterial vaginosis.