Curcumin temperature-sensitive in situ hydrogels for treatment of vaginal candidiasis / 国际药学研究杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of curcumin in situ hydrogels for treatment of vaginal candidiasis. Methods In situ hydrogels were prepared using poloxamer 407 and 188 as the gel matrix.Gelation temperature,gelation time and rheological characteristics were determined.Mice models with vaginal candidiasis were established.The animals were divided into six groupsthe healthy mice group,the model group,the positive control group(ketoconazole cream),curcumin-loaded in situ hydrogels of 0.025,0.10 and 0.20 g/ml.Before treatment and after the fourth and eighth treatments,the vaginal smears were collected and Gram-stained.The vagina washings fluid of mice were collected to determine DNA of Lactobacillus.On 8thday,the mice were sacrificed and the vaginal tissues were excised for pathological detection.Results The gelation temperature and time of in situ hydrogels were 29℃and 2′30″,respectively.Rheological profiles demonstrated that it showed good retention effect in vivo.Compared with the model group, curcumin hydrogels of 0.025,0.10 and 0.20 g/ml could inhibit the growth of Candida albicans,inhibit vaginal mucosal edema,inflam?matory hyperplasia,and decrease the expression of inflammatory factors including TNF-α(P<0.01)and IL-1β(P<0.01).Howev?er,curcumin hydrogels could not influence the growth of lactobacillus in the vagina.It indicated that curcumin hydrogels did not de?pend on lactobacillus to treat fungal vaginitis.Conclusion Curcumin in situ hydrogels could inhibit candidiasis growth,decrease ede?ma of vaginal mucosa and inflammatory hyperplasia,and reduce the expression of inflammatory factors.It provides a novel choice for the treatment of clinical vaginal candidiasis.