Comparison between the Efficacy of Nigella sativa-Honey and Clotrimazole on Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background and Objective. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most troublesome opportunistic infections in women. In recent years, its prevalence has increased significantly because different types of Candida yeast are resistant to common antifungal medications, supplements, and herbs have become common. This research aimed to compare the effects of N. sativa-honey vaginal cream and 1% clotrimazole on VVC. Materials and Methods. This triple-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted on eighty-four 18 to 49-year-old nonpregnant women from August 2019 to February 2020. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups after confirming the diagnosis of VVC infection through fungal culture. Clinical signs and symptoms and lab tests were recorded at baseline and 6–10 days after treatment. The treatment time for each group was seven nights. Results. There were no significant differences in clinical and laboratory evaluations between the two groups at the beginning of the study (P > 0.05). After treatment, secretion, redness, itching, and fungal culture improved in the two groups (P < 0.001), while pruritus (p = 0.013) and secretion (p = 0.025) in the control group significantly improved. In this trial, no patients showed drug-specific side effects. Conclusion. The results of this study show that the N. sativa-honey significantly improves the symptoms of VVC; thus, the application of N. sativa-honey can be considered as a complementary therapy in the treatment of VVC. This trial is registered with IRCT20190711044176N1.