Candida vulvovaginitis treatment: A comparative clinical trial of clotrimazole and prangos ferulacea (Jashir) vaginal creams.

OBJECTIVES

This investigation was conducted to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effectiveness of Prangos ferulacea vaginal cream with clotrimazole vaginal cream in improving clinical manifestations and laboratory outcomes of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

METHODS

The research was conducted as a triple-blind randomized clinical trial involving 111 participants, who were subsequently assigned to intervention and control groups. Individuals in the control group received Clotrimazole vaginal cream, administered intravaginally at a dose of 5 g per night for one week using an applicator. The intervention arm implemented an equivalent application protocol, with the difference that the formulation consisted of Prangos ferulacea (Jashir) vaginal cream. Clinical symptoms-including itching, burning and discharge-were evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline and following the intervention. Additionally, culture of vaginal secretions was performed to assess microbiological outcomes. All data processing and statistical evaluations were conducted in SPSS, adopting p < 0.05 as the criterion for statistical significance.

RESULTS

Both groups demonstrated a significant reduction in clinical symptoms following the intervention (p < 0.05). The percentage of women with negative cultures increased to 89.1% in the clotrimazole group and 78.6% in the Prangos ferulacea group, as the difference between groups did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.13). The reduction in itching, burning, and discharge was notable in both groups, indicating effective symptom control (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Prangos ferulacea vaginal cream demonstrated comparable efficacy to clotrimazole in relieving the symptoms and reducing the microbial burden of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Given its herbal origin and antifungal potential, Prangos ferulacea may serve as a natural and well-tolerated alternative or complementary therapy.