BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Candidiasis is the second common vaginal infection, and commonly used drugs are azoles. Over-consumption of Azol is associated with resistance to drug and treatment failure. Studies conducted in vitro confirm the antifungal effects of coconut oil. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of vaginal cream of coconut oil and clotrimazole on vaginal candidiasis infection.
METHODS: This clinical trial study was performed on 71 women with Candida infection in two groups receiving vaginal cream of coconut oil: 35(78%) and clotrimazole (36%) (1%) who were treated for 7 nights (one applicator per night). One week after the completion of the treatment, patients were re-examined. Itching, burning, pain and secretion were compared in two groups.
FINDINGS: After the mean intervention (itching in the coconut group was 0±0 and in the clotrimazole group was 19±0.46 (p=0.017), (burning in the coconut group was 0.08±0.20 and in the clotrimazole group was 57% (p=0.046), (secretion in the coconut group was 0.05±0.23 and in the clotrimazole group was 66.6 ± 0.98 (p=0.001) (pain during sex in the coconut group 23 0.05 and 0.30±0.62 in the clotrimazole group (p=0.031). However, the success of the treatment (negative culture) was not significant between the two groups (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The present study showed that vaginal cream of coconut oil and clotriamzole both improve vaginal candidiasis infection. Therefore, vaginal cream of coconut oil can be used as an alternative treatment for vaginal candidiasis
