The use of konjac glucomannan hydrolysates to recover healthy microbiota in infected vaginas treated with an antifungal agent

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate how konjac glucomannan hydrolysates (GMH) could support the healthy re-colonisation of vaginal microflora post infections. A total of 26 female patients (12 controls and 14 treatments) aged 18 to 25 suffering from vaginal infection were recruited for this study. Patients were assigned randomly into two groups to receive a standard antifungal treatment or a standard antifungal treatment plus pessary capsules containing 200 mg GMH (twice a week for thirty days). Patients were assessed on day zero, sixteen and thirty of the trial. Several parameters were determined including yeast and bacterial counts, the KOH test, pH, Gram staining and wet mount microscopic observations. The results showed that the counts of Candida were diminished completely with antifungal treatment for both groups. However, the total bacterial counts increased with time in the GMH pessary group unlike the control. The normalised average KOH scores were reduced sharply with time in both groups although in the control group scores started to increase after sixteen days. The normalised average white blood cell scores also decreased with time for both groups. Epithelial cell scores decreased only for the GMH pessary group while clue cells and yeast-like fungi decreased with time for both control and GMH pessary groups. These results indicate the improvement of vaginal health recovery (post antifungal treatment for Candida infection) and especially the presence of healthy microflora due to the introduction of GMH in the vagina. The data indicate that it would be worth examining further the health benefits of GMH in a vaginal health format with a view to employing the material as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent. It provides an alternative approach to reducing vaginal infections and promoting consumer health.