TITLE:
Importance of Lactic Acid in Maintaining Vaginal Health: A Review of Vaginitis and Vaginosis Etiopathogenic Bases and a Proposal for a New Treatment
AUTHORS:
Javier Haya, Africa García, Carlos López-Manzanara, Maher Balawi, Lara Haya
KEYWORDS:
Vaginal Health, Vaginitis, Vaginosis, Lactic Acid
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.4 No.13,
September
24,
2014
ABSTRACT: The most frequent cause of
visits to the gynecologist in the western world is vaginal discomfort
(vaginitis and vaginosis) whose origin lies in the uncontrolled proliferation
of bacteria, such as haemophilus vaginalis or Candida-type fungi, normally
considered as saprophytes. Such uncontrolled development of saprophytes is
caused by some types of aggression againstDoderlein bacilli and/or by a significant decrease in
the amount of lactic acid (use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, douches with
aggressive products, etc.). Consequently, as the vagina creates a progressively
alkalinized and increasingly inadequate environment for the lactobacilli
activity, a more favorable environment for the growth of saprophytes is
created. The more alkaline the medium becomes, the lower the production of
lactic acid. Therefore a vicious circle is created, resulting in the bacillus
acidophilus near the lack of metabolism and the disappearance of lactic acid,
hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins. All of the above make it possible for
saprophytic bacteria to proliferate and become pathogenic. So far, all
vaginitis and vaginosis treatments have solely been focused on attacking the
disproportionately developed bacteria but have not addressed the restoration of
a vaginal acidic environment, i.e.
the environment allowing the proliferation of lactic acid-producing bacillus
acidophilus. This explains the high rate of relapse occurring after the
treatment of these vaginal profiles. In this paper we propose a new treatment
focused on the use of lactic acid to prevent recurrence after a vaginitis or
vaginosis treatment.