Anticandidal activity of plants used for the treatment of vaginitis in Guatemala and clinical trial of a Solanum nigrescens preparation.

An ethnobotanical survey detected 71 plants used for the treatment of vaginitis by traditional healers, health promoters and midwives. Extracts prepared by maceration of plants in 50% methanol were impregnated on absorbent paper disks and placed over plates with Candida albicans. Eight (11.3%) of these plants showed some degree of inhibition. Solanum nigrescens was chosen for further studies. A cream containing a 50% ethanolic maceration was applied daily to the vagina of female guinea pigs for 15 days and observed for another 15 days. Since no inflammatory changes were observed, this preparation was used for clinical trials. Two groups of 50 non-pregnant women with confirmed C. albicans vaginitis were treated for 15 days, one group with intra-vaginal suppositories containing S. nigrescens maceration and the other with nystatin suppositories. By statistical analysis it was demonstrated that both groups behaved in a similar beneficial way suggesting that this plant may be effective for the treatment of candidal vaginitis.