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Efficacy of the Mentha crispa in the treatment of women with Trichomonas vaginalis infection

  • General Gynecology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Mentha crispa in the treatment of women with Trichomonas vaginalis infection (TVI).

Methods

This was a randomized, double-blind, and controlled clinical trial consisting of three phases, pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment. Sixty female patients were randomized to a treatment group, M. crispa (24 mg) or secnidazole (2,000 mg), both consisting of single dose.

Results

After treatment the proportion of patients without TVI in secnidazole group was 96.6% and in the M. crispa group was 90%, no difference was found between groups (P = 0.6120). We observed improvement in vaginal discharge, malodorous vaginal secretion, dyspareunia, dysuria, pelvic pain, and burning and itching in the genital area in patients of both groups of treatment, with no statistically significant differences between them (P > 0.05). Adverse effects were significantly higher (P = 0.0006) in the secnidazole group (66.6%) than in the M. crispa group (20%), that being mostly nausea and metallic taste with statistically significant differences between treatment groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study is the first to show that M. crispa is effective and safe, representing an alternative for the treatment of TVI in women.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Coronel Nunes de Melo Street, 1127, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-270, Brazil

    Maria Elisabete A. Moraes, Gilmara H. Cunha, Mirna M. Bezerra, Francisco V. Fechine, Andréa V. Pontes, Wanda S. Andrade, Fernando A. Frota Bezerra, Manoel O. Moraes & Pacífica P. Cavalcanti

Authors
  1. Maria Elisabete A. Moraes
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  2. Gilmara H. Cunha
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  3. Mirna M. Bezerra
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  4. Francisco V. Fechine
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  5. Andréa V. Pontes
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  6. Wanda S. Andrade
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  7. Fernando A. Frota Bezerra
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  8. Manoel O. Moraes
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  9. Pacífica P. Cavalcanti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Elisabete A. Moraes.

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Moraes, M.E.A., Cunha, G.H., Bezerra, M.M. et al. Efficacy of the Mentha crispa in the treatment of women with Trichomonas vaginalis infection. Arch Gynecol Obstet 286, 125–130 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2251-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2251-4

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