A Promising New Therapeutic Modality in the Treatment of Recurrent Vulvovaginitis: Ozone therapy

Abstract

diagnosed in the primary health care. It affects 75% of the women once in their life and 40% of them face with recurrent episodes. The term of recurrent vulvo-vaginitis is considered when the disease repeats four or more times per year. The disease is not easily resolved due to the traditional self-treatment modalities and the most important reason is the extensive abuse of antibiotics, fungicides, and vaginal antiseptics. These factors complicate the disease, rises the antibiotic resistance, and worsen the wonderful complex microecological system of the vagina (1). In healthy women, the vaginal microbiota is dominated by H2O2-producing Lactobacillus which maintains the normal acidic environment of the vagina (2). Any change in this microecological system will cause a variety of vaginal infections. The general conventional treatment with antibiotics also destroys this beneficial bacterial flora leading to a more chronic and complex disease. It is necessary to search new treatment modalities that will effectively solve the problem while protecting the balance and function of the vaginal microecological system (3). Ozone is a trioxygen (O3), highly reactive inorganic gaseous molecule which is known as the third strongest oxidant molecule in the world. Ozone is a natural part of the atmosphere produced by ultraviolet light and a high-pressure diatomic oxygen in the stratosphere layer. It was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century, however its usage as a medical drug is in recent decades (4). It is known as a strong disinfectant with perfect antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-parasitic properties. With a stronger oxidant effect, ozone is an important microorganism killer while protecting beneficial microorganisms and healthy tissue (5). It has been shown that the dominance of lactobacillus come back, and normal vaginal environment is rebuilt after vaginal ozone treatment in the vulvovaginitis patients (3). Bocci, a physiologist, has studied ozone for long years and identified this new medical drug as a wonder drug of 21st century (5). Ozone has a key role in the human A Promising New Therapeutic Modality in the Treatment of Recurrent Vulvovaginitis: Ozone therapy