A study of vaginal microbiota in post-menopause women using isoflavone vaginal cream

• Grant number: 11/13877-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2012
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Sonia Maria Rolim Rosa Lima
• Grantee: João Duvilio de Biazi Andreotti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP). Fundação Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Post-menopause is critical to many women, especially in large part to urogenital symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, vaginal discharge, and dyspareunia, among others. Resident bacteria of the urogenital tract epithelium obtain local glycogen used in forming their nutrition through the production of lactic acid, a protective factor against pathological bacterial proliferation. The concentration of glycogen available for this microbiota depends on the development of the urogenital epithelium, defined by the presence of estrogen hormones, among other factors. Thus, the menopausal hypoestrogenism characteristic allows the development of pathological microflora. The analysis, therefore, of the vaginal microbiota is a tool for understanding the health condition of the urogenital tract. There are attempts to the unsatisfactory improvement of urogenital health with hormone therapy and oral therapy of phytoestrogens (estrogen mimics), however, these behaviors are related, respectively, the presence of severe adverse reactions and therapeutic results were not confirmed. On the other hand, the vaginal application of phytoestrogens appears to be satisfactory for the possibility of local action with little interaction and systemic pharmacodynamics typical of phyto. Therefore, the study of vaginal flora in women post-menopause, with the use of phytoestrogens vaginally, is an important step in understanding and developing new drugs and improved quality of life. (AU)