World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Mariappan et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
SJIF Impact Factor 6.805
Volume 5, Issue 8, 1106-1109. Research Article ISSN 2277– 7105
ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF FEMININE HYGIENE WASH
AGAINST CANDIDA ALBICANS
Prabha Manju Mariappan1*, Anoop Austin1 and D. K. Sreenivasa Prabhu1
Research and Development Centre, Cholayil Private Limited, Chennai-98.
ABSTRACT
Article Received on
06 June 2016, Recent FMCG market focuses on new category products which is
Revised on 27 June 2016, beneficial to the customer in terms of hygiene. One such product is
Accepted on 17 July 2016
DOI: 10.20959/wjpr20168-6784 Feminine intimate hygiene wash. This product gives protection against
pathogens in the vaginal area which causes infection and malodor. To
evaluate in vitro, efficacy of a Feminine hygiene wash formulation
*Corresponding Author
Prabha Manju Mariappan compared with benchmark brands against Candida albicans, the
Research and normal flora turned into opportunistic pathogens. The in-house product
Development Centre, with market samples viz., V-wash and Fair beat were tested for its
Cholayil Private Limited,
efficacy against the test organisms. The in-house formulation was
Chennai-98.
effective against C. albicans inhibiting at 2 mg/ml, showing ZOI of 12
mm dia. Study reveals that the in-house formulation was effective against the organism C.
albicans.
KEYWORDS: Feminine Intimate hygiene wash, Candida albicans, Antimicrobial product,
Antifungal activity.
KEYMESSAGES: Ayurvedic products are safer choice.
INTRODUCTION
Vaginal ecosystem is an ecological niche in which microorganisms, physical characteristics
(pH, mucus viscosity, etc) and biochemical processes are in balance. The vaginal
environment often contains microorganisms that become pathogens only due to changes in
the ecosystem favoured by the anatomical proximity to the rectum and bladder, organs that
can contaminate the vaginal habitat. Among these, the most represented germs are Candida,
Mycoplasma and Gardnerella vaginalis.
www.wjpr.net Vol 5, Issue 8, 2016. 1106
Mariappan et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Natural protection of the vagina is known to be provided by Lactobacilli.
Lactobacilli produce lactic acid from glycogen in the vaginal wall and create an acidic
medium with a pH of about 3.8. Shifts towards the neutral state inevitably lead to the
colonization of facultative pathogenic agents, which latter axe almost always present in the
vagina.[1]
In addition to the natural deterioration caused by ageing of the genital organs and by various
gynaecological diseases, a number of modern products, for instance antibiotics,
chemotherapeutics, hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, disinfectants, traditional
soaps and shampoos, and the water of swimming pools with basic pH values have side effects
that decrease the efficiency of the vaginal protective mechanism. Due to the combined effect
of the above mentioned factors, about a half of all patients consult gynaecologists because of
vaginitis, or get hospitalized because of the consequences thereof. [2]
Maintaining a healthy vaginal ecosystem and recovering it from mild/moderate
inflammatory/ infectious conditions, concomitantly, if needed, with a pharmacological
therapy, can prevent the complications of bacterial vaginosis that even it is not a life
threatening disease, is recognized as a contributory cause of premature membrane rupture,
premature birth and low birth weight. [3] The feminine hygiene wash market is now growing
well for women's care. Hence we have initiated a study to evaluate in-house made Feminine
hygiene wash and the same compared with market available brands viz., V-Wash and Fair
Beat. Citrus aurantifolia juice, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil, Azadirachta indica leaf
extract, Salvia officinalis oil, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice powder, Thymus zygis oil, Vetiveria
zizanoides root oil were the ayurvedic ingredients used in the formulation.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Test organism
Candida albicans MTCC 3017 was procured from IMTECH, Chandigarh. Cultures were then
subcultured and maintained Sabouraud's dextrose broth (Himedia).
Inoculum preparation
Inoculum of Candida albicans MTCC 3017 was prepared by inoculating in five ml of
Sabouraud dextrose broth (Himedia, Mumbai, India). The inoculum size was adjusted to 0.5
MacFarland standard measuring 108 cfu/ml.
www.wjpr.net Vol 5, Issue 8, 2016. 1107
Mariappan et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) Test
MIC was determined by incorporating various concentrations (5-100 mg) of the formulation
and market samples in ten ml of SDA. The medium with formulation was mixed thoroughly
and was allowed to solidify at room temperature. 100 μl of the inoculum was inoculated on
each plate. The plates were incubated for 5 days at 28 ºC for C. albicans. Negative control
with solvents (Sterile distilled water) was maintained. The platings were done in triplicates
and the mean values were taken.[4]
Agar well diffusion method
SDA plate was inoculated with C. albicans culture by spreading on the surface of the media.
A well was made in the center of the medium and from the formulation stock (100 milli gram
dissolved in one ml of sterile distilled water) 100 µl was loaded in the well. Comparison of
formulation was made with market available sample, V-Wash and Fair Beat. Ketoconazole
(10 μg) (Himedia) was maintained as positive control. The plates were incubated at 28 ºC for
5 days. The antibacterial activity was assessed by measuring the diameter of the zone of
inhibition (in mm), and the platings were done in triplicates. Their mean values with standard
deviation was taken.[4]
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The Intimate hygiene wash developed was showing inhibition against C. albicans at 2 mg/ml.
The ZOI was 12 mm dia. The Market sample V-Wash was showing MIC of 10 mg/ml and
ZOI of 5 mm dia. Fairbeat was showing MIC of 4-5 mg/ml and ZOI was with 8 mm dia
against C. albicans. The results were tabulated in Table 1. Ketoconazole was showing 35±4
mm diameter against C. albicans.
Salvia officinalis extract containing active principles such as salviol, pricosalvin and pinene,
responsible for the antibacterial. Antimycotic, antioxidant and antiviral activities. Thymus
extract contains thymol and carvacrol, active phenolic derivatives endowed with a marked
and selective antibacterial, antimycotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.[5]
Thymol, a monoterpene affects the envelop of Candida and induces morpho-structural
damages.[6]
The acid pH of feminine hygiene wash product is always favourable in preventing or treating
infections, even in mycoses as acid pH counteracts the very frequent bacterial
superinfections.[3]
www.wjpr.net Vol 5, Issue 8, 2016. 1108
Mariappan et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Table 1: Minimum inhibitory concentration and Zone of inhibition values for Feminine
intimate hygiene wash againt Candida albicans.
S.No Product Name MIC values ZOI (dia)
1 In-house product base 2-4 mg/ml 10 mm
2 In-house product with lactic acid 2-4 mg/ml 11 mm
3 In-house product with actives 1-2 mg/ml 12 mm
4 V-Wash 10 mg/ml 5 mm
5 Fair Beat 4-5 mg/ml 8 mm
CONCLUSION: The hygiene wash formulation was effective against C. albicans.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors thank wholeheartedly Mr Pradeep Cholayil and Mrs Jayadevi Pradeep, Directors,
Cholayil Private Limited, Chennai, India for their support in carrying out the research.
REFERENCES
1. Guaschino S, Benvenuti C. SOPHY study group. SOPHY Project: an observational study
of vaginal pH and lifestyle in women of different ages and in different physiopathological
conditions. Minerva Ginecol., 2008; 60: 105-114.
2. Balazs Dolhay. Canadian Patent, CA 2521855A1, 2004.
3. Guerra B. Infante F. Vaginites et vaginoses. 2006. Milan:Johan & Levl.
4. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Performance standards for Antimicrobial
susceptibility testing: Seventeenth informational supplement. CLSI document M100-S17
(ISBN 1-56238-625-5) - 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1400, Wayne, Pennsylvania.
19087-1898 USA: Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute., 2007.
5. Leo VD, Benvenuti C. Pharmacological, Microbiological and Clinical Activity of
Feminine Intimate cleansers based on plant extracts active principles (Saugella Line). J
Women's Health care., 2015; 4: 244. doi:10.4172/2167-0420.1000244.
6. Braga PC, Alfierl M, Culici M, Dal Sasso M. Inhibitory activity of thymol against the
formation and viability of Candida albicans hyphae. Mycoses., 2007; 50: 502-506.
www.wjpr.net Vol 5, Issue 8, 2016. 1109
