Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review

The recurrence and relapse of vaginal infections in women is a major issue and a challenging pathway to identify and develop new approaches to treatment. In the case of antibiotic therapy, contraceptives, and dietary changes, the recurrence of vaginitis is more common these days. Anaerobic bacteria,...

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Main Authors: Preeti Singh, Satish Sardana, Shiv Kr Yadav, Navidha Aggarwal, Hitesh Chopra, Kuldeep Dhama
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology
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Online Access:https://microbiologyjournal.org/natural-antimicrobial-monoterpenes-as-potential-therapeutic-agents-in-vaginal-infections-a-review/
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author Preeti Singh
Satish Sardana
Shiv Kr Yadav
Navidha Aggarwal
Hitesh Chopra
Kuldeep Dhama
author_facet Preeti Singh
Satish Sardana
Shiv Kr Yadav
Navidha Aggarwal
Hitesh Chopra
Kuldeep Dhama
author_sort Preeti Singh
collection DOAJ
description The recurrence and relapse of vaginal infections in women is a major issue and a challenging pathway to identify and develop new approaches to treatment. In the case of antibiotic therapy, contraceptives, and dietary changes, the recurrence of vaginitis is more common these days. Anaerobic bacteria, Candida spp., and trichomonas in the vaginal microflora cause both symptomatic and asymptomatic vaginitis, which includes vaginal inflammation. It changes the vaginal microbiota and decreases Lactobacilli spp. growth, which is maintaining the vaginal pH (3.5-4.5) through lactic acid production, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocin, and bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances. The remarkable antimicrobial activity of plant’s producing metabolites like alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and terpenoids for several vaginal infections have been reported in previous studies. Presented review focuses on the pivotal role of monoterpenes, providing a detailed description of thymol, geraniol, limonene, eugenol, eucalyptol, and α-terpineol as antimicrobial molecules in the treatment of vaginal infections. These monoterpenes are very good at killing E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans which are the main microbes that cause vaginitis. Future research could explore the latent combinations of such monoterpenes as synergistic antimicrobial agents to treat bacterial and fungal vaginal infections, trichomoniasis, among other conditions.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-cc6c210c6aa740f0a3d4dfdbc9bc0c6b2024-12-09T10:19:33ZengJournal of Pure and Applied MicrobiologyJournal of Pure and Applied Microbiology0973-75102581-690X2024-12-0118421632187https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.18.4.05Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A ReviewPreeti Singhhttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-9412-7813Satish Sardanahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0436-9716Shiv Kr Yadavhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6907-8242Navidha Aggarwalhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3696-3189Hitesh Choprahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8867-7603Kuldeep Dhamahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7469-4752The recurrence and relapse of vaginal infections in women is a major issue and a challenging pathway to identify and develop new approaches to treatment. In the case of antibiotic therapy, contraceptives, and dietary changes, the recurrence of vaginitis is more common these days. Anaerobic bacteria, Candida spp., and trichomonas in the vaginal microflora cause both symptomatic and asymptomatic vaginitis, which includes vaginal inflammation. It changes the vaginal microbiota and decreases Lactobacilli spp. growth, which is maintaining the vaginal pH (3.5-4.5) through lactic acid production, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocin, and bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances. The remarkable antimicrobial activity of plant’s producing metabolites like alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and terpenoids for several vaginal infections have been reported in previous studies. Presented review focuses on the pivotal role of monoterpenes, providing a detailed description of thymol, geraniol, limonene, eugenol, eucalyptol, and α-terpineol as antimicrobial molecules in the treatment of vaginal infections. These monoterpenes are very good at killing E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans which are the main microbes that cause vaginitis. Future research could explore the latent combinations of such monoterpenes as synergistic antimicrobial agents to treat bacterial and fungal vaginal infections, trichomoniasis, among other conditions.https://microbiologyjournal.org/natural-antimicrobial-monoterpenes-as-potential-therapeutic-agents-in-vaginal-infections-a-review/vaginal infectionsbacterial vaginosisvulvovaginal candidiasistrichomoniasismonoterpenesantimicrobial molecule
spellingShingle Preeti Singh
Satish Sardana
Shiv Kr Yadav
Navidha Aggarwal
Hitesh Chopra
Kuldeep Dhama
Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review
Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology
vaginal infections
bacterial vaginosis
vulvovaginal candidiasis
trichomoniasis
monoterpenes
antimicrobial molecule
title Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review
title_full Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review
title_fullStr Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review
title_short Natural Antimicrobial Monoterpenes as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Vaginal Infections: A Review
title_sort natural antimicrobial monoterpenes as potential therapeutic agents in vaginal infections a review
topic vaginal infections
bacterial vaginosis
vulvovaginal candidiasis
trichomoniasis
monoterpenes
antimicrobial molecule
url https://microbiologyjournal.org/natural-antimicrobial-monoterpenes-as-potential-therapeutic-agents-in-vaginal-infections-a-review/
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