OBJECTIVE: To report the efficacy of vaginally administered bromocriptine. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Case report. RESULTS: The prolactin level was significantly decreased after the administration of bromocriptine vaginally. CONCLUSIONS: The vaginal administration of bromocriptine can be an alternative to oral administration in patients with hyperprolactinemia who show severe side effects.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Administration, Oral ; Bromocriptine* ; Humans ; Hyperprolactinemia* ; Prolactin

To evaluate the traits and rheological properties of thermosensitive in situ gel of Yihuang Decoction and its common gel for vaginal use, and predict the release behavior of Yihuang Decoction in situ gel in vitro. Poloxamer was used as thermosensitive material to prepare Yihuang Decoction vaginal in situ gel, and Yihuang Decoction common gel was prepared with carbopol. Then the differences of the two gels before and after diluting with vaginal fluid were compared. The rheological parameters of Yihuang Decoction in situ gel and its common gel were determined with Anton Paar MCR102 rheometer. In addition, berberine hydrochloride was selected as an index component to evaluate the in vitro release properties of Yihuang Decoction vaginal thermosensitive in situ gel. Yihuang Decoction vaginal thermosensitive in situ gel was Newtonian fluid under low-temperature conditions, which was yellow and transparent. After reaching the gelling temperature of 24.5 ℃, it became semi-solid, pseudoplastic fluid. The gelling temperature was predicted to be 37 ℃, and the phase transition time was 30 s after diluting with simulated vaginal fluid. However, the rheological properties of Yihuang Decoction common gel had no significant changes with temperature. Compared with in situ gel, the color of common gel was darker and more translucent. Besides, its mobility was stronger after diluting with simulated vaginal fluid. The in vitro release study showed that the kinetic behavior of berberine hydrochloride in Yihuang Decoction vaginal thermosensitive in situ gel was matched with the Higuchi equation. Through simulation of vaginal administration, physical properties and dynamic rheological parameters were used to intuitively and scientifically evaluate the two gels. Compared with the common gel, the thermosensitive in situ gel could quickly attached to the vaginal mucosa and release drug, and thus was more suitable for developing vaginal administration of Yihuang Decoction, which also provides references for studying new vaginal preparation of Yihuang Decoction.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Female ; Gels/chemistry* ; Humans ; Poloxamer ; Rheology ; Temperature ; Viscosity

Our purpose was to compare the safety and efficacy of intravaginal misoprostol versus dinoprostone vaginal tablet for induction of labor at term pregnancies. Two hundred three patients with indications for induction of labor at term were randomly assigned to receive either intravaginal misoprostol or dinoprostone vaginal tablet. Fifty micrograms of misoprostol was placed in the posterior vaginal fornix every six hours, with a potential maximum of four doses. 3 milligrams of dinoprostone vaginal tablet was placed in the posterior vaginal fornix every eight hours, with a potential maximum of three doses. Further medication was withheld with the occurrence of spontaneous rupture of membrane, entry into adequate contraction pattern(twenty second sustained with two or more frequent uterine contraction in 10 minutes), nonreassuring FHR tracing, or delivery. Artificial membrane rupture with both study protocol was done at the discretion of the attending physician. After membrane rupture, in the cases of failure of active labor or arrest of dilation, oxytocin was administerated. Among those evaluated, 100 received misoprostol and 102 received dinoprostone. The average interval from start of induction to vaginal delivery was shorter in the misoprostol group(784.7 +/- 389.3 min) than in the dinoprostone group(988.3 +/- 369.5 min)(p<0.01). There was no significant difference in change of Bishop score between the two groups. No statistically significant differences were noted between two groups in case of need for oxytocin and oxytocin total dose, but significant difference was noted between two groups in case of indication for oxytocin augmentation. There were no significant differences in the routes of delivery. Intravaginal administration of misoprostol appears to be as effective as dinoprostone vaginal tablet for labor induction at full term pregnancies. Complications associated with prostaglndin administration were not statistically different between the two treatment groups.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Dinoprostone* ; Humans ; Membranes ; Membranes, Artificial ; Misoprostol* ; Oxytocin ; Pregnancy* ; Rupture ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Uterine Contraction ; Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies*

Postpartum hemorrhage is an important cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. Especially uterine atony is the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage. Conventional method to control postpartum uterine atonic bleeding is based on the use of oxytocin and ergot preparations. Prostaglandin F2alpha analogue such as carboprost can be used to promote contraction when these agents fail to produce uterine contraction. Prostaglandin E1 analogue, misoprostol has uterotonic effect by oral or vaginal administration. They are used to induce labor and first or mid trimester abortion. In postpartum uterine atonic bleeding, misoprostols cannot be used via oral or vaginal route. Recently we have experienced that postpartum uterine atonic bleedings unresponsive to conventional methods were controlled by rectal misoprostols. So we report these cases with a brief review of literatures.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Alprostadil ; Carboprost ; Dinoprost ; Hemorrhage* ; Maternal Mortality ; Misoprostol* ; Oxytocin ; Postpartum Hemorrhage ; Postpartum Period* ; Uterine Contraction ; Uterine Inertia

BACKGROUND: Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) is one of the most commonly prescribed cervical ripening agents. Cervical ripening is the softening, effacement, and dilation of the cervix that occur prior to active labor, and is an intervention that is used for certain indications, such as postdates pregnancy. There are gynecologic cases wherein the cervix is closed and dilatation has not occurred making the procedure difficult. In studies, EPO works by softening and ripening the cervix in the pregnant woman. More likely it has the same effects in a non-pregnant patient with regards to softening and dilating the cervix during gynecologic procedures.
METHODS: The study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. Patients scheduled for gynecologic procedures were randomly grouped under the control and study group. Both groups had an internal examination during admission. The study group, in addition, were given EPO 4 capsules intra-vaginally, 6 hours prior to the contemplated procedure. Cervical characteristics were assessed initially on admission and pre-proedure.
Consistency were assessed using the Consistency Index (CI) and graded as firm=1, medium=2 and soft=3. Dilatation were assessed using the Dilatation Index (DI) and graded as closed=1, admits tip =2 , >1cm= 3. Pre-procedure, cervical characteristics and the CDI of both groups were assessed. Hegars dilators were used to assess the degree of dilatation, noting the diameter of dilator that can be introduced freely, and to what diameter the cervix can be maximally dilated.
RESULTS: 80 patients were enrolled in the study; 39 patients were assigned in the control group and 38 patients were assigned in the study group (3 were excluded). In the study group, their DI improved by 36.2% (pre = 1.53+/-0.51 to post = 2.08+/-0.49) (p<0.001), CI increased by 115.9% (pre=1.16+/-0.37 to post = 2.50+/-0.65) (p<0.001), and their CDI changed by 70.6% (pre=2.68+/-0.74 to post = 4.58+/-0.95) (p<0.001). The changes of scores in all the cervical parameters in the study group were statistically significant.
CONCLUSION: EPO 4 capsules punctured and administered intra-vaginally 6 hours prior to contemplated gynecologic procedure can promote cervical ripening as exhibited by the improvement of the CDI from initial assessment to pre-procedure assessment.

Human ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Cervical Ripening ; Cervix Uteri ; Efamol ; Dilatation ; Capsules ; Gamma-linolenic Acid ; Linoleic Acids ; Plant Oils ; Administration, Intravaginal

This study taking gestodene (GEST) as a model, investigated the factors affecting reservoir-type intravaginal ring (IVR)'s drug release. This paper reported a gestodene intravaginal ring of reservoir design, comprising a gestodene silicone elastomer core encased in a non-medicated silicone sheath, separately manufactured by reaction injection moulding at 80 degrees C and heating vulcanization at 130 degrees C is reported. The test investigated the factors affecting drug release through a single variable method, taking the drug release rates of 21 days as standards. When changing the thickness of the controlling sheath outside, the ratio of the first day of drug release and mean daily release (MDR), named the relatively burst effect, is closing to 1 with the thickness of controlling sheath increasing, while the 1.25 mm sheath corresponding to 1.04 controlled the burst release effectively; a positive correlation (r = 0.992 2) existed between the average drug release (Q/t) and drug loading (A) within a certain range. The C6-165 controlling sheath with high solubility of GEST is easier to achieve controlled release of the drug; GEST crystalline power is more effective to implement controlled release of drugs among difficent states of the drug. A 1/4 fractional segment core gives a relatively burst effect of 1.76, while the 1/1 and 1/2 are 1.93 and 1.87 separately, at the same drug loading, concluding that use of a fractional segment core would allow development of a suitable GEST reservoir IVR. In summary, GEST reservoir-type IVR could be adjusted by the thickness of controlling sheath, the loading of drug, the material properties of controlling sheath, the dispersion state of drug, the additive composition and structure of intravaginal ring, to control the drug release behavior and achieve the desired drug release rate.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Contraceptive Agents, Female ; administration & dosage ; Contraceptive Devices, Female ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Norpregnenes ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Silicone Elastomers ; chemistry ; Solubility

BACKGROUNDIn China, no multicenter double-blinded prospective randomized controlled study on labor induction has been conducted till now. This study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravaginal accurate 25-μg misoprostol tablets for cervical ripening and labor induction in term pregnancy in nulliparous women.

METHODSThis was a double-blinded, prospective randomized controlled study including nulliparous women from 6 university hospitals across China. Subjects were randomized into misoprostol or placebo group with the sample size ratio set to 7:2. Intravaginal 25-μg misoprostol or placebo was applied at an interval of 4 h (repeated up to 3 times) for labor induction. Primary outcome measures were the incidence of cumulative Bishop score increases ≥3 within 12 h or vaginal delivery within 24 h. Safety assessments included the incidences of maternal morbidity and adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes.

RESULTSA total of 173 women for misoprostol group and 49 women for placebo were analyzed. The incidence of cumulative Bishop score increases ≥3 within 12 h or vaginal delivery within 24 h was higher in the misoprostol group than in the placebo (64.2% vs. 22.5%, relative risk [RR]: 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-6.0). The incidence of onset of labor within 24 h was significantly higher in the misoprostol group than in the placebo group (48.0% vs. 18.4%, RR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.2-5.7); and the induction-onset of labor interval was significantly shorter in the misoprostol group (P = 0.0003). However, there were no significant differences in the median process time of vaginal labor (6.4 vs. 6.8 h; P = 0.695), incidence (39.3% vs. 49.0%, RR: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.4-1.5) and indications (P = 0.683) of cesarean section deliveries, and frequencies of maternal, fetal/neonatal adverse events between the groups.

CONCLUSIONIntravaginal misoprostol 25 μg every 4 h is efficacious and safe in labor induction and cervical ripening.

Administration, Intravaginal ; Adult ; Cervical Ripening ; drug effects ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Labor, Induced ; methods ; Misoprostol ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Young Adult

Administration, Intravaginal ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Microwaves ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Uterine Cervical Erosion ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To test the acute and chronic toxicity of topical application of 0.5% podophyllotoxin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (POD-NLC) to the vaginal mucosa. METHODS: Twelve New Zealand rabbits were randomized into 3 groups and subjected to daily topical applications of normal saline (control group), 0.5% podophyllotoxin tincture (POD-T) or 0.5% POD-NLC on the vaginal mucosa for 10 consecutive days, and the pathological changes in the mucosa were graded using the Eckstein scoring system.The acute toxicity of POD-NLC was tested in 20 SD female rats, which received intravaginal administration of POD-NLC or vehicle for 3 times within 24 h; After 14 days of continuous observation, the rats were dissected for calculating the viscera coefficient.For testing the chronic toxicity of POD-NLC, 80 SD female rats were randomized into 4 groups and subjected to daily intravaginal administration of the vehicle or POD-NLC at low, moderate or high doses for 13 consecutive weeks.The rats were weighed once a week and at the end of the experiment, 2/3 of the rats from each group were sacrificed to collect blood samples, calculate the viscera coefficient, and examine the pathological changes in the liver.The remaining 1/3 rats were observed for another 2 weeks without further drug treatment and the same examinations were performed. RESULTS: In the rabbits, 0.5% POD-NLC elicited only mild irritation while POD-T caused moderate irritation of the vaginal mucosa.In the acute toxicity test, the organ coefficients were comparable between the rats treated with the vehicle and POD-NLC (>0.05).Long-term intravaginal administration of POD-NLC did not produce significant changes in the behavior, activity, body weight, blood biochemical profiles or organ coefficient as compared with the vehicle control group (>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Intravaginal administration of 0.5% POD-NLC causes very mild irritation without obvious acute or chronic toxicity to the vaginal mucosa in rabbits and rats.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Animals ; Female ; Liposomes ; Mucous Membrane ; drug effects ; Nanostructures ; toxicity ; Podophyllotoxin ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Vagina ; drug effects

Although it has been known that human seminal plasma (HSP) suppresses immune responses, there is little data concerning in vivo effects on humoral and cellular immune responses, particularly on immediate hypersensitivity. Thus, the present study was undertaken in an effort to investigate the in vivo effect of HSP on humoral and cellular immune responses, including active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) in mice. The immune responses investigated were delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to sheep red blood cell (SRBC) or human sperm antigen, hemagglutinin response, and active systemic anaphylaxis induced by egg albumin (OVA). Effect of HSP on Candida albicans infection was also studied. It was found that intraperitoneal administration of HSP before or after immunization with SRBC significantly suppressed the DTH to SRBC. HSP given after immunization with SRBC failed to suppress hemagglutinin response whereas HSP given before immunization with SRBC significantly suppressed the hemagglutinin response. Interestingly, intravaginal administration of HSP together with human sperm significantly suppressed DTH to human sperm as measured by footpad swelling reactions. HSP inhibited phagocytic function of macrophage and enhanced germ tube producing phagocytosed yeasts. Colony forming unit (CFU) of Candida albicans in kidneys of HSP-treated mice were enumerated. HSP given to mice before infection significantly increased the number of CFU in kidneys, strongly suggesting that HSP may decrease the resistance of mice to Candida infection. For the ASA experiment, mice were sensitized by i.p. injection of 500 ug OVA, 1.0 mg alum and 2x1000000000 Bordetella pertussis in 0.5 ml PBS and were challenged by i.v. inje-ction of 0.25 ml PBS containing 500 big OVA 18 days after sensitization. Surpris-ingly,HSP injection before ASA induction inhibited intensity of ASA and improved survival of anaphylaxis. Taken together, this study strongly suggests that HSP may suppress in vivo immediate and delayed immune responses and that HSP may decrease the resistance against Candida albicans infection, and this study may be the first to show the immunosuppressive effect of HSP on the induction of active systemic anaphylaxis.
Administration, Intravaginal ; Anaphylaxis ; Animals ; Bordetella pertussis ; Candida ; Candida albicans ; Erythrocytes ; Hemagglutinins ; Humans* ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunity, Cellular* ; Immunization ; Kidney ; Macrophages ; Mice* ; Ovum ; Semen* ; Sheep ; Spermatozoa ; Stem Cells ; Yeasts