Honghe Fujie lotion (a traditional Chinese medicine) alleviates vulvovaginal candidiasis during pregnancy by targeting the NLRP3 signaling pathway.
The methodology of the study involved analyzing the Honghe Fujie Lotion using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, which revealed 545 chemical constituents. To investigate its therapeutic effects, both in vitro and in vivo methods were applied. The researchers established a mouse model of vaginal Candida albicans infection, simulating pregnancy-associated vulvovaginal candidiasis. The therapeutic effect of the lotion on this condition was evaluated by studying its impact on the vaginal fungal load which involved examination of vaginal lavage fluid. The lotion's potential side effects on pregnancy were assessed via analyzing placental development.
The results showed that Honghe Fujie lotion effectively inhibited Candida albicans growth and biofilm metabolic activity in the lab. When tested on the mouse model, it was found that the lotion not only reduced the presence of vaginal fungus, but also mitigated adverse pregnancy outcomes. It restored the distribution of trophoblast cells in placental tissues, which are crucial for proper placental development. The findings also revealed that the lotion suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation, a molecular mechanism known to stimulate inflammatory response upon infection. This suppression led to the downregulation of an enzyme called Caspase-1, which, in turn, diminished the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, the results demonstrate the potential of this traditional Chinese medicine in treating vulvovaginal candidiasis during pregnancy.
