Vaginal bacteria infections, also known as bacterial vaginosis or BV, are a type of vaginitis caused by an imbalance of the bacteria that normally live in the vagina. It is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, but women with several sexual partners, or who use an intrauterine birth control device, may be at higher risk, according to Mayoclinic.com. Symptoms of BV include discharge, itching, irritation, painful intercourse and urination, and vaginal bleeding. Conventional treatment may involve antibiotics like metronidazole or clindamycin, but these drugs can have unpleasant side effects. Herbs can be useful home remedies for vaginal bacteria infections. It is important to have a proper diagnosis from a health care professional before starting herbal treatment. Consult a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen.
Aloe
Aloes, or Aloe spp., are fleshy perennials with a long history of medicinal use. Native Americans used the juice, or gel, from the leaves to cleanse the stomach, liver, spleen, kidney and bladder. Local healers also use aloe juice internally and externally to treat eye problems, constipation, wounds, burns, skin diseases, inflammation and menstrual and uterine disorders. Aloe gel applied internally as a douche may help balance the vaginal flora since, according to herbalist Stephen Harrod Buhner, it is active against several strains of bacteria. In their 2000 book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and Dr. James F. Balch recommend applying aloe gel topically to relieve the itching of vaginal bacterial infections. Aloe juice is a strong purgative and can stimulate uterine contractions; therefore, it should not be taken orally during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Garlic
Garlic, or Allium sativum, is a cooking and medicinal herb with a long history of use throughout the world. Herbalists use it to treat a wide range of disorders, including colds, flu, high cholesterol, hypertension, indigestion and asthma. Garlic contains volatile oil and organosulfur compounds and, according to herbalist David Hoffmann, is one of the most important antimicrobial herbs that are effective against bacteria, viruses and parasites. In their 2000 book, "The Herbal Drugstore," Dr. Linda B. White, M.D., and Steven Foster recommend garlic for bacterial vaginal infections because of its antimicrobial properties. They advise either eating the fresh cloves with food or taking capsules. In an article titled "Gynecology and Naturopathic Medicine," published in the 2007 issue of the "Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients," Dr. Tori Hudson, naturopathic physician, recommends using a fresh, peeled clove as a suppository after the second week of treating bacterial vaginosis to eliminate any existing bacteria and support the immune system. Garlic may cause nausea if eaten raw.
Persian Thyme
Persian thyme, or Zataria multiflora, is an aromatic herb similar to common thyme that originated in South Asia and Iran, and is found throughout Europe and North America. Like other members of the mint family, Persian thyme is rich in volatile oils, including carvacrol, thymol, p-cymeme, linalool, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and 1,8-cineole. These chemicals have potent antimicrobial properties, and the plant is used to treat bacterial, viral and fungal infections. A study by M. Simbar and colleagues published in the December 2008 issue of "Phytomedicine" compared a Persian thyme cream with metronidazole gel on 88 women with bacterial vaginosis. The women were divided into two groups, one receiving the herbal cream and the other the gel. The study found similar rates of improvement in both groups. The authors note that metronidazole had more side effects than thyme cream, including a metallic taste and vertigo, but there was burning and vaginal dryness in both groups. The active ingredients in thyme cream are the phenolics carvacrol and thymol, which are potent antibiotics. Thyme cream may be considered an effective home remedy for treating vaginal bacterial infections, but if burning persists, it should be discontinued.
References
- Mayo Clinic
- "Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria"; Stephen Harrod Buhner; 1999
- "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine"; David Hoffmann; 2003
- "Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients": Gynecology and naturopathic medicine.
- "Phytomedicine": A comparative study of the therapeutic effects of the Zataria multiflora vaginal cream and metronidazole vaginal gel on bacterial vaginosis.
