Lactic Acid – Vaginal Eubiosis

Vaginal Eubiosis and Dysbiosis

• Vaginal Eubiosis is characterised by beneficial lactobacillus-dominated microbiota

Which produces large amounts of Lactic Acid.

• vaginal Dysbiosis (e.g. bacterial vaginosis, BV), characterised by an overgrowth of multiple anaerobes, is associated with an increased risk of adverse urogenital and reproductive health
• Recent studies demonstrate that lactic acid is a major antimicrobial, antiviral and exerts immunomodulatory properties.

Lactic acid is a major antimicrobial factor produced by lactobacilli

• Lactobacilli  are genus of Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic or microaerophilic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria.( they convert sugars to lactic acid).
• Lactobacilli  species are normally a major part of the vaginal microbiota. Lactobacilli forms biofilms in the vaginal microbiota, a mutualistic relationship with the human body as it protects the host against potential invasions by pathogens, and prevents vaginal infections.
• Lactic acid is active against bacterial STIs.
• Lactic acid, inactivates Chlamydia trachomati sand Neisseria gonorrhoeae as well as Escherichia coli in vitro .
• Lactic acid, targets the growthof bacteria in living , as demonstrated by inhibition of  gonorrhoeae and Gardnerella vaginalis,
• These in vitro and ex vivo studies suggest that lactic acid has the potentialto maintain vaginal eubiosis or to reverse dysbiosis and protect against bacterial infctions.

Immunomodulatory properties of lactic acid Lactobacilli are generally associated with a non-inflammatory vaginal environment   A  study evaluated lactic acid gel  for treatment and the prevention of BV recurrence . Women with a history of recurrent BV were treated daily with lactic acid gel for 7 days, Collectively, these trials indicate that intravaginally delivered lactic acid may have a positive effect on resolving symptomatic BV. Vaginal wash containing lactic acid are available over the counter in India  to treat symptoms associated with BV.  

1. Ref: Science Direct. Gilda Tachedjian, Muriel Aldunate, Catronia S. Bradshaw, Richard A. Cone Pages 782-792
2. Elisa Margolis, David N. Fredricks, in Molecular Medical Microbiology (Second Edition), 2015

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