Published in Pharmaceutics in November 2024, and conducted by an Italian pool of vulvar pain experts*, a large-sample multicenter study of patients confirmed the efficacy of spermidine, combined with hyaluronic acid, in treating vestibulodynia symptoms
The study
One hundred and fifty-four women were enrolled who used a gel containing a spermidine-hyaluronate complex for about 8 weeks as the only treatment or in combination with other therapies.
The criteria for making patients eligible for the study were:
– Women at least 18 years old who were not menopausal; – Moderate to severe pain (minimum 5/10 on a numerical rating scale) in at least 90 percent of sexual intercourse attempts; – Pain limited to the vestibule during vaginal intercourse and/or during activities that put pressure on the vestibule (insertion of tampons, jeans or tight pants, bicycling and horseback riding); – Presence of vestibulodynia for at least 3 months, diagnosed according to a standardized protocol; – Willingness to attempt sexual activities between visits.
Symptom assessment was performed on clinically relevant parameters: dispareunia and vulvovaginal pain/burning; vestibular trophism; swab test result; pelvic floor hypertonicity assessment. The results were very positive: all 154 patients showed significant improvements in all five parameters assessed. Specifically, the pain and dispareunia scores decreased by 46.5% and 33.5%, respectively, the swab test score improved by 32.2%, pelvic floor muscle hypertonus decreased by 32.5%, and vestibular trophism improved by 33.5%.
These improvements were consistent in various subgroups, such as those related to women’s age and disease duration.In conclusion: the study results suggest that the gel is effective in relieving pain and dispareunia, as well as reducing vestibular hypersensitivity in women with vestibulodynia. Although the medical device alone cannot replace recommended therapies, a multimodal intervention including spermidine gel can achieve substantial improvement in pain
Spermidine: how it works
Spermidine has great therapeutic interest in vulvar pathology because it is an active ingredient with excellent tolerability profile, safety, and high efficacy. This substance is more concentrated in tissues that have a higher cell turnover, for example, the skin and mucous membranes, whose renewal process it optimizes. Spermidine in the cell contributes to fundamental actions: – It promotes autophagy, a physiological process of self-degradation of worn cellular material, with reuse of cellular components that are still intact and useful. This improves cellular function in all tissues, protecting the health of the body and optimizing energy costs. – Plays a valuable role at the vascular and nervous levels, with distinctly neuroprotective action. – Reduces free oxygen radicals, protecting RNA and DNA from oxidative damage. – Reduces pro-inflammatory mediators.
For all these reasons, spermidine is an important presidium in reducing pain and inflammation at the genital level, and in significantly improving tissue trophism.* Gynecologists Luigi Murina, Alessandra Graziottin, Nicla Toni, Maria Teresa Schettino, Luca Bello, Barbara Del Bravo, Dania Gambini, Lara Tiranini, Rossella Elena Nappi and obstetrician Alessandra Marchi.
