Introduction:
Atrophic vaginitis is a common problem in postmenopausal women and results
from decreased levels of blood estrogen. It is associated with symptoms of itching, burning,
dyspareunia, and postmenopausal bleeding. The present study evaluated the effects of fenugreek extract
on atrophic vaginitis.
Materials and Methods:
This randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 60 postmenopausal
women in Ardabil, Iran, in 2018. The participants were selected using block randomization with the
allocation ratio 1:1. Those in the intervention group received 0.5g (the applicator filled to the half-full
mark) fenugreek vaginal cream 5% twice a week for 12 weeks. The control group received conjugated
estrogens vaginal cream at the dose of 0.625 mg (the applicator filled to the half-full mark) containing
0.3 mg of conjugated estrogens. Atrophic vaginitis was evaluated before and after the treatment through
clinical examination, clinical signs, and measurement of Vaginal Maturation Index (VMI).
Findings:
After the 12-week intervention and modification of the baseline score, the mean (standard
error) score for atrophic vaginitis signs was 3.100 (1.43-4.75). This difference was statistically significant
in intragroup comparison and in favor of the control group in intergroup comparison (p=0.001).
VMI was less than 49% in 86.7% and 46.7% of the participants in the intervention and control groups,
respectively. This was a significant difference in favor of the control group (p=0.001).
Conclusion:
The results of this study showed that total fenugreek extract could be effective in treating
signs of atrophic vaginitis, but it was not as effective as ultra-low-dose estrogen.
