title: The effects of hyaluronic acid vaginal gel on the vaginal epithelium of ovariectomized rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hyaluronic acid is one of the best materials of water retention which can be used in vaginal atrophy. This study is to evaluate the role and mechanism of the hyaluronic acid vaginal gel (Hyalofemme) in the vaginal epithelium of ovariectomized rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into control group (Sham ovariectomy, Sham-OVX), tendency group (ovariectomy, OVX), and experiment group (ovariectomy+Hyalofemme, OVX+Hyalofemme). The hyaluronic acid vaginal gel was administered local vaginal therapy to the experiment group with cytologicaly confirmed vaginal atrophy. The doses were adjusted by animal weight according to human dosage. After daily treatment for 14 days, VEGF and P-AKT activations were detected by Western blot in the experiment group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hyaluronic acid vaginal gel proved to be very effective in the cytological reversal of vaginal atrophy but did not increase uterine weight. Vaginal microecosystem indicators were negative in the control group and the experiment group. By contrast, the indicators were positive in the tendency group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyaluronic acid vaginal gel is effective in the reversal of vaginal atrophy and is beneficial for improving vaginal microecosystem in the postmenopausal rat model. The hyaluronic acid vaginal gel can also improve the repair capacity of the vaginal epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University , Chongqing , P.R. China , and.
authors.forename: Shuai-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shao-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014621:Vagina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: Hyaluronic acid; ovariectomized rats; postmenopausal rat model; vaginal epithelium; vaginal gel