title: In vitro effect of octenidine dihydrochloride against Trichomonas vaginalis.
abstract: Trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease. It is associated with a wide spectrum of complications, including infertility and increased susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A rising number of reports of Trichomonas vaginalis strains resistant to metronidazole has driven the search for new compounds. In the present study, the in vitro effects of the common antiseptic octenidine dihydrochloride against T. vaginalis were tested on metronidazole-resistant and -susceptible strains. Assays were performed under microaerophilic conditions in three different media containing varying concentrations of protein. It was shown that octenidine dihydrochloride is highly effective against T. vaginalis, with no difference between metronidazole-resistant and -susceptible strains. The 50% effective concentration (EC50) values ranged from 5.7 to 21.37μg/mL after 5min, from 6.48 to 10.82μg/mL after 15min and from 0.68 to 2.11μg/mL after 30min of treatment depending on the protein concentration of the test medium. Octenidine dihydrochloride, already approved in some countries for the treatment of bacterial and fungal vaginal infections, appears to be a promising alternative treatment for trichomoniasis, particularly in mixed vaginal infections or in cases caused by metronidazole-resistant strains.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Küng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.affiliation: Schülke & Mayr GmbH, Seidengasse 9, 1070 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.affiliation: Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: julia.walochnik@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walochnik
mesh_terms: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007097:Imines; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007097:Imines; D011725:Pyridines; D008795:Metronidazole; C034213:octenidine
keywords: Antiseptic; In vitro; Metronidazole-resistant; Octenidine dihydrochloride; Trichomonas vaginalis; Trichomoniasis