Plant-Based Vaginal Suppository for Vulvovaginal Candidiasis – A Natural Remedy Revisited

• Background: Rising antifungal resistance and side effects of conventional VVC treatments necessitate plant-based alternatives. • Objective: Develop and optimize herbal vaginal suppositories using neem, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and ginger via DOE, characterize actives (HPTLC), and evaluate antifungal efficacy. • Methods: o DOE-guided formulation with varying plant extract ratios. o HPTLC fingerprinting of bioactive compounds. o Agar dilution and MIC assays against Candida albicans. • Results: o Optimal suppository composition (e.g., 20% neem, 15% cinnamon) showed synergistic antifungal effects. o HPTLC confirmed key actives (azadirachtin, cinnamaldehyde). o Suppositories exhibited comparable efficacy to clotrimazole (p<0.05). • Conclusion: Plant-based suppositories are a promising, natural alternative for VVC, warranting further clinical validation