Green Zucchini Vaginal Cream: Formulation and Irritation Assessment in Rabbit

Background and objectives: Cucurbita pepo L. subsp. pepo (green zucchini morphotype) is rich in phytochemicals, making it a promising candidate for vaginal dryness according to Persian medicine. This study aimed to formulate a vaginal cream containing green zucchini extract and to assess the vaginal irritation potential of the product in vivo. Method: A vaginal cream was developed using green zucchini aqueous extract (5%). The physicochemical properties, including appearance, pH, viscosity, spread-ability, and gallic acid content of the cream as well as microbial content were assessed. Stress tests and accelerated stability test were performed. Also, the irritation potential of the cream was evaluated in rabbit for 5 days. Results: The final formulation contained green zucchini extract (5%), cetyl palmitate (4.2%), octyl dodecanol (11.7%), polysorbate 60 (7.2%), espan 60 (2.0%), cetoestearyl alcohol (12.5%), benzyl alcohol (0.5%), lactic acid (0.1%) and water (56.8%) which demonstrated suitable physicochemical and microbiological properties, with pH 4.0 and viscosity 39.57 Pa.s. Quantitative analysis of the cream confirmed the presence of 23mg/100g gallic acid in the product. The vaginal cream was stable during stress tests and accelerated stability test for six months. The irritation studies indicated its safety, with no signs of erythema or edema. Conclusion: The green zucchini vaginal cream, with its suitable physicochemical characteristics and well-tolerated irritation profile, supports its potential as a safe and standardized product; however, further clinical evaluations are necessary.