ArticleSexually transmitted diseases2021
Clinical and Personal Lubricants Impact the Growth of Vaginal Lactobacillus Species and Colonization of Vaginal Epithelial Cells: An in Vitro Study.
Article in Sexually transmitted diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Harnessing the Vaginal Microbiome: A New Frontier in the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections.Expert reviews in molecular medicine · 2026Review
- Case-Based Perspectives on the Management of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause.Clinics and practice · 2026Review
- Evaluation of 2,7-Naphthyridines as Targeted Anti-Staphylococcal Candidates with Microbiota-Sparing Properties.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Bacterial Vaginosis Incidence Following a Single Hyperosmolal Vaginal Lubricant Exposure: A Comparison of Two Observational Cohorts.Sexually transmitted diseases · 2025Observational
- Metabolic comparison of minimally to noninvasive urogenital sample types for studying gynecologic health: A pilot study.iScience · 2025Article
- Assessment of the vaginal microbiota before and after use of hyperosmolal lubricant during transvaginal ultrasound.American journal of obstetrics and gynecology · 2025Article
- Factors shaping vaginal microbiota long-term community dynamics in young adult women.Peer community journal · 2025Article
- Impact of bacterial vaginosis on sexually transmitted viral infections: a bacterial point of view.FEMS microbiology reviews · 2025Review
- Antimicrobial activity ofPeerJ · 2025Article
- Influence of cervicovaginal microbiota onMicrobial cell (Graz, Austria) · 2025Review
- Inferring stability and persistence in the vaginal microbiome: A stochastic model of ecological dynamics.Research square · 2024Article
- The In Vivo Effect of Water-Based Lubricants on the Vaginal Microbiome of Women from Varying Age Groups: Exploratory Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Microorganisms · 2024Article
- Vaginal irritation testing-prospects of human organotypic vaginal tissue culture models.In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal · 2024Review
- Inferring stability and persistence in the vaginal microbiome: A stochastic model of ecological dynamics.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024Article
- Investigating the impact of condomless vaginal intercourse and lubricant use on the vaginal metabolome: a pre-post observational study.Sexually transmitted infections · 2023Observational
- Gynecological concerns and vaginal practices and exposures among transfeminine individuals who have undergone vaginoplasty.The journal of sexual medicine · 2023Article
- A qualitative exploration of internet forum discussions surrounding female sexual function for individuals with Sjögren's syndrome.PloS one · 2023Article
- Connecting microbiome and menopause for healthy ageing.Nature microbiology · 2022Article
- Impact of vaginal douching products on vaginal Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli and epithelial immune responses.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Vaginal cytokine profile and microbiota before and after lubricant use compared with condomless vaginal sex: a preliminary observational study.BMC infectious diseases · 2021Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundVaginal lubricants are commonly used during gynecological examinations, during sexual activities, or to alleviate vaginal dryness. Many lubricants contain potentially bacteriostatic or bactericidal agents (parabens, chlorhexidine gluconate, nonoxynol-9). Our objective was to evaluate the impact of lubricants that vary in formulation on the growth and viability of vaginal Lactobacillus species and vaginal epithelial cell (VEC) colonization in an in vitro model.
methodsGrowth curve, disk diffusion, and minimal inhibitory assays were used to determine the impact of lubricants or excipients on the growth of Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Lactobacillus iners. L. crispatus strain was used in VEC colonization assays. Statistical differences were determined by analysis of variance.
resultsLubricants containing chlorhexidine gluconate or nonoxynol-9 (N-9; Conceptrol, K-Y Jelly, and Surgilube) significantly inhibited Lactobacillus species growth (P < 0.05). In contrast, other clinical lubricants (E-Z Lubricating Jelly, McKesson Lubricating) and personal lubricants (Astroglide Liquid, Good Clean Love Almost Naked, K-Y Warming Jelly) did not exhibit this effect. Chlorhexidine gluconate had a detrimental effect on Lactobacillus growth and exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity compared with methylparaben and propylparaben (P < 0.0001). There were lubricants that did not induce cytotoxicity in VEC (Good Clean Love Almost Naked, E-Z Lubricating Jelly, McKesson Lubricating Jelly), but these products did substantially decrease the attachment of L. crispatus to VEC, particularly when VEC were preexposed to lubricants before inoculation with bacteria (P < 0.0001).
conclusionsThis in vitro model indicates that select vaginal lubricants, particularly those with chlorhexidine gluconate, have potentially adverse effects on women's health by reducing growth and recolonization of vaginal Lactobacillus species.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.