CClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT01841411Updated Apr 26, 2013

Role of N-Acetylcysteine in Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis

A Phase 4 interventional study of N-Acetyl cysteine and Metronidazole + N-Acetyl cysteine in Bacterial Vaginosis, sponsored by Minia University. Status unknown at 1 site in Egypt. Open to female participants aged 20 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-04-26.

Sponsored by Minia University · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Apr 2013), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
90
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
20 Years to 50 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an amino acid with strong antioxidant, mucolytic and antibacterial properties, and is produced within the human body.Its effect in biofilms has been tested in several bacteria. Biofilms have recently been observed in 90% of subjects with bacterial vaginosis (BV) with Gardnerella vaginalis being the predominant species. Although a wide range of antimicrobial agents are currently available, treatment options for controlling BV are still limited. Furthermore, the number of relapses are increasing and require alternative treatments. This study is aiming to evaluate the role of NAC in treatment of BV and prevention of recurrence.

Read the detailed description

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most frequent diagnosis made in women with lower genital tract symptoms. It has recently been observed that 90% of subjects with BV show the growth of bacteria in the form of biofilms,and that Gardnerella vaginalis was the predominant species. The propensity of G. vaginalis to form biofilm is clinically relevant because this form of growth allows it to tolerate higher concentrations of certain antibiotics, thus increasing the possibility of recurrent BV even after apparently curative therapy. So new treatment strategies must be used to insure complete cure and prevent recurrence. NAC is an amino acid with strong antioxidant, mucolytic and antibacterial properties, and is produced within the human body.Its effect in biofilms has been tested in several bacteria.

This study aims to test the efficacy of NAC in treatment of BV either alone or in combination with the traditionally used metronidazole. Also the effect of using NAC in prevention of recurrence of BV will be monitored.

02

Conditions studied

  • Bacterial Vaginosis

Keywords

  • bacterial vaginosis, recurrence, N-Acetyl cysteine
03

In context

Vaginosis, Bacterial

220 studies on the registry are indexed under Vaginosis, Bacterial; 36 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 90 is close to the median of 100 across 187 interventional studies indexed under Vaginosis, Bacterial.

Browse Vaginosis, Bacterial studies →

Lead sponsor

Minia University is the lead sponsor of 356 studies on the registry; 115 are open to participants now.

Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • patients complaining bacterial vaginosis and proved to have BV using standard diagnostic methods for BV
  • patients with age between 20-50

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Virgins and menstruating patients.
  • Recent douching or sexual intercourse.
  • Use of systematic or vaginal antimicrobial therapy or any vaginal suppositories or drugs.

All patients will sign a written consent before starting the treatment

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
90 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Metronidazole + N-Acetyl cysteine

    the second patient group will use NAC sachets containing 200 mg as a vaginal douche once daily plus oral metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 7 days

    Drug: Metronidazole + N-Acetyl cysteine

  • Experimental
    N- Acetyl cysteine

    the third patient group will use NAC sachets containing 200 mg as a vaginal douche only without taking metronidazole

    Drug: N-Acetyl cysteine

  • Active comparator
    Metronidazole

    the first group of patients will take oral metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for a week

    Drug: metronidazole

Interventions

  • DrugN-Acetyl cysteine

    N-Acetyl cysteine is a pharmaceutical drug and nutritional supplement,it is a derivative of the natural amino acid cysteine, from which it differs by virtue of the introduction of an acetyl group on the nitrogen atom of the amino terminal.It is used mainly as a mucolytic and in management of paracetamol overdose. It has been observed that N-acetyl cysteine has shown good properties in terms of combating bacterial infections. In particular, it has been observed that NAC presents good activity in terms of inhibiting bacterial adhesion and in dissolving the biofilm matrix.

    Also known as: Acetyl cistein

  • DrugMetronidazole + N-Acetyl cysteine

    Metronidazole is an antibiotic effective against anaerobic bacteria and certain parasites.It can be used in treatment of vaginal infections such as trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis N-Acetyl cysteine is a pharmaceutical drug and nutritional supplement, It is used mainly as a mucolytic and in management of paracetamol overdose. It has been observed that N-acetyl cysteine has antibacterial and antibiofilm activities

    Also known as: Flagyl, Acetyl cistein

  • Drugmetronidazole

    Metronidazole is an antibiotic effective against anaerobic bacteria and certain parasites.It can be used in treatment of vaginal infections such as trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis in treatment of bacterial vaginosis, it can be used in treatment of bacterial vaginosis either in a dose of 500 mg twice daily or 250 mg three times daily for seven days

    Also known as: Flagyl

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. recovery of BV

    Vaginal swabs from all patients will taken and smears will be gram stained, examined and evaluated according to Nugent scoring system afetr one week of treatment. The patient will be considered recovered if she have Nugent score of 0-3.

    Time frame: one week

Secondary outcomes

  1. prevention of recurrence

    patients who recovered after treatment will be asked for symptoms of recurrence of bacterial vaginosis and vaginal smears will be evaluated according Nugent scoring system after one month, two months and three months from the date of the end of initial treatment

    Time frame: 3 months

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Minia university hospital for gynecology and obstetrics
    Minia, Egypt
    • Ahmed Re El-Adawy, Professor · Contact · Ahm_gyn@yahoo.com · +201142075858
    • Ahmed R El-Adawy, Professor · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 26, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01841411
Lead sponsor
Minia University
Responsible party
Heba Ahmed Mohamed (principal investigator, Minia University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 26, 2013
Start date
Mar 2013
Primary completion
Jun 2013 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 2013 (estimated)
Last update
Apr 26, 2013

Study contacts

Heba A Mohamed, MSc
Contact
ham_phar@yahoo.com
+201061398540
Ahmed R El-Adawy, Professor
study chair · Minia university hopital of gynecology and obstetrics
Heba A Mohamed, MSc
principal investigator · Minia University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is status unknown, as verified in Apr 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion