Boric acid (vaginal)
| Clinical data | |
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| Other names | Orthoboric acid; Trihydroxyborane; Trihydroxydoboron; Hydrogen orthoborate; Boracic acid; Trihydroxyboron; B(OH)3 |
| Routes of administration | Vaginal (capsule, suppository) |
| Drug class | Antiseptic; Antibacterial; Antifungal |
| ATC code | |
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | Oral: 100% Vaginal: ~6% Transdermal: minimal (intact but not damaged skin) |
| Protein binding | Unknown |
| Metabolism | Negligible |
| Metabolites | None known |
| Elimination half-life | 11–24 hours |
| Excretion | Urine (≥90%), small amounts in feces, sweat, saliva |
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| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | BH3O3 |
| Molar mass | 61.83 g·mol−1 |
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Boric acid is an antiseptic used as a vaginal medication to treat vaginal infections including yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis. It is administered as a capsule or suppository inserted into the vagina. The compound is not a pharmaceutical drug and is instead available over-the-counter. Boric acid has shown comparable effectiveness to antifungals in the treatment of vaginal yeast infections. Clinical data for other vaginal infections are more limited.
Side effects of vaginal boric acid may include watery discharge, burning, itching, redness, bleeding, and erosive changes. They are usually mild and temporary. Boric acid can produce toxic effects, including death, if taken orally and/or at very high doses. The exact mechanism of action of boric acid as an antiseptic is unclear. Chemically, boric acid is a boron compound, or a compound containing the element boron, and is also known as trihydroxyboron.
Boric acid has been used medically since ancient times, but its discovery as a chemical compound was not until the 1600s. Its antiseptic properties were reported around 1875. The compound was being used as a vaginal antiseptic by the late 1800s. Clinical studies of boric acid for treatment of vaginal infections began being published in the late 1900s and early 2000s. Despite not being a pharmaceutical drug, boric acid is widely used by women in the management of vaginal infections. It may be difficult to obtain in some countries.