Relationships between Perceptual Attributes and Rheology in Over-the-Counter Vaginal Products: A Potential Tool for Microbicide Development

摘要: Vaginal microbicides are believed to have substantial potential empower women protect themselves from HIV, although clinical trials date had mixed results at best. Issues with patient adherence in these suggest additional emphasis should be placed on optimizing acceptability. Acceptability is driven, part, by the sensory properties of microbicide, so better understanding relationships between and physical rheological facilitate simultaneous optimization parallel biophysical required for drug deployment. Recently, we applied standard methods assess acceptability microbicide prototypes ex vivo quantify surrogates. Here, link quantitative perceptual data 6 over-the counter (OTC) vaginal products used as Shear-thinning behavior (n) tan δ (10 rad/s) showed no relationship any attributes while shear storage modulus, G’ was correlated some attributes, but did not appear a strong predictor properties. Conversely, loss G” consistency coefficient, K, were several attributes: stickiness, rubberiness, uniform thickness G’’ peaking K. Although merit confirmation later studies, this pilot study suggests principles can understand evoked surrogates assessed vivo. Additional work needed determine if findings would apply