the subject of the present invention is the use of lupulus for the preparation of formulations for the treatment of manifestations of altered trophism of the mucosa and tissue of the vagina and the vulva . in particular , the subject of the present invention is represented by the use of lupulus for the treatment of vaginal dryness , and of the associated disorders , such as burning sensation , pruritus , inflammation , oedema , or dyspareunia . preparations of lupulus , preferably semi - solid or liquid , in the form of a cream , gel , ointment , foam or vaginal wash , having a lupulus content of from 0 . 05 to 25 p . b . w . %, more preferably from 0 . 1 to 15 p . b . w . %, and even more preferably from 0 . 5 to 5 p . b . w . %, are efficacious for application in the vaginal and / or vulvar region , for the treatment of manifestations of altered trophism of the vaginal mucosa and of the external genitalia , such as dryness , burning sensation , pruritus , inflammation , oedema or dyspareunia . solid preparations of lupulus , in the shape of ovules , plugs , vaginal compresses , having a lupulus content of from 1 to 200 mg per unit dose , more preferably from 5 to 100 mg per unit dose , and even more preferably from 10 to 50 mg per unit dose , are efficacious for application to the vaginal region , for the treatment of the manifestations of altered trophism of the vaginal mucosa , such as vaginal dryness , burning sensation , pruritus , inflammation , oedema or dyspareunia . the pharmaceutical compositions are prepared according to conventional techniques , using compatible excipients and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers , and may contain in association other active ingredients with complementary or in any case useful activity . examples of these compositions prepared according to the present invention comprise : creams , ointments , gels , foams , washes , solutions , emulsions or suspensions , for application to the vaginal region or the external genitalia ; in addition , compresses , plugs , capsules or ovules for vaginal application ; forms suitable for delayed or protracted dissolution and for extended release of the active ingredient . more precisely , the compositions prepared according to the following invention may comprise an excipient base , preferably liposomal , characterised by distinctive properties such as , for example , high moisturising activity and marked lubricating action which heighten and synergise the distinctive properties of the lupulus and of its extracts , in particular the distinctive properties of the t . m . said excipient is normally present in an amount of between 0 . 01 and 15 p . b . w . %, preferably between 0 . 1 and 10 p . b . w . %, and even more preferably between 0 . 5 and 5 p . b . w . %. the formulations of the invention which comprise a liposomal excipient base are prepared by dispersing one or more phospholipidic , sphingolipidic , glycolipidic or proteolipidic substances together with extracts of lupulus in a solvent or in an aqueous mixture of solvents . the substances cited have a liposomal transport structure plastic function , by virtue of their natural capacity for forming a double layer when hydrated . the liposomal suspensions according to the invention may further contain , to make up to 100 %, one or more of the following compounds : 1 . agents modulating the gel / liquid transition temperature , such as cholesterol or its esters typical of any phospholipid ; 2 . ionised substances which , at the ph of the preparation , are partially or totally dissociated , therefore they act as ions capable of conferring on the liposomal surface a nett positive or negative charge . examples of these substances are diacetylphosphate , phospholipidic acid , phosphatidyl - serine , phosphatidyl - ethanolamine , stearylamine , cardiolipine ; 3 . antioxidants capable of inhibiting the peroxidation of the double bonds in the fatty acids , contained in the lipidic substances . examples of these substances are tocopherols and their esters , butylhydroxyanisol , butylhydroxytoluene and beta - carotene , ascorbic acid and its derivatives ; 4 . chelating agents , capable of complexing with multivalent bonds the metal ions which may act as aggregation nuclei of liposomal structures , or as catalysts for oxidative reactions ; 5 . hydrating agents , capable of increasing the specific activity of the liposomal system such as , for example , alcohols , polyhydroxylated glycols , mucopolysaccharides , and the like ; 6 . thermoviscosising and mucoadhesive agents , such as , for example , polyoxyethylene , polyoxypropylene polymer , polyoxyethylene - polyoxypropylene block copolymers ( known by the commercial name of lutrol f127 ); 7 . decongestants such as the dry , aqueous , hydroalcoholic or hydroglycolic extracts of camomile , malva ( mallow ), althea ( marshmallow ) and the like ; 8 . cicatrising agents , such as extracts of triticum vulgare , centella asiatica , hyaluronic acid or derivatives , and the like ; 9 . disinfectant or antibacterial agents , such as the esters of parahydroxybenzoic acids , benzoic acid and its esters , sorbic acid and its salts , dehydroacetic acid and its salts , antimycotics such as , for example , nystatin , natanycin , amphotericin , candicidine , mepartricine , miconazole , econazole , tioconazole , cyclopirox and their salts ; antibiotics such as , for example , chloramphenicol , metronidazole , nifuratel , carphecillin , oxytetracycline , clindamycin , pentamycin , etc . ; anti - inflammatories such as , for example , diclofenac , ibuprofen , naproxen , flunoxaprofen , benzydamine , etc ; probiotics such as , for example , lactobacillus fermentum , etc . ; acidifiers such as , for example , lactic acid , acetic acid , ascorbic acid , pyrrolidone - carboxylic acid , etc ; humectants such as , for example , glycerol , propylene glycol , polyglycols , etc . ; 10 . any other excipients , such as perfumes and essences , colorants , and the like ; 11 . water . the compositions and the use of the present invention are described more clearly in , although not limited to , the following examples . a formulation in gel form is prepared with the following composition in p . b . w . %: lupulus t . m . ( p . b . w .) 1 % propylene glycol 13 % ( p . b . w .) carbopol * 980 0 . 75 % * the term “ carbopol ” is intended to mean homopolymers of acrylic acid crosslinked with polyalkenyl polyether . soya lecithin 0 . 8 % cholesterol 0 . 20 % vitamin e acetate 0 . 02 % sodium hyaluronate 0 . 05 % sodium nipagin 0 . 36 % sodium nipasol 0 . 04 % imidazolidinilurea 0 . 20 % bisodium edta 0 . 10 % triethanolamine 0 . 2 % ( p . b . w .) purified water u . p . q . d . s . to 100 % a ) the following ingredients are dissolved : sodium nipagin 0 . 36 %— sodium nipasol 0 . 04 %— imidazolidinilurea 0 . 20 %— bisodium edta 0 . 10 %— sodium hyaluronate 0 . 05 % in purified water u . p . 55 % ( p . b . w .) b ) the following ingredients are dissolved : vitamin e acetate 0 . 02 %— soya lecithin 0 . 8 %— cholesterol 0 . 20 % in ethyl alcohol 5 % ( p . b . w .) c ) a ) and b ) are combined , and after brief agitation the ethanol is removed under reduced pressure to obtain the liposome composition . propylene glycol 13 % ( p . b . w . )— lupulus t . m . ( p . b . w .) 1 % are added d ) carbopol 980 0 . 75 % is dispersed in purified water u . p . 23 . 28 %; and triethanolamine 0 . 2 % ( p . b . w .) is added to obtain the gelling of the polymer . e ) d ) and c ) are combined , agitating the mixture to complete homogeneity a formulation in the form of a gel cream is prepared with the following composition in p . b . w . %: lupulus t . m . ( p . b . w .) 1 % propylene glycol 13 % ( p . b . w .) carbopol 980 0 . 75 % soya lecithin 0 . 8 % cholesterol 0 . 20 % vitamin e acetate 0 . 02 % sodium hyaluronate 0 . 025 % sodium nipagin 0 . 36 % sodium nipasol 0 . 04 % imidazolidinilurea 0 . 20 % bisodium edta 0 . 10 % triethanolamine 0 . 2 % ( p . b . w .) purified water u . p . q . d . s . to 100 % a formulation is prepared in the form of a fluid cream with the following composition in p . b . w . %: lupulus t . m . ( p . b . w .) 1 % propylene glycol 13 % ( p . b . w .) carbopol 980 0 . 75 % soya lecithin 0 . 64 % cholesterol 0 . 16 % vitamin e acetate 0 . 02 % sodium hyaluronate 0 . 025 % sodium nipagin 0 . 36 % sodium nipasol 0 . 04 % imidazolidinilurea 0 . 20 % bisodium edta 0 . 10 % triethanolamine 0 . 2 % ( p . b . w .) purified water u . p . q . d . s . to 100 % a gel based on extract of lupulus formulated as in example 1 was studied in 10 post - menopausal women , aged between 45 and 70 , having objective and subjective symptoms of urogenital atrophy . the gel was applied to the external genitalia of the 10 women at the dose of 1 - 2 g per day for 30 days . during two visits , baseline and control , evaluations were made of the efficacy on the vulvo - vaginal objective symptoms ( oedema , erythema , leakages , genital atrophy ). the subjective urogenital symptoms ( pruritus and burning sensation ) were evaluated daily by the subjects and entered in a diary . the evaluations were all made according to a semi - quantitative scale from 1 ( symptom absent ) to 4 ( maximum severity of the symptom ). the results confirmed the reduction of the frequency and the intensity of all the symptoms and a good safety profile . a gel formulation prepared as in example 1 was studied in 100 adult women affected by vaginal dryness and other disorders correlated to genital atrophy . each woman applied the product deeply in the vagina , by means of a cannula , at a rate of 2 . 5 g of gel per day for one week , followed by 2 applications per week for another 11 weeks . the primary parameter of efficacy consisted of the evaluation of vaginal dryness evaluated by means of a visual analog scale ( vas ). the secondary parameters comprised the evaluation of all the other objective and subjective associated symptoms ( pruritus , burning sensation , dyspareunia , vaginal inflammation / oedema and eruptions ) evaluated by means of a 4 - point scale , and also the presence of vaginal abrasions and disepithelialisation . the results show a marked effect of the product studied both on vaginal dryness , and on the other symptoms , which were reduced in a statistically significant manner starting from the first week of treatment , without exhibiting undesirable side effects . in order to verify whether the compound as per the example 1 is active through an estrogenic stimulation of the vaginal epithelium , this has been compared to an estrogenic gel formulation in an in vitro proliferation test of vaginal epithelium cells . the formulation of test product was equal to the formulation of example 1 ( called gynomunal ® in this investigation ) as reference formulation , it has been used the compound gelestra ®, commercially available on the italian market , with the following composition for a 2 . 5 g sachet as declared by the manufacturer : active principle : estradiol 1 . 5 mg ; other ingredients : ethylalcohol , methylparaben , propylparaben , carbopol , triethanolamine , purified water . gelestra ® is indicated in the treatment of symptoms due to menopause - induced estrogenic deficiency . vaginal cell line hela ( human negroid cervix epitheloid carcinoma ) ( ecacc n . 93021013 ) has been allowed to proliferate in plastic flasks in 20 ml of minimum essential medium eagle ( emem ) containing 1 % v / v of a solution penicillin - streptomycin 100 × ( pen / strep ), 1 % v / v of glutamin 2 mm , 1 % v / v of non essential aminoacids and stored into a 5 % co2 incubator at 37 ° c . after 5 days , the obtained tissue on the flask bottom has been washed with “ dulbecco &# 39 ; s phosphate buffered saline ” ( pbs ) and treated with 1 ml of trypsin - edta 2000 × solution to re - suspend cells . cell culture has been incubated for 2 min . after inactivation of trypsin , cell suspension has been centrifuged at 1000 rpm for 10 min and re - suspended in the same medium . gelestra ® and the test product as per the example 1 have been diluted in a medium prepared as previously described , in order to obtain an estradiol concentration of 10 - 6m ( gelestra ®). 200 μl of samples have been in contact with cells for 24 hours . 200 μl of neutral red ( nr ) 0 . 33 mg / ml ( tox kit 4 , sigma - aldrich ,) has been added . after 2 hours , cells have been washed and treated with a cacl2 1 % w / v and formaldehyde 0 . 5 % w / v solution . lysosome membranes have been broken by using 200 μl of a 1 % w / v ch3cooh ethanol 50 % v / v solution . absorbance has been recorded at 490 nm with a 650 nm filter by using a elisa plate reader . evaluation of both test and reference performances is shown in fig . ( 4 - 6 ) as % of cell proliferation , normalised to the medium and as an average of experiments performed during 3 different days . the proliferation of vaginal cells induced by the test product as per the example 1 is very low and significantly lower than that induced by the reference gelestra ® due to the presence of estrogens in the latter composition ( mann whitney test , p & lt ; 0 . 01 for all experiments ). thus , it is concluded that the test product as per the example 1 does not show any estrogenic effect in this model .
compositions for vaginal use comprising lupulus and an excipient base suitable for application in the vaginal and / or vulvar region , for the treatment of vaginal dryness and of the disorders correlated thereto , pruritus , burning sensation , dryness , dyspareunia ; they are also particularly useful for delaying and attenuating the changes in the physiological trophism of the vulvar and vaginal tissue and mucosa .