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New search Medicine profile Povidone-Iodine vaginal preparations

Clinical medicine profile

Povidone-Iodine vaginal preparations

Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)

POM
Evidence state General guidance Reviewed 14 Aug 2026
Route
See product SmPC
Schedule
POM
ATC
Not assigned
PPB status
registered
Patient advice Check interactions
Verification required

This profile needs source confirmation

Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.

01 Risk first

Safety essentials

The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
  • Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.

Precautions

  • Obtain allergy and medication history.
  • Adjust for renal/hepatic impairment, pregnancy, lactation, extremes of age and interacting drugs.
  • Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest appropriate duration.
  • Monitor for expected class adverse effects.
02 Point of care

Dosing matrix

Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.

Adult

Dose for pessaries: 400mg, inserted into vagina at night. For gels and douches: One applicatorful of gel is inserted each night

Paediatric

See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.

Renal

Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.

  • CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Hepatic

Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.

03 Clinical use

Use, effects & interactions

Indications

  • Monilial, trichomonal and non-specific vaginitis Clinical selection for Povidone-Iodine vaginal preparations should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
  • Class context: Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class).
  • Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.

Adverse effects

  • Adverse reactions vary by agent.
  • Counsel on common predictable effects and serious warning symptoms (allergy, severe rash, jaundice, unusual bleeding, severe GI symptoms, neurological changes).
  • Report suspected ADRs via national pharmacovigilance channels.
  • Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
  • Document allergy status and key interactions.
04 Pharmacology

Mechanism & disposition

Iodine precipitates the proteins of the microorganisms by forming salts via direct halogenation.

Iodine precipitates the proteins of the mi…The biological activity of Povidone-iodine…
Read complete mechanism

Iodine precipitates the proteins of the microorganisms by forming salts via direct halogenation. The biological activity of Povidone-iodine is due to the fact that it releases free iodine.

Onset

Product-specific

Duration

Product-specific

Route

See product SmPC

Elimination

are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT

Half-life

when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.

05 Special populations

Pregnancy, lactation & diet

Pregnancy

Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.

Lactation

Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.

06 Kenya market

Brands & loaded prices

From—
Median—
Listings0
BrandManufacturerPackObserved price
No reviewed brand listings are linked yet.
07 Provenance

Sources & review state

Primary sourceLocal active-ingredient clinical extract; Professional class pharmacology (Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class))
Last reviewed14 Aug 2026
EvidenceGeneral guidance

Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.