Topical CBD Gel Reduced Pain During Sex for Women With Vestibulodynia
A topical gel combining CBD and the terpene myrcene significantly reduced dyspareunia in women with vestibulodynia compared to placebo over 60 days.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Women applying 5% CBD plus myrcene gel to the vulvar vestibule for 60 days experienced significantly greater reductions in pain during intercourse compared to placebo, though both groups showed some improvement in overall pain scores.
Key Numbers
40 women enrolled (20 active, 20 placebo); 60-day treatment period; significant improvement in dyspareunia VAS scores in the active group versus placebo.
How They Did This
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 40 women (20 per group) applying active gel or placebo to the vulvar vestibule for 60 days, measuring dyspareunia, pain, and vestibular cotton swab test scores on a 0-10 VAS scale.
Why This Research Matters
Vestibulodynia affects a significant number of women and current treatments are limited. This is one of the first RCTs testing topical CBD specifically for vulvar pain, offering a potential non-hormonal, non-opioid option.
The Bigger Picture
Topical CBD is being explored for various pain conditions, and this trial adds to the small but growing body of RCT evidence for localized CBD applications. The inclusion of myrcene, a cannabis-derived terpene, reflects growing interest in entourage effects.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample size (n=40) limits generalizability. The combined formulation makes it impossible to separate CBD effects from myrcene effects. Short follow-up period with no assessment of durability after stopping treatment.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would CBD alone without myrcene produce the same results?
- ?What is the optimal concentration and duration of treatment?
- ?Would results hold in a larger, multi-site trial?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 40 women, 60 days: CBD + myrcene gel beat placebo for dyspareunia relief
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: Although this is an RCT (the gold standard design), the very small sample size of 40 participants limits the strength of the conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025, reflecting current research.
- Original Title:
- Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cannabidiol Plus Myrcene for the Treatment of Vestibulodynia: A Multi-Centric Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Published In:
- Biomedicines, 13(10) (2025)
- Authors:
- Murina, Filippo, Ettore, Giuseppe, Fochesato, Cecilia, Castiglione, Maria Grazia, Caruso, Melania, Fonti, Ilenia, Savasi, Valeria
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07212
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is vestibulodynia?
Vestibulodynia is the most common form of vulvodynia, causing burning, irritation, and pain during intercourse localized to the vulvar vestibule. It involves neuropathic pain sensitization.
What role does myrcene play?
Myrcene is a terpene found in cannabis that may inhibit peripheral pain sensitization. In this study it was combined with CBD, making it impossible to isolate the individual contribution of each compound.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07212APA
Murina, Filippo; Ettore, Giuseppe; Fochesato, Cecilia; Castiglione, Maria Grazia; Caruso, Melania; Fonti, Ilenia; Savasi, Valeria. (2025). Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cannabidiol Plus Myrcene for the Treatment of Vestibulodynia: A Multi-Centric Randomized Controlled Trial.. Biomedicines, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13102440
MLA
Murina, Filippo, et al. "Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cannabidiol Plus Myrcene for the Treatment of Vestibulodynia: A Multi-Centric Randomized Controlled Trial.." Biomedicines, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13102440
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cannabidiol Plus Myrcene f..." RTHC-07212. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/murina-2025-efficacy-and-safety-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.