In 2014, the Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine along with the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine published a paper to explore complementary and alternative medicine for women suffering from genital infections. According to the authors, exploring safe and efficacious alternative treatment strategies for patients suffering from genital infection is necessary because the common antibiotic treatment has been shown to cause gut flora imbalances. One of the alternative therapies discussed is “steaming washing therapy” also known as vaginal steaming. According to their research, vaginal steaming focuses on mucosal absorption through the genitalia and “both the herbs and the heat coordinate to accelerate the absorption of the [herbal] medicine into the [targeted topical] location.”

Researchers conclude that three vaginal steam herbal formulas show efficacy treating both vaginitis and cervicitis. The herbal formulas for Cervicitis & Vaginitis follow:

Kushentang
Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, Fructus Cnidii, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Rhizoma Atractylodis, Fructus Kochiae, Cortex Phellodendri

Shechuangzisan
Fructus Cnidii, Fructus Kochiae, Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, Stemona  sessilifolia, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis, Cortex Dictamni

Longdanxiegantang
Radix Gentianae, Radix Scutellariae, Gardenia  jasminoides Ellis, Rhizoma Alismatis, Caulis Akebiae, Semen Plantaginis, Angelica  sinensis, Radix Rehmanniae, Radix Bupleuri, Glycyrrhiza  uralensis