Zidoval 7.5mg/g Vaginal Gel (metronidazole) 40g

Zidoval vaginal gel contains metronidazole 0.75% (7.5mg in each gram). It is a prescription antibiotic gel that you put into the vagina to treat bacterial vaginosis (BV). At Bury Healthcare Online we supply it to people who have had BV diagnosed before and recognise the same symptoms. Each 40g tube comes with 5 applicators, one for each night of the 5-night course. To get Zidoval from us you complete a short online consultation, and a UK prescriber checks your answers before anything is dispatched.

How to get Zidoval gel online

1. Select Start Consultation. Choosing Zidoval is a preference: the final decision is made with your prescriber.
2. Complete a short online consultation about your symptoms, your health and any medicines you take. It takes about 5 minutes.
3. A UK prescriber checks your answers against your NHS Summary Care Record (with your consent) or with a short phone call. After you order, we also ask you to confirm your identity online. The prescriber may suggest a different BV treatment or decide treatment isn’t suitable. If it isn’t suitable, you get a full refund.
4. Approved orders are dispatched in plain packaging from our GPhC-registered pharmacy in Bury (GPhC 1126145).

We supply one course per order. With your consent, we send your GP a short summary of the treatment.

Who this service is for

This service is for people aged 18 to 64 who have had BV diagnosed before by a doctor, nurse or sexual health clinic and have the same symptoms again, such as a thin white or grey discharge with a fishy smell. It isn’t suitable if:

• this is the first time you’ve had these symptoms (you need a swab test to confirm it’s BV)
• you are pregnant, could be pregnant or are breastfeeding
• you have had BV 3 or more times in the last 12 months
• you have pain in your lower tummy or pelvis, a fever, bleeding between periods or after sex, or sores or blisters

A sexual health clinic or your GP can help in these situations. Itching and a thick white discharge are more likely to be thrush, which Zidoval doesn’t treat.

What is Zidoval?

Zidoval is a gel containing metronidazole, an antibiotic from a group of medicines called nitroimidazoles. It works inside the vagina to kill the bacteria that grow too much when someone has BV. Because it is used in the vagina, much less of the medicine reaches the rest of your body than with metronidazole tablets.

How to use Zidoval gel

• Use one full applicator (5g of gel) once a day at bedtime, for 5 nights in a row.
• Fill the applicator from the tube, lie on your back with your knees bent, and gently insert the applicator into the vagina as far as is comfortable. Press the plunger to release the gel.
• Use a new applicator each night.
• Use the full 5-night course, even if your symptoms improve sooner.
• Using it during your period isn’t recommended. Tell your prescriber if your period is due during treatment.

Sex, alcohol and other vaginal products

• Avoid sex while you have BV and during treatment.
• We ask you not to drink alcohol during treatment and for 48 hours after. Reactions to alcohol are much less likely with the gel than with tablets, but they can’t be ruled out.
• Don’t use other vaginal products, such as douches, during treatment.

Who shouldn’t use Zidoval

Don’t use Zidoval if you are allergic to metronidazole, similar medicines (nitroimidazoles) or parabens. Zidoval contains methyl and propyl parabens, which can cause allergic reactions, and propylene glycol, which can irritate the skin. Tell your prescriber if you:

• have had a blood disorder
• might have vaginal thrush, as BV treatment can make thrush symptoms more noticeable
• are pregnant, trying for a baby or breastfeeding
• take warfarin, lithium, ciclosporin or fluorouracil

Side effects

Common side effects include vaginal thrush, vaginal itching, burning or discharge, pelvic discomfort, tummy cramps, feeling sick, headache and dizziness. If you get thrush symptoms such as itching and a thick white discharge after treatment, speak to a pharmacist.

Stop using Zidoval and get medical advice if you have a severe or widespread rash, or swelling of your lips, mouth or throat.

Tablets, gel or cream

We offer three prescription treatments for BV. Your prescriber can suggest a different one if it suits you better.

Prices include the consultation. Prescription medicines are supplied only after a prescriber has reviewed your consultation.

Important safety information

Call 999 if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips, mouth or throat, or difficulty breathing.

This page is a summary. Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine. See a sexual health clinic or GP if your symptoms haven’t gone within a week of finishing treatment, or if they keep coming back. You can report side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

Medically reviewed by Hassan Khan, MPharm, Independent Prescriber — Superintendent Pharmacist, Bury Healthcare Online (GPhC-registered pharmacy 1126145). Last reviewed: October 2026. Information checked against the Summary of Product Characteristics.

Read our BV treatment guide to compare prescription and non-prescription BV treatments, and to find out more about symptoms and when to see a GP.

Frequently asked questions