Anti-Bacterial Properties of Herbs against Helicobacter Pylori Infection: A Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Student Research Committee, Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Nutrition Research Center, Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium that lives in humanstomach. This bacterium is the most important cause of chronic gastritis,peptic and duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer. The therapies includethe use of antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor, but unfortunately,these therapeutic methods are not always responsive due to resistanceto antibiotics. In recent years, use of alternative treatment, includingmedicinal herbs was shown to have anti-H. Pylori properties. So, in thisreview, anti-H. Pylori features of herbals were investigated includingginger, garlic, cranberry, curcumin, green tea and broccoli sproutsderived through the search in Google Scholar search engine, and PubMedscientific database using English keywords such as Helicobacter pylori,anti-H. pylori, ginger, garlic, cranberry, curcumin, broccoli and greentea, between 1984 -2016. Results showed that ginger, garlic, cranberry,curcumin, broccoli and green tea have antibacterial, antioxidant andanti-inflammatory potential properties, and because of their role inprotecting the stomach against H. pylori infection, it seems, they can bean appropriate treatment option for patients with this infection.

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