Phytoceuticals: Mighty but ignored weapons against Helicobacter pylori infection

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes peptic ulcer disease, mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas and gastric adenocarcinomas, for which the pathogenesis of chronic gastric inflammation prevails and provides the pathogenic basis. Since the role of H. pylori infection is promoting carcinogenesis rather than acting as a direct carcinogen, as several publications show, eradication alone cannot be the right answer for preventing H. pylori‐associated gastric cancer. Therefore, a non‐antimicrobial approach has been suggested to attain microbe‐associated cancer prevention through controlling H. pylori‐related chronic inflammatory processes and mediators responsible for carcinogenesis. Phytoceutical is a term for plant products that are active on biological systems. Phytoceuticals such as Korean red ginseng, green tea, red wine, flavonoids, broccoli sprouts, garlic, probiotics and flavonoids are known to inhibit H. pylori colonization, decrease gastric inflammation by inhibiting cytokine and chemokine release, and repress precancerous changes by inhibiting nuclear factor‐kappa B DNA binding, inducing profuse levels of apoptosis and inhibiting mutagenesis. Even though further unsolved issues are awaited before phytoceuticals are accepted as a standard treatment for H. pylori infection, phytoceuticals can be a mighty weapon for either suppressing or modulating the disease‐associated footprints of H. pylori infection.

Dietary micronutrients and gastric cancer: hospital based study

“…However, because dietary vitamin C intake was significantly correlated with other protective compounds such as phytochemical (mostly from similar food resources), we cannot exclude the possibility that this protective effect from vitamin C may in part have resulted from these compounds [24,25].…”

Erratum to effects of curcumin on Helicobacter pylori infection

“…With over 50% of the population (higher in developing countries) infected with H. pylori, various drugs have been routinely used for eradication of this infection. However, steadily increasing resistance to antibiotics, undesirable side effects, and raising costs have given rise to the recent surge of interest in alternative approaches (22,23).…”

“…With over 50% of the population (higher in developing countries) infected with H. pylori, various drugs have been routinely used for eradication of this infection. However, steadily increasing resistance to antibiotics, undesirable side effects, and raising costs have given rise to the recent surge of interest in alternative approaches (22,23).Curcumin, the principle yellow pigment from the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa), is known for a wide range of biological and pharmaceutical effects, most of all as an anti-inflammatory agent (24). Not surprisingly, curcumin has been evaluated as a potential anti-H. pylori agent.…”

Endoscopic Gastritis: What Does It Mean?

“…Hypertrophic gastritis, congestive gastropathy, and hemorrhagic gastritis are major endoscopic findings that can be seen immediately after H. pylori infection. H. pylori infection is known to be a cause of several gastric diseases such as peptic ulcer disease, mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer with accumulating evidences that chronic inflammation can induce gene mutations, gene amplifications, and DNA dislocations in the affected cells [12]. When H. pylori is concentrated only on the antrum, it usually leads to duodenal lesions such as duodenal ulcer.…”

“…For example, erosive gastritis is linked to obesity and hypoadiponectinemia [3], whereas open-type atrophic gastritis, metaplastic gastritis, and nodular gastritis are linked to gastric cancer [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Therefore, one must pay attention to the diagnostic features of gastritis during the endoscopic examination.…”