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Phytotherapeutics against Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni |
 Investigations into the Antibacterial Activities of herbal medicines against Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni have highlighted important herbs.
C. jejuni is the most common
cause of enteric infections, particularly among children, resulting in severe diarrhoea. Increasing drug resistance
of these bacteria against standard antibiotics, and the more widespread use of herbal medicines, favours investigations
into additional anti-Helicobacter and anti-Campylobacter effects of phytotherapeutics that are already
used for their benefi cial effects on bowel and digestive functions.
Twenty-one hydroethanol herbal extracts and four essential oils were screened for antibacterial activity using
a modifi cation of a previously described micro-dilution assay and compared with the inhibitory effects of antibiotics.
The herbal extracts showing the highest growth inhibition of C. jejuni were Calendula offi cinalis,
Matricaria recutita, Zingiber offi cinale, Salvia offi cinalis, Foeniculum vulgare and Silybum marianum.
Agrimonia eupatoria, Hydrastis canadensis, Filipendula ulmaria and Salvia offi cinalis were the most active
herbal extracts in inhibiting the growth of H. pylori. This study provides evidence for additional benefi cial
effects of phytotherapeutics marketed for their gastrointestinal effects and identifi es new benefi cial antibacterial
effects for some herbal medicines not currently recommended for gastrointestinal problems.
Source:
C. Cwikla,1 K. Schmidt,1 A. Matthias,2 K. M. Bone,2,3 R. Lehmann2 and E. Tiralongo1*
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
Phytother. Res. 24: 649-656 (2010) |
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