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Antibacterial activity of black myrobalan (Terminalia chebula Retz) against Helicobacter pylori

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-8579(01)00352-1Get rights and content

Abstract

The effect of ether, alcoholic and water extracts of black myrobalan (Teminalia chebula Retz) on Helicobactor pylori were examined using an agar diffusion method on Columbia Agar. Water extracts of black myrobalan showed significant antibacterial activity and had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bacteriocidal concentration (MBC) of 125 and 150 mg/l, respectively. The extract was active after autoclaving for 30 min at 121°C. Plant powder (incorporated in agar) gave higher MIC and MBC values (150 and 175 mg/l, respectively). Water extracts of the black myrobalan at a concentration of 1–2.5 mg/ml inhibited urease activity of H. pylori. The results show that black myrobalan extracts contain a heat stable agent(s) with possible therapeutic potential. Other bacterial species were also inhibited by black myrobalan water extracts.

Introduction

Helicobctor pylori is an important cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulceration and gastric cancer in humans [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. The significance of these infections and the need for effective therapeutic agents have led to the development of several drug treatment regimens including colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS), together with antibiotics, such as amoxycillin and metronidazole [6], [7]. A complete cure does not always follow such therapy and resistant strains may develop leading to relapse [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16].

The antibacterial activity of several plant extracts have been tested against H. pylori. In 1996, Tabak et al. [17] showed that aqueous extracts of thyme and alcoholic extracts of cinnamon were effective against H. pylori. Earlier, in 1994, Diker and coworker [18] showed that extracts of both black and green tea had bactericidal activity against H. pylori within 5 min of exposure. Since black myrobalan powder is used in traditional medicine in southern and central parts of Iran as a remedy for human gastritis and peptic ulcers, we have looked at the antibacterial activity of black myrobalan powder and an extract against H. pylori and other pathogenic bacteria.

Section snippets

Preparation and evaluation of extracts

The dried powdered fruit of black myrobalan (10 g), was extracted by mechanical maceration with water, petroleum ether or ethanol at 35 °C for 24 h. The extracted liquids were filtered and the filtrates concentrated under vacuum, followed by drying (40 °C). Paper discs, 6 mm diameter (BBL, Becton Dickinson, Cockeysville, MD) were impregnated with selected concentrations of the extracts. The discs were dried and the amount of each extract in each disc was calculated. The agar diffusion method used

Results and Discussion

As shown in Table 1, aqueous extracts of black myrobalan were significantly more active than other extracts. There was no significant difference between isolates in sensitivity to the extracts. The aqueous extract preserved its antibacterial activity after autoclaving for 30 min at 121°C and was inhibitory at 125–150 mg/l. When the plant powder was tested directly against H. pylori, without grinding and/or extraction and using Colombia Agar plates, the MIC and MBC values were 150 and 175 mg/l,

Acknowledgements

This work was supported, in part, by a grant from the University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran and by Office of Naval Research Grant No. 00014-95-1-1250. We thank Dr Cecil Felkner for helpful discussions.

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