Korean J Gastroenterol.  2002 Sep;40(3):159-165.

In Vitro and In Vivo Activities of Garlic against Helicobacter pylori

• Roe IH
• Nam SW
• Myung NH
• Kim JT
• Shin JH

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study assessed the effects of the raw and heated garlic on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.
METHODS
The concentration of garlic thiosulfinates was determined by spectrophotometric method from the raw and heated aqueous garlic extract. Bacterial suspensions of H. pylori, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans were inoculated into their culture media containing thiosulfinates at concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 80, and 160 microgram/mL, respectively. Viability was measured by the plate colony count technique. In vivo effects of raw and heated garlic on H. pylori-infected gerbil model were also determined.
RESULTS
Raw garlic showed a strong activity at low concentrations of thiosulfinates against H. pylori and other microorganisms, compared with weak activity of heated garlic. Chronic and active gastric inflammation were significantly improved by the treatment of 0.8 mg/mL raw garlic compared to H. pylori-infected control group. However, such effect was not observed at 1.6 mg/mL dose. Heated garlic had no beneficial effect.
CONCLUSIONS
Raw garlic has an excellent inhibitory activity against H. pylori infection.

Keyword

Garlic; Thiosulfinate; Inhibitory effect; H. pylori-infected gerbil model

MeSH Terms

Candida albicans
Culture Media
Escherichia coli
Garlic*
Gerbillinae
Helicobacter pylori*
Helicobacter*
Hot Temperature
Inflammation
Staphylococcus aureus
Suspensions
Culture Media
Suspensions