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Monotherapy with mastic does not eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection from mice
Michael F Loughlin1, Dlawer A Ala'Aldeen, Peter J Jenks
1Institute of Infections and Immunity, Floor C, West Block, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, UK.
Objective:
To determine the ability of mastic monotherapy to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection from mice.
Materials And Methods:
The susceptibility of H. pylori SS1 to mastic was assessed by broth dilution determination of the MIC and MBC. Mice were inoculated intragastrically with either a suspension of H. pylori SS1 (n = 70) or brain-heart infusion broth alone (n = 10). Mice were given antimicrobial chemotherapy 4 weeks after infection and were administered the mouse equivalent of either 2 g of mastic twice daily for 7 days or a triple therapy regimen containing the mouse equivalent of 400 mg of metronidazole, 250 mg of clarithromycin and 20 mg of omeprazole twice daily for 7 days. Mice were killed either immediately or 1 month after the completion of treatment, and their stomachs cultured for H. pylori.
Results:
The mastic MIC and MBC of H. pylori SS1 were 7.80 and 31.25 mg/L, respectively. The triple therapy regimen eradicated infection from 19 of 20 SS1-infected mice. Mastic failed to eradicate infection from any of the 18 SS1-infected mice (P < 0.001) and there was no signifi- cant reduction in gastric bacterial load in mice treated with this regimen.
Conclusion:
Despite reported beneficial effects in ulcer patients and the good in vitro activity of mastic against H. pylori, this compound is unable to eradicate H. pylori infection from mice.