Urease Inhibitors from Nasturtium officinale Extract for the Treatment of Urease Expressing Bacterial Infections

Urease is a virulence factor associated with Helicobacter pylori infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and incontinence associated dermatitis. Currently, few treatment options are available to treat urease-positive infections. Acetohydroxamic acid is the only licensed urease inhibitor, licensed in the USA under the name Lithostat. Nasturtium officinale (watercress) is a member of the Brassicaceae family. It has various potential medicinal properties which are little explored. In this study, its potential utility as a treatment option for urease-positive infections was tested. Various compounds present within N. officinale extract are potential urease inhibitors: In vitro, the ability of N. officinale extract to prevent accumulation of ammonia produced in Proteus mirabilis cultures was studied with two potential therapeutic mechanisms identified: 1. Inhibition of the urease enzyme, preventing the production of ammonia; 2. Sequestration of ammonia by isothiocyanates. Putative evidence of activity, in terms of protection of skin barrier function, was obtained in an in vivo human model, where the N. officinale extract was potentially able to prevent erythema caused by ammonia irritation. Finally in silico docking experiments were performed to investigate the binding of compounds found within N. officinale to H. pylori bacterial urease. The anti-inflammatory and antiureolytic properties of N. officinale extract could be utilized as a treatment against urease-positive infections.