[Staining for Helicobacter pylori on gastric mucosa with dye from red cabbage during endoscopy]

Helicobacter pylori has a high urease activity and produces ammonia from urea, resulting in elevation of mucosal pH. Based on this characteristics of H. pylori, we have developed a method for staining H. pylori under endoscopy using dye from red cabbage (San-red RC, San-Ei Chemical Ind., Osaka), a pH indicator, safe for clinical use. After administration of a proton-pump inhibitor and an H2-receptor antagonist, the dye solution, mixed with 2% urea, was sprayed over the mucosa by endoscope. Change in color of the dye was found in some areas infected with H. pylori. The change in color reflects urease activity or amount of ammonia. This method may be useful to find the distribution of H. pylori in the mucosa and to examine the H. pylori-infected mucosa pathophysiologically.