African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12474

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of curcumin on Helicobacter pylori biofilm formation

Panan Pattiyathanee1,2, Ratha-korn Vilaichone3 and Nuntaree Chaichanawongsaroj1*
  1Department of Transfusion Medicine, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 154 Rama I road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand. 2Inter-department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Graduated School, Chulalongkorn University, 10300 Thailand. 3Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Thammasat University, 12120 Thailand.
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 27 August 2009
  •  Published: 05 October 2009

Abstract

 

Helicobacter pylori is a leading etiologic agent causing peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. The alternative lifestyle as a biofilm facilitates H. pylori to survive in adverse environments. Here, we investigated effect of curcumin on H. pylori biofilm formation both qualitatively by pellicle assay and quantitatively by crystal violet staining. Three-dimensional structure of biofilm was imaged by scanning electron microscopy. The effect of curcumin on H. pylori adherence to HEp-2 cells was also investigated. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of curcumin inhibited the biofilm in dose dependent manner. However, H. pylori could restore ability to form biofilm during extended time of incubation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed less amorphous extracellular polymeric matrix, slow of morphological conversion to coccoid form with cell damage after curcumin treatment. Curcumin significantly decreased the ability of H. pylori to adhere to the HEp-2 cells. Our findings demonstrated advantages of curcumin to inhibit biofilm formation by H. pylori, making it as a potential complimentary medicine for curing of H. pylori-biofilm related infections.

 

Key words: Helicobacter pylori, biofilm, curcumin, adhesion, scanning electron microcopy, sub-inhibitory concentrations.