Abstract

Helicobacter pylori, an etiological agent of active chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease, is now considered to be an invasive enteropathogen. Anti-adhesion and anti-internalization are new strategies for prevention and treatment of bacterial infection including the alternative of medicinal plants. In this study, four parts ofKaempferia parviflora’s extracts composing of volatile oil, hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol were examined for their antibacterial and anti-internalization activities ofH. pylori against HEp-2 cells. All extracts except volatile oil showed significant antibacterial activity and had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 32 - 64 µg/ml. The most active extract of ethyl acetate exhibited significant anti-internalization activity which corresponded to dose and time of treatment. Moreover,K. parviflora’s ethyl acetate extract could significantly inhibit the invasion of both H. pylori virulent strains (cagA⁺) and non-virulent strains (cagA^-) in HEp-2 cells. Thus,K. parviflora is one of the effective herbs for potential prevention and treatment of H. pylori infection.

Key words: Helicobacter pylori, Kaempferia parviflora, HEp-2 cells, anti-internalization activity.

Abbreviation

MIC, Minimum inhibitory concentration; CFU, colony forming unit;cagA⁺, Helicobacter pylori virulent strains; cagA^-, Helicobacter pylori non-virulent strains.