1. Mastic gum has no effect on Helicobacter pylori load in vivo.
- Author
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Bebb JR, Bailey-Flitter N, Ala'Aldeen D, and Atherton JC
- Subjects
- Breath Tests, Helicobacter Infections diagnosis, Helicobacter Infections microbiology, Humans, Mastic Resin, Urea metabolism, Helicobacter Infections drug therapy, Helicobacter pylori, Resins, Plant therapeutic use
- Abstract
Objective: To determine whether mastic gum suppresses or eradicates Helicobacter pylori infection in humans., Patients and Methods: Nine patients with H. pylori infection, and without gastroduodenal ulceration, were recruited from day-case endoscopy lists and treated with mastic 1 g four times daily for 14 days. [13C]Urea breath tests (UBTs) were carried out immediately before, on day 15 and 5 weeks after treatment with mastic., Results: Mastic had no effect on H. pylori status in any of the eight completed patients; all remained H. pylori positive by UBT with no change in delta scores [pre-treatment mean +/- s.e.m. 19.1 +/- 3.7, day 15 (post-treatment) 18.7 +/- 3.8, P = 0.8, paired t-test]., Conclusion: Despite reported anti-H. pylori action in vitro, this preliminary study shows that mastic has no effect on H. pylori in humans.
- Published
- 2003
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