title: Lactobacillus acidophilus inhibits growth of Campylobacter pylori in vitro.
abstract: Campylobacter pylori has been implicated as a causative factor in acid-peptic disease. Lactobacillus acidophilus is known to inhibit the growth of pathogens in the human gastrointestinal tract. We recovered C. pylori from gastric antral biopsies of seven patients with acid-peptic disease; the isolates were then cultured in brucella broth. The effect of L. acidophilus (cultured in DeMan-Rogosa-Sharpe broth) on the growth of C. pylori was tested by a mixed culture technique. L. acidophilus inhibited the growth of all seven isolates of C. pylori in vitro. All these isolates were also inhibited by the L. acidophilus culture supernatant (brucella blood agar cup technique) obtained at or after 48 h of incubation. Inhibition of C. pylori growth was also observed with 1 and 3% lactic acid but not with 0.5 and 1% hydrogen peroxide, the L. acidophilus sonic extract, or a citrate-phosphate buffer (pH 4.0). We conclude that the inhibitory action of L. acidophilus on C. pylori is dependent on an extracellular secretory product, probably lactic acid. This inhibitory effect may be of therapeutic relevance in patients with C. pylori-positive acid-peptic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Bombay, India.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kochar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D002167:Campylobacter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019344:Lactic Acid; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000502:physiology*; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid