Bactericidal activity of Pistacia lentiscus mastic gum against Helicobacter pylori.
In this study we evaluated the antibacterial activity of mastic gum, a resin obtained from the Pistacia lentiscus tree, against clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori. The minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were obtained by a microdilution assay. Mastic gum killed 50% of the strains tested at a concentration of 125 microg/ml and 90% at a concentration of 500 microg/ml. The influence of sub-MBCs of mastic gum on the morphologies of H. pylori was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. The lentiscus resin induced blebbing, morphological abnormalities and cellular fragmentation in H. pylori cells.
Marone
P
P
Laboratorio di Batteriologia e Micologia--Area Infettivologica, IRCCS S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy. pmarone@smatteo.pv.it
Bono
L
L
Leone
E
E
Bona
S
S
Carretto
E
E
Perversi
L
L
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000069997:Mastic Resin; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000069997:Mastic Resin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012116:Resins, Plant