High intake of selenium, beta-carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E reduces growth of Helicobacter pylori in the guinea pig.
OBJECTIVE
Helicobacter pylori is a human gastroduodenal pathogen associated with type-B gastritis and gastric cancer. Low gastric tissue antioxidant levels are believed to increase the risk of developing gastric cancer. We investigated whether dietary antioxidant levels protect against infection and type-B gastritis in H. pylori-infected guinea pigs.


METHODS
Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs infected for 6 weeks with H. pylori were fed diets with various antioxidant levels. Stomach specimens were cultured, and gastritis was graded from 0 to 3.


RESULTS
Supplementation with vitamins A, C, and E and with selenium yielded H. pylori recovery from 17% of challenged animals, compared with 43% of those fed a control diet. Gastritis was scored at 0.33 and 0.93, respectively. Supplementation with only vitamin C or astaxanthin had less effect on gastritis and recovery rate. In a second experiment, gastritis score in a group given vitamins A, C, E, and selenium and beta-carotene was 2.25 and in a control group, it was 2.57. The H. pylori recovery rate was 75 and 100%, respectively, with fewer colonies from animals given antioxidant supplementation (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A combination of antioxidants can protect against H. pylori infection in guinea pigs. In animal studies, antioxidant intake should be low to optimize development of H. pylori-associated disease. Furthermore we established that H. pylori causes severe gastritis in guinea pigs.
Sjunnesson
H
H
Department of Medical Microbiology, Dermatology and Infection, Lund University, Sweden.
Sturegård
E
E
Willén
R
R
Wadström
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004032:Diet; D005756:Gastritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D012643:Selenium; D001205:Ascorbic Acid