Suppressive effect of rice extract on Helicobacter pylori infection in a Mongolian gerbil model.
BACKGROUND
Rice extract has been shown to protect gastric mucosa from stress-induced damage. In this study, the antibiotic effect and the anti-inflammatory effect of orally administered aqueous rice extract on Helicobacter pylori infection and H. pylori-induced gastritis, respectively, in Mongolian gerbils were investigated.


METHODS
Fifty specific-pathogen-free male Mongolian gerbils, seven weeks old, were divided into four groups: uninfected, untreated animals (group A); uninfected, rice extract-treated animals (group B); H. pylori-infected, untreated animals (group C); and H. pylori-infected, rice extract-treated animals (group D). Group C and D animals were killed 12 weeks after H. pylori infection (i.e., at 19 weeks of age) and group A and B animals were also killed at age 19 weeks. The stomachs were removed for histopathological examination with hematoxylin-and-eosin staining and anti-5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunostaining, and to determine the bacterial burden. Serum anti-H. pylori antibody titers were also tested.


RESULTS
In groups A and B, the gastric mucosa showed no inflammatory cell infiltration and a few BrdU-reactive cells. Group C animals developed marked chronic active gastritis in the gastric mucosa, and BrdU-labeled cells in the gastric mucosa markedly increased in number. In group D animals, a significant reduction occurred in the degree of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear cell infiltration into the gastric mucosa, in the BrdU-labeling indices of gastric epithelial cells, and in anti-H. pylori antibody titers in the serum (P < 0.01), compared with although H. pylori was not completely eradicated.


CONCLUSIONS
The rice extract was effective in suppressing inflammation and epithelial cell proliferation in the gastric mucosa in H. pylori-infected Mongolian gerbils. The rice extract has potential to exhibit a protective effect on H. pylori-related gastric mucosal diseases.
Murakami
Maki
M
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
Ota
Hiroyoshi
H
Sugiyama
Atsushi
A
Ishizone
Satoshi
S
Maruta
Fukuto
F
Akita
Noriyuki
N
Okimura
Yukie
Y
Kumagai
Toshiko
T
Jo
Megumi
M
Tokuyama
Takashi
T
D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D012275:Oryza; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011336:Probability; D011897:Random Allocation; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D028321:Plant Preparations