The common bacteria, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) have been implicated in gastric ulcers, chronic gastritis and cancer. H. pylori is present in nearly 50% of the global population. Conventional treatment includes antibiotics such as clarithromycin, although resistance to this antibiotic is steadily growing. Protykin® is a natural extract from Polygonum cuspidatum that contains 50% trans-resveratrol, an antioxidant compound present in red wines. Researchers evaluated the effects of compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties against a toxin-producing strain of H. pylori. Protykin®, vitamins C and E, and the antioxidant garcinol from Garcinia indica, were each added to preparations of H. pylori cells, which were cultured and grown. H. pylori colonies were counted and compared to control cultures with no added antioxidants. The experiments were then repeated with the addition of clairthromycin to all cultures. Vitamin C, Protykin®, and garcinol alone, destroyed 37%, 91% and 87% of the bacteria, respectively. Protykin® alone was just as effective as a mixture of garcinol and Protykin®, while vitamin E had no effect. Adding clarithromycin to the individual antioxidants increased the number of bacteria killed by 55-76% compared to controls. In addition to their antimicrobial action, the antioxidants might also help to reduce the free radical damage and gastric injury produced by H. pylori. The authors conclude that Protykin®, as well as vitamin C and garcinol, are potential, natural antagonists to H. Pylori.

Source: Chatterjee A, Bagchi D, Yasmin T, Stohs SJ, Antimicrobial Effects of Antioxidants With and Without Clarithromycin on Helicobacter pylori, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 270:125-120, 2005.