In Vitro Effects of Vitamins C and E on Helicobacter pylori

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamins C and E on Helicobacter pylori in vitro, in other words in the absence of the in vivo dynamics of the gastric mucosa. The study included 32 patients with H. pylori-positive nonulcer dyspepsia. Tissue samples from antrum and corpus, which were taken during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were Gram stained and seeded onto culture plates supplemented with 7% horse blood for H. pylori culture. Plates were incubated in a microaerophilic environment. Isolated H. pylori strains were identified on Gram-stained smears and with urease test. Different concentrations of vitamins C, E and E+C were added into the Columbia Blood Agar plates containing 7% defibrinated horse blood at appropriate temperature in order to produce vitamin added media. Equal amounts of H. pylori colonies (equivalent to 1McFarland turbidity standard unit) were inoculated onto media plates. Media groups were as follows: 1. Control group, 2. Vitamin C added group, 3. Vitamin E added group, 4. Vitamins C and E added group. Growth of H. pylori was seen in all culture media. By counting each colony, the total number of colony forming units (CFUs) on each plate was determined as 10 3 CFU/ml in two groups (60 µl vitamin E group and 20 µl vitamin C+60 µl vitamin E group). The total number of CFUs in other groups (including the control group) were approximately 1-2x10 2 CFU/ml. Inhibition of growth was not observed in any groups and there was a 1 log increase in plates with high levels of vitamin E. The present study shows that vitamins C and E had no inhibitory effects on H. pylori in vitro.