Effect of Non Antibiotic Antimicrobial Curcuma Longa on Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori] induced gastric infection and inflammation, which is potentially carcinogenic, is common in India. Despite the availability of triple drug therapy, its failure is quite common due to the high cost factor, adverse drug reactions and emerging resistance to antibiotics. This necessitates the need for discovering new drugs for treating H. pylori infection. Curcumin [diferuloylmethane], an active ingredient of turmeric [curcumin longa], has been extensively studied and proved to be effective in eradicating H. pylori infection, correcting gastric mucosal damage and to prevent or regress gastric carcinogenesis. Curcumin has strong free radical scavenging and anti oxidant property. It bears anti inflammatory and antimicrobial potential against H. pylori. Mechanisms of its antimicrobial actions are l) The inhibition of shikimate pathway by inhibiting enzyme shikimate dehydrogenase [SDH] resulting in to the failure of synthesizing aromatic amino acids [AAA]. folates and ubiquinone. 2) By inhibiting the assembly dynamics of bacterial profilament FtsZ. Curcumin has anti tumerogenesis potential through it's anti inflammatory, antioxidant and free radical scavenging actions. Thus curcumin provides potential alternative or an adjunct therapy to treat H. pylori infection and prevent it's complications.