ABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori infection is now known to be the most common cause of histological gastritis. The mucosal pathology of H. pylori infection may in part be due to excessive production of reactive oxygen metabolites [ROMs] by phagocytes. To study the influence of H. pylori infection on mucosal superoxide dismutase, the major scavenger enzyme of ROM, was investigated.The activity of superoxide dismutase was measured by spectrophotometrical enzyme activity assay, in gastric biopsy homogenates of persons with normal mucosa [n = 10], in patients with H. pylori related gastritis [n = 45] and in patients with non H. pylori related gastritis [n = 10]. Infection and gastritis were confirmed by a combination of biochemical, serology [ELISA] and histology.The activity of superoxide dismutase was increased by about 5 - 6 fold in H. pylori related gastritis more than the healthy mucosae of normal control group [P < 0.001]. At the same time the activity of superoxide dismutase was increased by about twofold to threefold in Non - H. pylori gastritis in comparison with the control group [P < 0.01]. Still there was twofold increase in the activity of SOD in H. pylori gastritis in comparison with the patients of gastritis with negative H. pylori infection [P < 0.05]. Reactive oxygen metabolites [ROMs] may have an important role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori gastritis