Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with digestive complaints using urea breath test in Mashhad, northeast Iran

Helicobacter pylori infection is the most common gastrointestinal bacterial disease worldwide. Although using culture is considered as the golden standard method for diagnosis of H. pylori infection, urea breath test is a notable alternative method because it is an easy, quick, and non-invasive approach. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with digestive discomforts using urea breath test in Mashhad County, northeast of Iran. The study involved 814 patients, 467 women and 347 men, aged 17-80 years, with gastrointestinal symptom from January 2007 to November 2008. The urea breath test was performed and the patients ingested a solution of isotope labeled urea. The expired air was collected and was analyzed using the Heliprobe breath card [Noster System, Stockholm, Sweden]. The results of the test were positive for 698 out 814 [85.75%] patients including 403 [86.30%] of women and 295 [85.01%] of men. However, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. Positive cases were classified by age. The highest prevalence rate of H. pylori infection was observed among 50-60 years old patients. The infection of H. pylori is very common among patients who have gastric complain and can be easily diagnosed by noninvasive urea breath test. Since H. pylori infection is related to poor prognosis outcomes such as gastric cancer. Therefore, screening and treatment of infected people especially symptomatic cases using urea breath test is a priority

Inhibition of helicobacter pylori growth in vitro by saffron [Crocus sativus L.]

Anti-Helicobacter pylori effects of saffron [Crocus sativus L., lridacea] and its major constituents, crocin and saftanal, were evaluated. Macerated aqueous and methanol extracts tested against 45 clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori, using paper disc diffusion method [DDM] on modified egg yolk emulsion agar [EYE agar]. Four antibiotics also tested against all isolates as positive control. Although there were small differences in sensitivity among the isolates tested, but all isolates were susceptible to methanol and aqueous extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations [MIC] of methanol extract, crocin and saftanal measured as 677, 26.5 and 16.6 mg/ml, respectively, using agar dilution method. The results showed that high temperature did not have any effect on the activity of extracts, crocin and saftanal. The effect of pH on the activity of methanol extract indicated no significant difference at pH 5 to 8, in comparison with the control. The results indicated that saffion has a moderate anti-Helicobacter activity