ABSTRACT
Although Helicobacter pylori is linked to the occurrence of chronic gastritis, its effect on the lower end of the esophagus is still an open question. This study aimed to investigate the histological changes in the mucosa in the lower end of the esophagus after experimental induction of chronic gastritis by H. pylori, with special emphasis on changes occurring under its different lines of eradication. Thirty-six adult female albino rats were divided into control [group I] and experimental [group II] groups. The latter group received 0.5 ml of H. pylori brucella broth through an orogastric tube in daily morning doses for 1 week. Eight weeks later, rats of group II were further subdivided into four subgroups: lla, lib, He, and lid. Rats of the latter three subgroups were treated for an additional 4 weeks with amoxicillin, curcuminoid extract, and a mixture of both, respectively, whereas subgroup lla underwent no treatment for H. pylori. Twelve weeks after induction of H. pylori, samples from the lower end of the esophagus were stained with H and E, Mallory's trichrome, and nitrotyrosine immunoperoxidase and studied morphometrically. Subgroup lla showed an increase in the height of the epithelium that had inflammatory infiltrations, mitotic cells, spaces separating prickle cells, and many keratohyalin granules. The lamina propria showed elongated connective tissue papillae, wide spaces, and inflammatory cells. There was a highly significant increase in the mean number of inflammatory cells, epithelial and connective tissue papillae height, thickness of keratohyalin granules-containing layer, and area% of nitrotyrosine immunostaining. Subgroup lib treated with amoxicillin showed worsening of histological and immunohistochemical changes as well as of all morphometrically measured values. However, subgroups He and lid showed improvement in most of these changes, H. pylori treated with amoxicillin worsened the inflammatory changes, whereas curcuminoid extract improved the condition. Further studies to evaluate the use of curcumin with other anti H. pylori drugs are needed