In vitro activity of Impatiens balsamina L. against multiple antibiotic-resistant Helicobacter pylori.

Impatiens balsamina L. has been used as indigenous medicine in Asia for the treatment of rheumatism, fractures, and fingernail inflammation. In this study, anti-H. pylori activity of I. balsamina L. was investigated. The MICs, MBCs, time-kill assay, and effect of environmental pH for the plant extracts were determined. The test H. pylori strains have resistance to clarithromycin (CLR), metronidazole (MTZ), and levofloxacin (LVX). From our results, all part (root/stem/leaf, seed, and pod) extracts of I. balsamina L. exhibited bactericidal H. pylori activity. Specifically, the pod extract had significantly lower MICs and MBCs (1.25-2.5 and 1.25-5.0 microg/ml, respectively). Of the five pod-extraction solvents, both ethyl acetate and acetone were the most efficient for the anti-H. pylori compounds of the pod extraction. The dose-dependency of the pod extract's bactericidal activity was H. pylori strain-dependent. Bactericidal H. pylori activity of the pod extract was not affected by the environmental pH (2-8). In summary, the acetone and ethyl acetate pod extracts of I. balsamina L. exhibited very strong anti-H. pylori activity. This activity exceeded that of MTZ and approximated to that of AMX.