Fermented-Rhus verniciflua extract ameliorate Helicobacter pylori eradication rate and gastritis.

An antibacterial effect of fermented-Rhus verniciflua extract (FRVE), an urushiol-free extract fermented by Fomitella fraxinea, on Helicobacter pylori was evaluated in mice. Minimal inhibitory concentration of FRVE against H. pylori eradication was checked with serial dilution method in vitro. H. pylori infection-induced mice were utilized to determine the effect of oral administration of FRVE with/without standard triple therapy (STT: metronidazole, omeprazole, and clarithromycin) on H. pylori colonization and gastric inflammation. H. pylori was clearly eradicated by FRVE at a concentration of ≥2 mg/ml in vitro. In animal study, FRVE at a concentration of ≥6 mg/ml significantly reduced colonized H. pylori grading (0.2 vs. 2.2, p < .01) and improved gastric inflammation (0.4 vs. 1.6, p < .01) compared to control. STT with FRVE (3 mg/ml) exerted synergistic effect on both H. pylori colonization grade (STT, 0.6 ± 0.9; FRVE, 1.4 ± 0.5; STT + FRVE, 0.8 ± 0.4) and gastric inflammation (STT, 0.4 ± 0.5; FRVE, 1.4 ± 0.5; STT + FRVE,1.0 ± 0.1) compared with single therapy (p < .01). H. pylori eradication rate of FRVE (6 mg/ml) was higher than that of STT (60% vs. 20%). FRVE has potential antibacterial activity against H. pylori infection and can be used as an additional therapy on STT.