The Effect of Probiotics for Helicobacter pylori

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer and a risk factor of gastric malignancy. Antibiotics based H. pylori eradication treatment is 90% effective, however, it is expensive and causes side effects and antibiotics resistance. Probiotics could present a low-cost, alternative solution to prevent or decrease H. pylori colonization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligible articles were indentified by researches of electronic databases. RESULTS: In vitro studies demonstrated an inhibitory activity of probiotics on H. pylori growth and that this effect is extremely strain specific. The probiotics seem to be efficacious for the prevention of antibiotics associated side effects and might be of help for the prevention of H. pylori complications by decreasing H. pylori density and gastritis, and for the prevention of H. pylori colonization or re-infection by inhibiting adhesion to gastric epithelial cells. There was no significant evidence that probiotics may increase the H. pylori eradication rate. CONCLUSION: Probiotics could be an accessory treatment for H. pylori related gastric diseases, but more researches will be needed.