Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity in a mouse model of the essential oil from Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. fruits

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori infection is a major cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers due to its ability to colonize the gastric mucosa. Essential oil (EO) extracted from fresh Litsea cubeba fruit had potent in vitro antibacterial activity against H. pylori. This paper presents the evaluation of in vivo anti-H. pylori activity of the Litsea cubeba essential oil using a mouse model. Additionally, its cytotoxicity in vitro against four different human cell lines and its acute oral toxicity in Swiss albino mice were assessed. Oral administration of 300 µL/day of the EO solution at 0.3% for 14 consecutive days resulted in the complete inhibition of H. pylori colonization in the gastric mucosa of treated mice. Furthermore, no signs of toxicity were observed at a dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight of the treated mice during a 14-day observation period. In vitro cytotoxicity assays, the EO exhibited strong toxicity against MCF-7 cell line, medium toxicity against NCI-H460, HepG2 and fibroblast cell lines. These results indicated that the Litsea cubeba essential oil holds promise for the prevention and treatment of H. pylori infections. Additional studies involving a broader range of cell lines are required to more accurately evaluate the safety of the Litsea cubeba essential oil.