In vitro Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori Inhibition by Artemisia absinthium and Eugenia caryophyllata Extracts with Black Seeds Honey

Objective: Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative, spiral-shaped, microaerophilic bacterium that infects about half the world’s population and is responsible for a significant cause of morbidity and mortality imposing a major burden on health care systems worldwide. The treatment for eradication of H. pylori is complicated, requiring a combination of different antibiotics and gastric acid inhibitors; and often cause nausea, antibiotic resistance, recurrence and other side effects. As a result, there is a growing interest in compounds with natural origins because of their broad flexibility and low toxicity. Methods: Broth microdilution and agar diffusion methods were used to investigate the in vitro efficacy of Artemisia absinthium, Eugenia caryophyllata and black seed honey mixtures against H. pylori. Results: The different combinations used in this study inhibit the growth of H. pylori more effectively than levofloxacin, amoxicillin and clarithromycin in both gastric pH and the pH level of the prepared mixtures. Conclusion: These results indicate that the use of a combination containing 5 and 10% aqueous extracts of E. caryophyllata and A. absinthium respectively with 12.5 or 25% black seed honey may prevent H. pylori growth in vitro.