Inhibitory Effect Of Plumbagin On Helicobacter Pylori Growth And Urease Activity

Helicobacter pylori primarily colonizes in the human stomach and induces various gastric diseases, including gastric cancer. H. pylori utilizes various bacterial proteins, such as toxins, ureases, and adhesion and flagella proteins, for successful colonization and pathogenesis. In particular, urease is an indispensable virulence factor for the pathogenesis and survival of H. pylori in the acidic conditions of the stomach. In this study, therefore, we investigated the anti-urease activity of a natural compound, plumbagin, and found that it inhibited urease activity of various urease-producing bacteria. We determined the minimal inhibitory concentration of plumbagin against H. pylori, and demonstrated the inhibitory effect of plumbagin on H. pylori urease by using a urease activity assay. The inhibitory effect of plumbagin on urease was confirmed by using purified jack bean urease as the reference molecule, with acetohydroxamic acid as the reference inhibitor. Furthermore, we also confirmed the binding affinity of plumbagin to urease proteins. Collectively, our results suggest that plumbagin is a potent inhibitor of urease, which may possess potential therapeutic efficacy as a supportive agent against H. pylori infection.