J Appl Biomed 16:81-99, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.007

Propolis: The future therapy against Helicobacter pylori-mediated gastrointestinal diseases

Ummay Mahfuza Shapla^a, Jinat Raihan^a, Asiful Islam^b, Fahmida Alam^b, Naeem Solayman^a,c, Siew Hua Gan^b, Sakib Hossen^a,c, Ibrahim Khalil^a,b,*

^a Jahangirnagar University, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Preventive and Integrative Biomedicine, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

^b Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences, Human Genome Centre, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

^c Primeasia University, Department of Biochemistry, Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which is found in the stomach of approximately 50% of humans, remains there for almost the entire lifetime of the infected individual, leading to various gastrointestinal tract-associated disorders following full-blown infection. Due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance, recurrence and high cost of therapy, most antibiotic-based treatment strategies are not very effective in eradicating H. pylori infections. The quest for an alternative treatment free of these inconveniences is currently in demand. One of the important alternatives is propolis, produced by the honeybee Apis mellifera, which has been used to treat different diseases since it possesses a wide range of biochemical properties. Propolis has been reported as a useful therapeutic regimen against H. pylori, which is an important cause of gastric inflammation, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer, and lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues. Apart from propolis, various active compounds of other natural products have also been confirmed to be effective. This review compiles the scientific evidence of the role of propolis and other natural products against H. pylori-associated gastrointestinal tract-related health complexities by acing as an anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant factor as well as via modulation of enzymatic activities.

Keywords: H. pylori; Propolis; Natural products; Gastrointestinal diseases; Microbial infections

Received: November 3, 2016; Revised: August 10, 2017; Accepted: October 16, 2017; Published: May 1, 2018  Show citation