Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori in vitro by various berry extracts, with enhanced susceptibility to clarithromycin

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of various berry extracts, with and without clarithromycin on Helicobacter pylori. Resistance to clarithromycin by H. pylori has been reported, leading to interest in alternatives/adjuncts to therapy with clarithromycin. H. pylori American type culture collection (ATCC) strain 49503 was grown, cell suspensions were made in PBS and diluted 10-fold. One hundred mul of the suspension was then incubated for 18 h with extracts of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, elderberry, blueberry, bilberry, and OptiBerry(R), a blend of the six berries, at 0.25-1% concentrations. Serially diluted cell suspensions were exposed for 1 h to clarithromycin at 15 mug/ml. Ten mul of bacterial samples from the 10(-7) dilution tube were plated and incubated for 18 h and the number of colonies were counted. Growth of H. pylori was confirmed by the CLO(R) test. All berry extracts significantly (p<0.05) inhibited H. pylori, compared with controls, and also increased susceptibility of H. pylori to clarithromycin, with OptiBerry(R) demonstrating maximal effects.