Mastic gum has no effect on Helicobacter pylori load in vivo.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether mastic gum suppresses or eradicates Helicobacter pylori infection in humans. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nine patients with H. pylori infection, and without gastroduodenal ulceration, were recruited from day-case endoscopy lists and treated with mastic 1 g four times daily for 14 days. [13C]Urea breath tests (UBTs) were carried out immediately before, on day 15 and 5 weeks after treatment with mastic. RESULTS Mastic had no effect on H. pylori status in any of the eight completed patients; all remained H. pylori positive by UBT with no change in delta scores [pre-treatment mean +/- s.e.m. 19.1 +/- 3.7, day 15 (post-treatment) 18.7 +/- 3.8, P = 0.8, paired t-test]. CONCLUSION Despite reported anti-H. pylori action in vitro, this preliminary study shows that mastic has no effect on H. pylori in humans.