A novel approach for screening of new anti-Helicobacter pylori substances.

Gastric mucosal cell-derived L-lactic acid strongly enhances proliferation of Helicobacter pylori, and may contribute to the long-term colonization of H. pylori in the stomach. Therefore it is assumed that inhibitory substances active against L-lactic acid-dependent growth of H. pylori will be useful candidates as novel therapeutic agents for H. pylori infection. In this study, we developed a new assay system for screening anti-H. pylori substances, and baicalein and glycyrrhetinic acid were found as potent inhibitory substances against L-lactic acid-dependent H. pylori growth but not L-lactic acid-independent growth. The newly developed assay system described in this study also may facilitate the development of novel therapeutic agents for H. pylori infection.