Active substance from vegetable oil destroys stomach bacteria

Vegetable oil ingredient is more effective than common antibiotics for stomach bacteria

27/11/2014

Linolenic acid, an active ingredient in vegetable oils, is more effective in controlling the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori as a common antibiotic. Scientists led by Liangfang Zhang of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center have been looking for an alternative treatment for the bacterium in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance. They developed a therapy with the therapeutic nanoparticle „LipoLLA“, which Helicobacter kills pylori and thus makes harmless. The bacterium is associated with the development of gastric ulcers and cancer.

Nanotherapy with vegetable oil active ingredient instead of antibiotics
„Common Helicobacter pylori treatments face a major challenge - antibiotic resistance“, quotes the news agency „Press Release“ Zhang. Therefore, the scientists were researching an alternative to fighting the stomach bacteria. „Our goal was to develop nano-therapy that survives a harsh stomach environment, killing Helicobacter pylori while avoiding resistance“, Zhang continues. These conditions led to the development of the nanoparticle „LipoLLA“, contains linolenic acid from vegetable oils and belongs to the group of lipids (fats). In the stomach LipoLLA connects to the membrane of Helicobacter pylori and releases the stored linolenic acid, destroying the membrane and killing the bacterium.

To test the efficacy of the nanoparticle, the scientists administered LipoLLA to mice with their food using fluorescent markers. Then they observed how the nanoparticles spread throughout the gastric mucosa. After the treatment, they examined the bacterial load in the stomach. As it turned out, the bacterial infection actually decreased through the nanoparticle. LipoLLA was even more effective than traditional antibiotics. In addition, it was non-toxic to the mice and the bacterium does not develop resistance to treatment. „This is the first step in proving that we can produce this therapeutic nanoparticle and show that it can reduce the bacterial colonization of Helicobacter pylori. We are now working on improving the particle, making it more stable and effective“, Zhang explained. (Ag)