Helicobacter Phytotherapy: Medicinal Plants Affecting Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Iran

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, helical, and microaerophilic bacterium, and its infection affects the health of the community. This bacterium protects itself from stomach acid by having the enzyme urease. Nearly three decades after the discovery of this bacterium, no specific treatment regimen has been proposed that is able to eliminate the infection in all treated patients. Besides, the different treatment regimens with different effects on the pathogen have been proposed. Widespread use of antibiotics in treatment and eradication has led to the growth of antibiotic resistance. In this review study, the most important medicinal plants with inhibitory effect on Helicobacter pylori were reported. For this review study, keywords such as Helicobacter pylori, bacterial infection, medicinal plants, extract and Iran were used. The databases searched for in those articles were Google Scholar, SID, Scapus, PabMed, Science Direct, and ISI search engines. Plants such as Satureia hortensis L., Salvia officinalis, Mentha Piperita, Ziziphora tenuior, Mentha pulegium, Satureja khuzestanica, Thymus caramanicus, Thymus vulgaris, Zataria multiflora, Ocimum basilicum L, Salvia mirzayanii, Teucus frutus, Majus frutics, Rubus frutics Geum Iranicum, Filipendula ulmaria L, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Citrus sinensis, Argentin anserine, Bunium persicum, Crataegus aronia, Cuminum cyminum L. and etc were assessed. These are the most important medicinal plants affecting Helicobacter pylori in Iran.