Linolenic acid in vegetable fats may help fight the Helicobacter pylori bacteria that lead to the development of stomach ulcers and tumors, reports the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The current methods of fighting H. pylori infections face a serious challenge – antibiotic resistance. Our goal was to develop a drug that would tolerate the harsh gastric environment, destroy H. pylori and avoid resistance, says study author Dr. Liangfang Zhang of the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego.
Created by scientists, a nanoparticle (LipoLLA) carries linolenic acid into the digestive system. When it encounters H. pylori bacteria, it attaches to its outer membrane. Then the linolenic acid begins to penetrate the membrane, destroying it and, as a result, kills the bacteria.
During the experiments conducted by the researchers, nanoparticles with linolenic acid were marked with a fluorescent protein and given to mice. After the treatment, the levels of bacteria and inflammatory markers in the stomachs of the rodents were examined. It turned out that compared to standard antibiotic treatment, LipoLLA treatment was more effective in eliminating H. pylori. Importantly, the new method of fighting bacteria was not toxic and did not lead to the development of resistance.
This is the first step to verify the effectiveness of this nanoparticle in the fight against H. pylori. We are currently working on improving it. We want it to be more durable and even more effective, says Dr. Zhang. (PAP)
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