English abstract
Objective: This project aimed to assess the antibacterial potential of various brands of honey sold in Muscat area on some
isolates of H. pylori and to determine if there is any synergy between honey and amoxycillin or clarithromycin used in the treatment
of H. pylori gastritis and duodenal ulcer. Methods: Eight samples of commercial honey were used in the experiment after they were
checked for purity by sub-culturing on blood agar and incubating for 48 hours at 370
c. Honey samples showing gross contamination
were discarded. Purified culture isolates of H. pylori from our laboratory stock cultures were swabbed on chocolate plate using x
04 cfu/ml. One hundred microlitres (00µl) of various honey samples were placed on each plate which was subsequently incubated
microaerophilically at 37ºc for 3 days. The presence or absence of growth inhibition zones on each plate was noted and an average zone
size of each honey was taken. Honey samples with high zone sizes were further diluted from :2-:8 to find the end-points of their
growth inhibition concentrations and the experiment was repeated in triplicates. The synergistic effect between honey, amoxycillin
and clarithromycin was done in triplicates by placing honey at various distances between each antibiotic after swabbing chocolate
agar with x 04 cfu/mlof H. pylori. The plates were incubated as before. Results: All honey samples produced growth inhibition zones
with H. pylori no at dilution of honey but had different zone sizes at :2–:8 dilutions. Black Forest honey had the highest antibacterial
activity followed by Langnese honey. None of the honeys had a synergistic effect with either clarithromycin or amoxycillin. Conclu sion: We conclude that, in vitro, some honey brands possess antibacterial activity against H. pylori and that no synergy or antagonism
was observed between honey and clarithromycin or honey and amoxicillin using H. pylori as a test organism. Though no synergy
or antagonism was observed between honey, amoxicillin or clarithromycin, it has been suggested that the use of honey with triple
therapy regimen may help shorten the time required to eliminate H. pylori from stomach lining of patients with gastritis or duodenal
ulcer caused by H. pylori infection
