Antimicrobial Effects of Lactoferrin against Helicobacter pylori Infection

Antioxidant Potential of Lactoferrin and Its Protective Effect on Health: An Overview

Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, are significant global health challenges. Oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant defenses, is a critical factor in the progression of these pathologies. Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent due to its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and iron-regulating properties. Lf plays a pivotal role in iron homeostasis by chelating iron, modulating its cellular uptake, and reducing ROS production, thereby mitigating oxidative stress-related tissue damage. Lf also demonstrates neuroprotective potential in diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, where it alleviates oxidative damage, regulates iron metabolism, and enhances antioxidant defenses. Furthermore, its ability to enhance endogenous antioxidant mechanisms, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, underscores its systemic protective effects. Lf's anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities also contribute to its broad-spectrum protective role in chronic diseases. This review consolidates evidence of Lf's mechanisms in mitigating oxidative stress and highlights its therapeutic potential as a versatile molecule for preventing and managing chronic conditions linked to oxidative damage.

Natural anti-adhesive components against pathogenic bacterial adhesion and infection in gastrointestinal tract: case studies of Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella enterica, Clostridium difficile, and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global public health concern. Recognizing the critical role of bacterial adhesion in pathogenesis of infection, anti-adhesive therapy emerges as a promising approach to impede initial bacterial attachment, thus preventing pathogenic colonization and infection. Natural anti-adhesive agents derived from food sources are generally safe and have the potential to inhibit the emergence of resistant bacteria. This comprehensive review explored diverse natural dietary components exhibiting anti-adhesive activities against several model enteric pathogens, including Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella enterica, Clostridium difficile, and three key diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (i.e., enterotoxigenic E. coli, enteropathogenic E. coli, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli). Investigating various anti-adhesive products will advance our understanding of current research of the field and inspire further development of these agents as potential nutraceuticals or adjuvants to improve the efficacy of conventional antibiotics.

Drug repurposing against antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens

The growing prevalence of MDR and XDR bacterial pathogens is posing a critical threat to global health. Traditional antibiotic development paths have encountered significant challenges and are drying up thus necessitating innovative approaches. Drug repurposing, which involves identifying new therapeutic applications for existing drugs, offers a promising alternative to combat resistant pathogens. By leveraging pre-existing safety and efficacy data, drug repurposing accelerates the development of new antimicrobial therapy regimes. This review explores the potential of repurposing existing FDA approved drugs against the ESKAPE and other clinically relevant bacterial pathogens and delves into the identification of suitable drug candidates, their mechanisms of action, and the potential for combination therapies. It also describes clinical trials and patent protection of repurposed drugs, offering perspectives on this evolving realm of therapeutic interventions against drug resistance.

Helicobacter pylori: Routes of Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Alternative Therapies as a Means to Develop Infection Control

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacterium that colonizes the gastric epithelium and is associated with a range of gastrointestinal disorders, exhibiting a global prevalence of approximately 50%. Despite the availability of treatment options, H. pylori frequently reemerges and demonstrates increasing antibiotic resistance, which diminishes the efficacy of conventional therapies. Consequently, it is imperative to explore non-antibiotic treatment alternatives to mitigate the inappropriate use of antibiotics. This review examines H. pylori infection, encompassing transmission pathways, treatment modalities, antibiotic resistance, and eradication strategies. Additionally, it discusses alternative therapeutic approaches such as probiotics, anti-biofilm agents, phytotherapy, phototherapy, phage therapy, lactoferrin therapy, and vaccine development. These strategies aim to reduce antimicrobial resistance and enhance treatment outcomes for H. pylori infections. While alternative therapies can maintain low bacterial levels, they do not achieve complete eradication of H. pylori. These therapies are designed to bolster the immune response, minimize side effects, and provide gastroprotective benefits, rendering them suitable for adjunctive use alongside conventional treatments. Probiotics may serve as adjunctive therapy for H. pylori; however, their effectiveness as a monotherapy is limited. Photodynamic and phage therapies exhibit potential in targeting H. pylori infections, including those caused by drug-resistant strains, without the use of antibiotics. The development of a reliable vaccine is also critical for the eradication of H. pylori. This review identifies candidate antigens such as VacA, CagA, and HspA, along with various vaccine formulations, including vector-based and subunit vaccines. Some vaccines have demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, while others have shown robust immune protection in preclinical studies. Nevertheless, each of the aforementioned alternative therapies requires thorough preclinical and clinical evaluation to ascertain their efficacy, side effects, cost-effectiveness, and patient compliance.

Helicobacter pylori infection in humans and phytotherapy, probiotics, and emerging therapeutic interventions: a review

The global prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection remains high, indicating a persistent presence of this pathogenic bacterium capable of infecting humans. This review summarizes the population demographics, transmission routes, as well as conventional and novel therapeutic approaches for H. pylori infection. The prevalence of H. pylori infection exceeds 30% in numerous countries worldwide and can be transmitted through interpersonal and zoonotic routes. Cytotoxin-related gene A (CagA) and vacuolar cytotoxin A (VacA) are the main virulence factors of H. pylori, contributing to its steep global infection rate. Preventative measures should be taken from people's living habits and dietary factors to reduce H. pylori infection. Phytotherapy, probiotics therapies and some emerging therapies have emerged as alternative treatments for H. pylori infection, addressing the issue of elevated antibiotic resistance rates. Plant extracts primarily target urease activity and adhesion activity to treat H. pylori, while probiotics prevent H. pylori infection through both immune and non-immune pathways. In the future, the primary research focus will be on combining multiple treatment methods to effectively eradicate H. pylori infection.

Recent trends in Helicobacter pylori management: harnessing the power of AI and other advanced approaches

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterial infection that is prevalent and affects more than half of the world's population, causing stomach disorders such as gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer.

Main body

The diagnosis of H. pylori infection relies on invasive and non-invasive techniques emerging artificial intelligence, and antibiotic therapy is available, but antibiotic resistance is a growing concern. The development of a vaccine is crucial in preventing H. pylori-associated diseases, but it faces challenges due to the bacterium's variability and immune escape mechanisms. Despite the challenges, ongoing research into H. pylori's virulence factors and immune escape mechanisms, as well as the development of potential vaccine targets, provides hope for more effective management and prevention of H. pylori-associated diseases. Recent research on H. pylori's immune escape mechanisms and novel immune checkpoint inhibitors could also lead to biomarkers for early cancer detection. Therefore, experts have suggested a combination of traditional and herbal medicine with artificial intelligence to potentially eradicate H. pylori.

Short conclusion

H. pylori infection remains a significant global health problem, but ongoing research into its properties and advanced technologies in addition to the combination of traditional and herbal medicine with artificial intelligence may also lead to the eradication of H. pylori-associated diseases.

Graphical abstract