A high molecular mass constituent of cranberry juice inhibits Helicobacterpylori adhesion to human gastric mucus

Because previous studies have shown that a high molecular mass constituent of cranberry juice inhibited adhesion of Escherichia coil to epithelial cel ls and coaggregation of oral bacteria, we have examined its effect on the a dhesion of Helicobacter pylori to immobilized human mucus and to erythrocyt es. We employed three strains of H. pylori all of which bound to the mucus and agglutinated human erythrocytes via a sialic acid-specific adhesin. The results showed that a high molecular mass constituent derived from cranber ry juice inhibits the sialic acid-specific adhesion of H, pylori to human g astric mucus and to human erythrocytes. (C) 2000 Federation of European Mic robiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.