Abstract Description

The colonization of the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter pylori is linked to various diseases such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. For the past decades, there have been a rise in antibiotic resistance in several bacteria including H. pylori leading to a major global health challenge, especially in Africa. Because of the ineffectiveness of conventional medications, developing a safer and more effective treatment is crucial. Foeniculum vulgare and Vernonia amygdalina together with their endophytes have been reported to host secondary metabolites which have been used to treat several diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders as they produce a wide variety of bioactive compounds. Endophytes from these plants may therefore be able to produce secondary metabolites with anti-H. pylori properties. This study will screen secondary metabolites from endophytes associated with F. vulgare and V. amygdalina for their antimicrobial activities against H. pylori. To investigate the feasibility of using the identified secondary metabolites as anti-H. pylori, the study will isolate and identify both endophytic bacteria and fungi from the stems and leaves of F. vulgare and V. amygdalina, screen and characterize different bioactive molecules obtained from these microorganisms as well as perform anti-inflammatory and antibacterial assay on H. pylori. The study will also involve testing the cytotoxic effect of these bioactive compounds on the gut microbiome. Result from this study could lead to the identification of known or novel secondary metabolites which could be used as main compounds to produce new drugs that are more effective to eradicate H. pylori.