Anti – Bacterial Activity of Onion Bulb Extract (Allium cepa L.) against Helicobacter pylori

Kenneth John PetSashney Darren Collado

Researchers

This research study will be conducted in order to help people suffering from diseases caused by Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori causes ulcer which is a common sickness among the children, teenagers and even adults.

We wanted to provide them with an alternative medicine made from Onion Bulb that is cheaper and healthier compared to the commercially available one.

Background of the Study

Onions do not only provide flavor, they also provide important nutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals. It is high in vitamin C. Onion is a good source of dietary fiber, and folic acid. Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid.

Studies have indicated that quercetin helps to eliminate free radicals in the body, to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in the atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease), to protect and regenerate vitamin E and to inactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), previously named Campylobacter pyloridis, is a Gram-negative, microaerophilicbacterium commonly found in the stomach.

Theoretical Framework

Major dietary sources of quercetin include apple, tea, and onion. Recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, showed that the absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples.

Based on studies conducted at The Queen’s University at Belfast, Ireland and Wageningen Agricultural University, the content of quercetin in onions is estimated to be between 22.40 mg and 51.82 mg per medium-sized onion (100 gram).

Other studies have shown that consumption of onions may be beneficial for reduced risk of certain diseases. Consumption of onions may prevent gastric ulcers by scavenging free radicals and by preventing growth of the ulcer-forming microorganism.

Paradigm of the Study

Independent Variable

• Onion Bulb Extract• Commercial Antibiotic

Zone of Inhibition of

Helicobacter pylori

Dependent Variable

General Objective

This experimental research study aims to determine the effect of onion bulb extract against the Helicobacter pylori.

Specific Objectives

Specifically it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the mean zone of inhibition of the Helicobacter pylori when applied with Onion Bulb extract?

2. What is the mean zone of inhibition of the Helicobacter pylori when applied with commercial Antibiotic?

3. Is there a significant difference between the mean zone of inhibition of Helicobacter pylori when applied with Onion Bulb extract and commercial Antibiotic?

Significance of the Study

This research study is conducted in order to determine the effect of Onion Bulb extract against Helicobacter pylori. The results obtained from this investigation are envisioned to benefit the following:

People of the Community. This study could give more information to the people on the community on how they can treat diseases caused by Helicobacter pylori using onion bulb that is widely available in the locality.

Chemists, Pharmacists, and Doctors. They would enable to formulate a better and cheaper alternative medicine against Helicobacter pylori that will be a good substitute to commercial drugs.

Department of Health. This study could help DOH in making necessary actions to combat diseases caused by Helicobacter pylori. This will help them to consider other alternative medicines that is capable of killing Helicobacter pylori but is cheaper and healthy.

Future Researchers. This would provide them with background information, philosophy, as well as explanation on how to treat diseases caused by Helicobacter pylori. It will provide them with information that will help them in pursuing similar studies in the future.

Finally, this paper would provide pertinent data for other investigators who would like to undertake further research. Also this study would serve as an example and motivation for other researchers to conduct similar studies within or outside the school.

Review of the Related LiteratureHelicobacter pylori 

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium that infects well over 30% of the world’s population. This is, therefore, one of the most common bacterial infections known to mankind. Between 1979-82, Australian pathologist, Robin Warren and Australian gastroenterologist, Barry Marshall, identified H. pylori and suggested a link to the development of stomach ulcers. Since this discovery, the World Health Organization has declared the bacteria to be a Class 1 carcinogen (bacterium produces cancer).

It invades the mucosal lining of the stomach and is the cause of up to 95% of duodenal and up to 75% gastric ulcers and has also been associated with gastric cancer and lymphoma.

About 15% of people with H. pylori infection get ulcers either in the stomach (gastric ulcer) or in the duodenum (duodenal ulcer). Although it tend to cause indigestion, occasionally they become much more serious as they can bleed or even burst (perforate) which happens if the ulcer burrows deep enough actually to make a hole. People with ulcers should therefore be treated with the aim of getting rid of H. pylori.

Review of the Related Literature

Onion (Allium cepa L.) 

Onions (Allium cepa L.) belong to the lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots.There are over 600 species of Allium, distributed all over Europe, North America, Northern Africa and Asia. The plants can be used as ornamentals, vegetables, spices, or as medicine. There are over 120 different documented uses of the Alliums. 

Onion and other Allium vegetables are characterized by their rich content of thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other odoriferous sulfur compounds. The cysteine sulfoxides are primarily responsible for the onion flavor and produce the eye-irritating compounds that induce lacrimation. The thiosulfinates exhibit antimicrobial properties. Onion is effective against many bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. Onion is not as potent as garlic since the sulfur compounds in onion are only about one-quarter the level found in garlic (Winston Craig, 2003 – 2012).