Effect of Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermented Milk on Helicobacter pylori and Serum Pepsinogen Levels in Humans

Growth and survival curves of Helicobacter pylori in mixed culture of BF-1. A) H. pylori alone was cultured in the Brucella broth. B) H. pylori and BF-1 were mixed and cultured in the broth.

Effect of BF-1 on IL-8 secretion by a human gastric cell line GCIY infected with Helicobacter pylori. Values are expressed as means±SD (n=3). P-values are obtained from comparison with the control (H. pylori alone) using Dunnett's test.

Urea breath test (UBT) values and the difference (ΔUBT) between the baseline (BL) and each time in the ingestion of BF-1 fermented milk (n=34, closed diamond) and of the placebo milk (n=35, open square) among those of Helicobacter pylori-positive subjects. A) UBT value at each time. B) ΔUBT values.

Correlation between urea breath test (UBT) values at baseline (BL) and the difference (ΔUBT) between the baseline and 8 wk (A and B) or 12 wk (C and D), in the ingestion of BF-1 fermented milk (n=34, A and C) and of the placebo milk (n=35, B and D). ρ is Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

Urea breath test (UBT) values and the difference (ΔUBT) between baseline (BL) and each time in the ingestion of BF-1 fermented milk (n=13, closed diamond) and of the placebo milk (n=10, open square) in the pepsinogen (PG) test method positive subjects (A and B), and in the ingestion of BF-1 fermented milk (n=21, closed diamond) and of the placebo milk (n=25, open square) in the PG-negative subjects (C and D). A and C, UBT values at each time. B and D, ΔUBT values. Identification of PG-positive and PG-negative subjects was as described in Materials and Methods.

Urea breath test (UBT) values, and the difference (ΔUBT) between baseline (BL) and each time in the ingestion of BF-1 fermented milk (n=19, closed diamond) and of the placebo milk (n=21, open square) in the active gastritis subjects classified by serum pepsinogen levels. A) UBT values at each time. B) ΔUBT values. Identification of active gastritis subjects was as described in Materials and Methods.

The pepsinogen (PG) I levels, PG II levels, and PG I/II ratios, and the differences (ΔPG I, ΔPG II and ΔPG I/II) between baseline (BL) and each time in the ingestion of BF-1 fermented milk (n=40, closed diamond) and of the placebo milk (n=39, open square). A) PG I levels at each time; B) ΔPG I levels; C) PG II levels at each time; D) ΔPG II levels; E) PG I/II ratios at each time; F) ΔPG I/II ratios.