Exploring Ferula assa-foetida's Potential in Combating Helicobacter pylori and Gastric Cancer

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran

2 Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, Terhran, Iran

3 Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Amir Al Momenin Hospital, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran

4 Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran

5 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, Knowledge University, Kirkuk Road, Erbil 44001, Iraq

6 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

7 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Agriculture Institute, Research Institute of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most effective factors in digestive diseases. Infections caused by this bacterium are prevalent and affect many people worldwide yearly. The stages of the spread of this infection are as follows: first, the bacteria are concentrated in the area of ​​the cardia stomach valve and leads to irritation in this area. Then the proliferation of bacteria spreads and penetrates the lining tissues of the stomach, which leads to severe inflammation in the stomach. In the advanced stages of infection, it becomes cancerous and metastasized, so that even with surgery and removal of a part of the stomach, bacteria and secondary tumors grow, spread, and transfer aggressively. In general, this infection is directly related to economic, social, and health conditions. Today, many drugs are used by patients to treat these bacteria. But the point that should be paid attention to is the prevention of this infection. Observing health issues and benefiting from digestive medicinal plants can play a significant role in the recovery of patients. Therefore, we decided to investigate the potential and evaluation of the medicinal plant Ferula assa-foetida L., which is one of the suitable candidates for the prevention and treatment of this infection. The results of this research showed a promising perspective so it was found that the use of F. assa-foetida and its effective ingredients have a significant effect in controlling infection in patients. It was also found that the use of F. assa-foetida extract leads to an increase in apoptosis and necrosis in gastric cancer cells, especially in high concentrations of 1500 µg/ml. On the other hand, this study provided a wide field of pharmaceutical research related to drug production and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. It is hoped that by focusing on this research and using the medicinal properties of these valuable plants, it will be possible to completely prevent the proliferation of these bacteria in the stomach and provide the basis for the treatment of patients.

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References

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Journal of Medicinal plants and By-products
Volume 14, Issue 4
July and August 2025
Pages 385-390

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