Urease inhibitors for the treatment of <i>H. pylori</i>
Özlen Güzel-Akdemir, Atilla Akdemir
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium that infects almost half of the World population. Although many infected people are symptom free, the microorganism can still cause a variety of gastrointestinal disorders and even gastric adenocarcinoma. It is considered a priority pathogen for the development of new antibiotics by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Many virulence factors of H. pylori have been described. Here the focus is on the urease enzyme. This enzyme converts urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. Ammonia neutralizes the stomach acid in the microenvironment surrounding H. pylori and as such protects the organism. This paper will discuss the (patho)physiology and structure of H. pylori Urease (HPU). In addition, urease inhibitors with known activity against the H. pylori urease or inhibitors that show H. pylori growth inhibition will be discussed.