A randomized controlled trial assessing Korea red ginseng treatment of Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic gastritis

Kim, Deog Ki; Lee, Jeong A; Kim, Young Bae; Lee, Kee Myung; Hahm, Ki Baik

Abstract

BACKGROUND: As Korea red ginseng has been reported to show a significant protective effect against H. pylori-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage in vitro, we designed a study to assess the efficacy of red ginseng treatment in patients with H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis.
METHODS
A total of 84 patients with H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis were recruited and randomly divided into two groups. During the trial, 34 patients out of 42 patients in the placebo control group and 36 patients out of 42 patients in the red ginseng group completed the protocol. The patients received a one week triple therapy for the eradication of H. pylori and then received either placebo capsules that were composed of flour for the placebo group or red ginseng capsules for the treatment group, which were administered for 10 weeks. An endoscopic examination of gastritis with a visual analogue scale, a test for detection of H. pylori, immunohistochemistry of 8-OHdG, the 8-OHdG immunohistochemical staining for assessing oxidative DNA damage and TUNEL staining for apoptosis were performed, respectively.
RESULTS
H. pylori eradication rates were augmented in the red ginseng group as compared to the placebo group (91.7% in the red ginseng group and 79.4% in the placebo group), but there was no statistical significance (p=0.147). For an analysis of gastritis based on Updated Sydney System, the red ginseng group showed significant improvement in neutrophil infiltrations (p=0.008) and intestinal metaplasia (p=0.005). An attenuation of 8-OHdG immunohistostaining after treatment was seen more frequently in the red ginseng group (p<0.001). An attenuation of DNA damage and apoptosis was seen for the red ginseng group as compared to the placebo group (p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Supplementary administration of red ginseng augmented eradication rates of H. pylori, attenuated gastric inflammation, and reduced oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis, suggesting the clinical usefulness of red ginseng.