Susceptibility in vitro of Helicobacter pylori to cetylpyridinium chloride

The antimicrobial agent cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) which is used in therapy of oro-pharyngeal infections and for antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity is active against different bacterial species. Determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the agar dilution technique revealed that the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori in vitro is highly susceptible to CPC as indicated by an MIC of 10 microM (3.4 microg ml(-1)) which was significantly lower than the MIC of CPC against other bacterial species, which were analyzed in comparison to H. pylori. Bacteria of the genus Campylobacter, various Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli showed higher MICs ranging from 100 microM to 2 mM. In summary, this finding renders CPC-containing drugs candidates possibly useful for eradication or for the prevention of transmission of the gastric pathogen.