Allium ascalonicum bulb of the family Liliaceae is an annual
herbaceous plant of smaller size than Allium cepa . The bulb is
of considerable importance in African cooking and in salads . Various
species have been reported to have anti-diabetic, hypocholesterolaemic,
fibrinolytic, anti-ulcer and diuretic potentials. Crude methanol
extracts of Allium ascalonicum bulb was screened against three
strains of Helicobacter pylori (UCH 97001, UCH 98026 and UCH
97009) for antibacterial activity by the agar diffusion method on
Muller-Hinton agar supplemented with defibrinated horse blood and grown
in a microaerophilic incubator. All the strains were inhibited by the
extract. Further investigation on the effect of the extracts on the
urease activity of the Helicobacter pylori strains showed that urease
activity of all the strains decreased with increase in the
concentration of the extracts. Phytochemical screening of the plant
revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and
essential oils while tannins were not detected. Allium ascalonicum bulb
has some therapeutic potential against Helicobacter pylori, which may
be explored by pharmaceutical companies and patients with
gastroduodenal disorders