Background: The hypothesis that non-secretor status of individuals makes them more susceptible to certain bacterial infections and they might be at a greater risk of metabolic syndromes and autoimmune diseases motivated us to evaluate the relationship between secretor status and risk factors for duodenal ULCER in the present study.Materials and Methods: This case-control study was done on 120 patients with duodenal ULCER, GASTRIC ULCER, and GASTRIC cancer undergoing endoscopy, and a control group including 120 healthy individuals. Secretor status was determined by saliva and the association of some risk factors with the prevalence of disease was determined by a questionnaire. The results were analyzed by SPSS software version 16.Results: Overall, 27.5% of the patients were non-secretor and 72.5% were secretor, whereas 20.8% of the controls were non-secretor and 79.2% were secretor. There was not a significant relationship between secretor status and the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases. However, some risk factors, such as gender, smoking, and physical activity, were significantly associated with GASTRIC disease.Conclusion: The statistical analysis showed that there was not a significant association between secretor status and prevalence of GASTRIC disease. According to the results, gastrointestinal diseases are more common in men than women and in smokers more than nonsmokers. Furthermore, physical activities reduce the incidence of this disease.

Objectives: Duodenal ULCER (DU) that appears with mucosal defect, is a common disease. About 10 percent of people suffer from DU and its complications during their life long. Recent hypothesis emphasis on Helicobacter pylori as the main pathogen. But some studies indicate that such a role can be a confounder. The main goal of this case-control study is the determination of GASTRIC metoplasia and Helicobacter pylori infection in DU and comparison with Non ULCER Dyspepsia (NUD). Methods: Patients with endoscopically confirmed DU and NUD were undertaken Duodenal biopsy to determine GASTRIC metaplasia and Ureas and ELIAS tests to recognition of Helicobacter pylori infection. A total of 77 patients (37 in group Du & 40 in group NUD) were studied (68.8% male & 31.2% female). Results: Helicobacter pylori infection and GASTRIC metaplasia rate were 55.8% and 50.6% respectively. There was no difference in two groups H.pylori. On the other hand, GASTRIC metaplasia was significantly higher in NUD group that DU group. H.pylori infection was more frequent among patients with GASTRIC metaplasia. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate higher GASTRIC metaplasia rate in NUD group. On the other hand, more Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with GASTRIC metaplasia points to relation of this microorganism and GASTRIC metaplasia than Duodenal ULCER. Although some studies confirm such a finding, there is a necessity to perform the vast studies in proof of the subject.

Extract of Echinops persicus is traditionally used for a long time in Iran for treatment of cough and constipation. This extract is produced by activity of bug (Situphilus spp.) on the plant. We documented its anti-tussive effect in rats in our previous study.The aim of this study was to assess the anti-ULCER effect of Echinops persicus in an animal model. In this study we evaluated anti-ULCER effect of Echinops persicus by Shay's method in rats. In 3 groups of rats, pylorus was ligatured under anesthesia. The rats were euthanized after 19 hours later and number and level of ULCER in stomach was measured. In group 2 the extract was orally administered 45 minutes before pyloric ligature, and in group 3, it was administered intraperitoneally 20 minutes before pyloric ligature. The number of ULCERs in stomach was significantly low in group 2 (P=0.01) and 3 (P=0.037) in comparison with group 1. The level of ULCER was significantly decreased in group 2 (P=0.047) with comparison to group 1. We conclude that, Echinops extract can exhibit potentially cytoprotective and anti-ULCER activity.

Background and Purpose: Helicobacter pylori are a bacterial pathogen evolved to chronically colonize the GASTRIC epithelium and causes gastritis, peptic ULCERs, and even GASTRIC malignancies in few infected humans. More recently, a pathogenicity island has been identified within the H pylori genome that contains a cluster of genes, including cagE. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of cagE genotypes of H pylori isolates from patients with NUD (Non ULCER Dyspepsia), peptic ULCER and cancer.Materials and Methods: 150 GASTRIC biopsy specimens obtained from patients were inoculated onto a Brucella Columbia Agar containing 5% sheep for 3 to 5 days at 37°C under micro aerobic conditions (5% O2, 5% CO2, and 90% N2). After DNA extraction, genotyping of the cagE gene was performed by PCR amplification using the primers. PCR products were separated by 1% agarose gel electrophoresis and examined under UV illumination.Results: Of 92 positive cultures, 34, 28, 20, and 10 isolations were obtained from patients with NUD, duodenal ULCERs (DU), GASTRIC ULCERs (GU) and GASTRIC cancer (GC), respectively. The frequency of cagE gene was 88/24%, 100%, 85%, 100%and within isolates of patients with NUD, DU, GU and GC, respectively.Conclusion: The presence of cagE in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection is not a marker for predicting or diagnosing the resultant diseases.