(Phytochemicals in) Foods to Prevent and Treat diseases - Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common bacterial infection (STI) in humans caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis.

Types of foods to prevent and treat Chlamydia infection
1. Turmeric
In the study to evaluate the Berberine of a plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, presented abundantly in turmeric, found that erberine extracts and decoctions have demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against a variety of organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths, and chlamydia. Currently, the predominant clinical uses of berberine include bacterial diarrhea, intestinal parasite infections, and ocular trachoma infections(1)

2. Corn mint (Mentha arvensis)
Corn mint ( Mentha arvensis ) provides a good source of natural phenols such as flavone glycosides and caffeic acid derivatives, which may have prophylactic properties against inflammations. Researchers at the Abo Akademi University showed that the extract of Corn mint ( Mentha arvensis ) inhibited the growth of C. pneumoniae CWL-029 in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition was confirmed against a clinical isolate K7. The phenolic composition of the extract was analyzed by UPLC-ESI/Q-TOF/MS, the main components being linarin and rosmarinic acid. These compounds were active in vitro against C. pneumoniae. Linarin completely inhibited the growth at 100 μM(2).

3. Asparagus, avocados and walnuts 
Glutathione  found abundantly in asparagus, avocados and walnuts showed to have inhibition of chlamydial infection and these inhibition does not combine with alterations in protein expression patterns after cell treatment, according toThe role of intracellular glutathione in the progression of Chlamydia trachomatis infection(3).

4. Green tea
Biosynthesized tea polyphenols showed antichlamydial activity against Chlamydia trachomatis D/UW-3/Cx and L2/434/Bu using cell culture. The most active compounds were (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and (-)-epicatechin gallate, followed by (-)-epicatechin (EC). (+)-Epicatechin and (-)-epigallocatechin were intermediate(4). other researchers found In vitro inhibitory effects of tea polyphenols on the proliferation of Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae(5).

5. Etc.


 Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=turmeric%20and%20Chlamydia%20infection
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22073967
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20888409
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15917555
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14583635