A Bismuth Salt Inhibits Herpes Simplex Virus

Abstract

Bismuth has been shown not only to heal peptic ulcers but also to reduce recurrence. Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcers, and since bismuth has a bactericidal effect on this organism, the beneficial effect of bismuth on peptic ulcer disease has been attributed to the effect on H pylori. However, not all pathophysiological changes found in patients with duodenal ulcer disease can be explained by H pylori infection, and bismuth has only a weak bactericidal effect on H pylori. Infection with Herpes simplex virus (HSV) in autonomic ganglion cells has also been suggested as an etiological factor of peptic ulcer. In the present study we accordingly examined the effect of bismuth on the growth of HSV and compared it with that on H pylori. Ammonium bismuth citrate trihydrate (ABC) inhibited completely the growth of H pylori at the concentration of 32 mg/l and HSV-1 and HSV-2 at the concentrations of 2000 mg/l and 1000 mg/l, respectively. Since bismuth after oral ingestion is concentrated or even precipitated at the base of peptic ulcers, an effective concentration of bismuth with regard to HSV may also be obtained.