Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract

<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> is a gastric pathogen implicated in peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains underscores the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chananchida Thacharoen, Thisirak Inkaewwong, Watthanachai Jumpathong, Pornchai Kaewsapsak, Thiravat Rattanapot, Tippapha Pisithkul
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Marine Drugs
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/7/282
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850071346613059584
author Chananchida Thacharoen
Thisirak Inkaewwong
Watthanachai Jumpathong
Pornchai Kaewsapsak
Thiravat Rattanapot
Tippapha Pisithkul
author_facet Chananchida Thacharoen
Thisirak Inkaewwong
Watthanachai Jumpathong
Pornchai Kaewsapsak
Thiravat Rattanapot
Tippapha Pisithkul
author_sort Chananchida Thacharoen
collection DOAJ
description <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> is a gastric pathogen implicated in peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains underscores the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of an aqueous extract from <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (sea grape), a farm-cultivated edible green seaweed collected from Krabi Province, Thailand. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) revealed that the extract was enriched in bioactive nucleosides and phenolic compounds. In vitro assays demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of <i>H. pylori</i> growth following exposure to sea grape extract. Furthermore, untargeted intracellular metabolomic profiling of <i>H. pylori</i> cells treated with the extract uncovered significant perturbations in central carbon and nitrogen metabolism, including pathways associated with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, one-carbon metabolism, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Pyrimidine biosynthesis was selectively upregulated, indicating a potential stress-induced shift toward nucleotide salvage and DNA repair. Of particular note, succinate levels were markedly reduced despite accumulation of other TCA intermediates, suggesting disruption of electron transport-linked respiration. These findings suggest that bioactive metabolites from <i>C. lentillifera</i> impair essential metabolic processes in <i>H. pylori</i>, highlighting its potential as a natural source of antimicrobial agents targeting bacterial physiology.
format Article
id doaj-art-b5625b18c9da4c6ab771a8e689748e64
institution DOAJ
issn 1660-3397
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Marine Drugs
spelling doaj-art-b5625b18c9da4c6ab771a8e689748e642025-08-20T02:47:19ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972025-07-0123728210.3390/md23070282Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) ExtractChananchida Thacharoen0Thisirak Inkaewwong1Watthanachai Jumpathong2Pornchai Kaewsapsak3Thiravat Rattanapot4Tippapha Pisithkul5Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandProgram in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandProgram in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Bangkok 10210, ThailandCenter of Excellence in Systems Microbiology (CESM), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, ThailandCenter of Excellence in Agriculture Innovation for Graduate Entrepreneur, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandProgram in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, Thailand<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> is a gastric pathogen implicated in peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains underscores the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of an aqueous extract from <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (sea grape), a farm-cultivated edible green seaweed collected from Krabi Province, Thailand. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) revealed that the extract was enriched in bioactive nucleosides and phenolic compounds. In vitro assays demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of <i>H. pylori</i> growth following exposure to sea grape extract. Furthermore, untargeted intracellular metabolomic profiling of <i>H. pylori</i> cells treated with the extract uncovered significant perturbations in central carbon and nitrogen metabolism, including pathways associated with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, one-carbon metabolism, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Pyrimidine biosynthesis was selectively upregulated, indicating a potential stress-induced shift toward nucleotide salvage and DNA repair. Of particular note, succinate levels were markedly reduced despite accumulation of other TCA intermediates, suggesting disruption of electron transport-linked respiration. These findings suggest that bioactive metabolites from <i>C. lentillifera</i> impair essential metabolic processes in <i>H. pylori</i>, highlighting its potential as a natural source of antimicrobial agents targeting bacterial physiology.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/7/282<i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i>sea grapechemical compositionmetabolomics<i>Helicobacter pylori</i>
spellingShingle Chananchida Thacharoen
Thisirak Inkaewwong
Watthanachai Jumpathong
Pornchai Kaewsapsak
Thiravat Rattanapot
Tippapha Pisithkul
Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract
Marine Drugs
<i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i>
sea grape
chemical composition
metabolomics
<i>Helicobacter pylori</i>
title Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract
title_full Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract
title_fullStr Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract
title_full_unstemmed Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract
title_short Metabolomic Profiling and Anti-<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Activity of <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i> (Sea Grape) Extract
title_sort metabolomic profiling and anti i helicobacter pylori i activity of i caulerpa lentillifera i sea grape extract
topic <i>Caulerpa lentillifera</i>
sea grape
chemical composition
metabolomics
<i>Helicobacter pylori</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/7/282
work_keys_str_mv AT chananchidathacharoen metabolomicprofilingandantiihelicobacterpyloriiactivityoficaulerpalentilliferaiseagrapeextract
AT thisirakinkaewwong metabolomicprofilingandantiihelicobacterpyloriiactivityoficaulerpalentilliferaiseagrapeextract
AT watthanachaijumpathong metabolomicprofilingandantiihelicobacterpyloriiactivityoficaulerpalentilliferaiseagrapeextract
AT pornchaikaewsapsak metabolomicprofilingandantiihelicobacterpyloriiactivityoficaulerpalentilliferaiseagrapeextract
AT thiravatrattanapot metabolomicprofilingandantiihelicobacterpyloriiactivityoficaulerpalentilliferaiseagrapeextract
AT tippaphapisithkul metabolomicprofilingandantiihelicobacterpyloriiactivityoficaulerpalentilliferaiseagrapeextract