Human gastric mucosa lias a relatively hydrophobic surface

which may be of importance in ciucosal defence mechanism against acid/peptic digestion. Because of lipolytic activity of Helicobacter pylori(HP)

the aim of our study is to test if the hypothesis of the reduction of gastric mucosal hydrophobicity possibly by HP infection. Endoscopic antral biopsies were studied in patients of chronic superficial gastritis with positive HP(n=30) and negative HP(n=38). The contact angles (CA)were measured by placing a diop of 0.9% surface using a goniometer as an index of hydrophobieity.Our results revealed that CA(mean+SD)was reduced in HP positive gastritis as compared with that of HP negative gastritis (34.31+13.92vs 51.01 +17.82

P<0.001) .The semi-quantitative amount of HP in gastric mucosa was found to bear an inverse relationship with CA (r=-0.9

P=0.05) .The mucosa of severe gastritis displayed smaller CA(31.82

P<0.005) .There was no difference of CA in HP negative patients associated with or without other kinds of bacteria (51.52+15.44vs 48.2+15.79

NS) .We conclude that HP infection can reduce mucosal hydrophobicity and hence may damage the normal gastric mucosal defence