Patent ID: 6228605
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: A61K,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
A method of detecting, in vivo, a presence or absence of urease producing Helicobacter in a patient's stomach comprising the steps of:(a) administering to a patient a pharmaceutically acceptable soluble container containing a combination comprising:said first indicator having a pH indicium range of from about 5.5 to about 9.0 and havinga first indicium for indicating an acidic pH range anda second indicium for indicating an alkaline pH range, anda second indicator combination, said second indicator combination havinga second pH indicator having a pH indicium range of from about 5.5 to about 9.0 and havinga second pH indicator first indicium for indicating an acidic pH range anda second pH indicator third indicium for indicating an alkaline pH range, anda reagent to react with urease in said stomach to form an alkaline product,said first pH indicator first indicium and said second pH second indicator first indicium being the same,said first pH indicator second indicium and said second pH indicator combination third indicium being different from one another, from said first pH indicator first indicium and from said second pH indicator first indicium,(b) dissolving said soluble container in said patient's stomach fluids,(c) contacting said patient's gastric mucosa with said first pH indicator and said second indicator combination,(d) observing said first pH indicator and said second indicator combination in the patient's stomach, wherein if:(1) said first pH indicator first indicium and said second indicator combination first indicium indicate an acidic pH range, then said stomach is acidic thereby indicating an absence of urease producing Helicobacter;(2) said first pH indicator second indicium and said second indicator combination third indicium indicate an alkaline pH range, then said stomach is alkaline whereby no determination can be made regarding the presence or absence of urease producing Helicobacter; or(3) said first pH indicator first indicium indicates an acidic pH range and said second indicator combination third indicium indicates an alkaline pH range, then said stomach is acidic indicating the presence of urease producing Helicobacter.