Conventional approaches for treatment of peptic ulcer and associated side effects
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Herbal products used for treatment of peptic ulcer mediated disorders
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Investigation of mechanism involved in suppression of ulcer
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Suppression of inflammatory mediators involved in ulceration by herbal products
Abstract
Background
Peptic ulcer (PU) is a collective term used for a group of chronic manifestations that affect mucosal integrity of stomach and/or duodenal lining. It is characterized by pain, perforations, bloating, nausea, blood in stool or vomit, loss of appetite and weight loss.
Purpose
Although a number of conventional treatment approaches such as antihistaminics, proton pump inhibitors, prostaglandins, antacids and antimicrobial agents are available for the management of PU, but they all are associated with various side effects. Herbal drugs are alternative remedies for the treatment of various pharmacological conditions and are generally considered to be much safer as compared to synthetic drugs. The present review summarizes the different phytoconstituents that have been explored for their antiulcer potential in various preclinical studies.
Methods
Literature search was conducted across four electronic databases (Google, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus) for potentially relevant literature. Search was performed using various key words such as “peptic ulcer”, “herbal drugs”, “anti-ulcer”, “anti-ulcer plants”, “phytomedicine for peptic ulcer”, and “plant derived drugs for peptic ulcer”. Further studies were screened through examination of abstracts, reference sections and well on the basis of previously published review articles.
Results
A number of natural products are reported to exhibit antiulcer property in various animal studies and some of them are currently being used in various herbal formulations. Prominent phytoconstituents exhibiting anti-ulcerogenic activity include friedelin (Maytenus robusta Reissek); squalene (Muntingia calabura L.); brasiliensic acid (Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess.); shogaol (Zingiber officinale Roscoe); allitridin (Allium sativum L.); rutin (Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart.); ligustilide (Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels); curcumin (Curcuma longa L.); and rosmarinic acid (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.).
Conclusion
Phytoconstituents have been reported to exhibit antiulcer property by targeting various enzymes, inflammatory mediators and/or by other pathways. Although they have shown promising results in preclinical studies, however, further research is required to ensure their safety and efficacy in human beings.
