Strategies for Gastric Ulcer Therapy: Causative Factors and Treatment Strategies Using Herbs

Gastric (mainly peptic) ulcer is one of the major factors affecting about 60% of the human population in the tropical countries. It is interesting to note that nearly 50% of the Indian population harbors the disease. Peptic ulcer as a disease is characterized by a group of disorders described lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract (with stomach and duodenum being the most affected areas The local factors that are responsible for causing peptic ulcers can be categorized as: Aggressive factors Hydrochloric acid, Pepsin, refluxed bile, on-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, Alcohol, Proteolytic enzymes, ingested irritants, bacterial toxins,etc Defensive factors Mucus, bicarbonates, blood flow,prostaglandins,etc. Microbial factors Helicobacter pylori infection. It is generally acknowledged that an ulcer results from an imbalance between th Aggressive gastric factors and the defensive (resistance) factors. The treatment should aim at correcting this imbalance rather than neutralizing/inhibiting gastric acid only. The present work makes such an attempt using herbal drugs.