Herbal Potentials for Treatment of Peptic Ulcers: A Review

The inflamed break in the skin or mucous membrane lining the elementary tract describes development of ulcer. About 10% of World’s population suffering from peptic ulcer. It is a broad term that includes ulcers of digestive tract, in the stomach or the duodenum. The presence of acid and peptic activity in gastric juice with a breakdown in mucosal defences develops peptic ulcer. It may be occurring due to regular usage of drugs, irregular food habits, stress. The ideal aims of treatment of peptic ulcer disease are to relieve pain, heal the ulcers and delay ulcer recurrence. The availability of number of synthetic drugs such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonists are conventionally used for treatments of peptic ulcers, associated with adverse effects, relapses, various drug interactions are observed and expensive when compared to herbal medicines. Herbal medicines demand has increased globally. Availability of gastro-protective remedies without side effects are excellent resources for costeffective medicines. Natural compounds showed significant antiulcerogenic activity, compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, saponins, and coumarins. The current review states some medicinal plants, being used in Ayurveda or modern science for the treatment or prevention of peptic ulcer and comparison with synthetic drugs.