REVIEW ON FOLK REMEDIES AND HERBAL APPROACHES IN THE TREATMENT OF GASTRIC ULCERS
Shaikh Faizur Rahman, Khushboo Chouhan, Satkar Prasad
ABSTRACT
Peptic ulcer disease is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterized by mucosal erosion of the stomach or duodenum, primarily caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), stress, and lifestyle factors. Although conventional antiulcer therapies such as proton pump inhibitors, H?-receptor antagonists, and antibiotics are effective, their long-term use is often associated with adverse effects, drug resistance, high cost, and ulcer recurrence. In recent years, increasing attention has been directed toward herbal medicines as alternative or complementary therapies for ulcer management due to their safety, affordability, and multi-targeted mechanisms of action. Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive phytochemicals, including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, and phenolic acids, which exhibit gastroprotective, antioxidant, anti-secretory, cytoprotective, and anti-H. pylori activities. Various experimental animal models, such as ethanol-, NSAID-, stress-, pylorus ligation-, and histamine-induced ulcer models, have been employed to evaluate the antiulcer potential of plant extracts and isolated compounds. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of peptic ulcers, along with a detailed discussion of screening models used for antiulcer activity. Special emphasis is placed on plant-derived chemical constituents and medicinal plants with proven antiulcer efficacy, highlighting their mechanisms of action and therapeutic relevance. The review underscores the potential of herbal medicines as promising candidates for the development of safer and more effective antiulcer agents and emphasizes the need for well-designed clinical trials and regulatory standardization to ensure their quality, efficacy, and safety.
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