Stomach ulcers and gastritis

African locust bean

Parkia biglobosa

Bark preparations are used for ulcers and gastrointestinal complaints. Stem-bark extracts protected the stomach in a rat ulcer model, with effects compared with omeprazole.

African yellow wood

Annickia chlorantha

Stem bark is used for stomach problems and gastric and duodenal ulcers. Stem-bark extracts and protoberberine alkaloids were gastroprotective in animal studies.

Ash gourd

Benincasa hispida

Fresh juice and several extracts reduced experimental gastric ulcers in rodents, and chronic dosing with the juice caused no blood or biochemical changes; no human trials were found.

Bael

Aegle marmelos

Used for ulcers in Ayurveda; a methanolic extract reduced stomach ulcers in rats. No human trials.

Balm of Gilead

Commiphora gileadensis

An ethanol extract ('Balessan', 250–500 mg/kg) protected rats against experimentally induced gastric ulcers.

Black cardamom

Amomum subulatum

A methanolic extract and its oil and ethyl acetate fractions protected rats against ethanol-induced (but not aspirin-induced) gastric lesions, supporting Unani use of 'Heel kalan' for gastric disorders.

Black nightshade

Solanum nigrum

Extracts reduced experimental gastric ulcers in mice and rats; at 500 mg/kg one extract was as effective as lansoprazole.

Black-honey shrub

Phyllanthus reticulatus

Used traditionally for gastrointestinal disorders. Extracts (400 mg/kg) protected rats against ethanol-induced stomach ulcers, reducing ulcer scores, acid secretion and TNF-α and IL-8 expression.

Camelthorn

Alhagi maurorum

Traditionally anti-ulcerogenic; an ethanol extract (100 mg/kg) reduced gastric acid output and protected rats against aspirin-induced gastric injury.

Chinese licorice

Glycyrrhiza uralensis

WHO cites a small study of 15 patients in which oral liquorice root improved peptic-ulcer healing, and a trial in 169 people with chronic duodenal ulcer in which deglycyrrhizinated liquorice (380 mg three times daily) did as well as antacids or cimetidine. Modern ulcer care has moved on, and these studies are old.

Clearing nut

Strychnos potatorum

Used in Indian medicine for 'gastropathy'. Seed powder and water extract prevented aspirin-plus-pyloric-ligation ulcers in rats, reducing acid secretion and raising mucin.

Cochlospermum

Cochlospermum tinctorium

Root infusions are used in Malian traditional medicine for gastric ulcer. A crude root water extract reduced Helicobacter pylori attachment to human gastric cells by 43% in vitro.

Copalchi

Hintonia latiflora

Stomach complaints are the first recorded use (Florentine Codex). Infusions of bark and leaves protected rats against ethanol-induced stomach injury; no human trials were found.

Cuachalalate

Amphipterygium adstringens

The leading traditional use. Water and methanol bark extracts reduced experimental stomach and duodenal ulcers in rats, in one model comparably to omeprazole; 3-epioleanolic acid and 3α-hydroxymasticadienonic acid are among the active compounds. No human trials were found.

Deodar

Cedrus deodara

Used in Ayurveda for peptic ulcer. In rats, steam-distilled wood oil reduced stomach acid and ulcer scores, and root oil (200 mg/kg) protected the stomach lining without harming liver or kidney.

Espinheira-santa

Monteverdia ilicifolia

Water and other extracts protected the stomach lining of rodents against stress, ethanol and indomethacin, with reduced acid secretion. Extracts inhibited Helicobacter pylori in the lab (MIC 64 µg/ml). No human ulcer trials were found.

Fingerroot

Boesenbergia rotunda

Used by communities in Thailand and Indonesia for peptic ulcer. The methanol extract and its compound pinostrobin protected the stomach lining in rats; no human ulcer trials were found.

Fire-flame bush

Woodfordia fruticosa

A standardised flower extract protected against stomach ulcers in rats at 31.25–62.5 mg/kg and had earlier shown proton-pump-inhibiting and anti-Helicobacter pylori activity in the lab. The authors called it ready for clinical testing; no human results were found.

Flowering quince

Chaenomeles speciosa

Tormentic acid, a triterpenoid isolated from the fruit, protected rat stomach lining and cultured gastric cells against injury caused by indomethacin. Lab and animal data only.

Gamhar

Gmelina arborea

A methanol stem-bark extract (500 mg/kg) prevented about 92% of ethanol-induced stomach ulcers in rats, more than ranitidine, alongside antioxidant changes in the stomach lining. Animal data only.

Gotu kola (Indian pennywort)

Centella asiatica

WHO notes extracts have been given orally for stress-induced stomach and duodenal ulcers; evidence is limited to early studies.

Guiera

Guiera senegalensis

The root extract protected the stomach lining against ethanol-induced ulcers in rats, supporting its Nigerian use for ulcers; untested in people.

Heath speedwell

Veronica officinalis

Romanian folk use of the decoction for gastric ulcers is supported only by rat studies, in which extracts protected against indomethacin ulcers and sped mucosal healing.

Hog plum

Spondias mombin

Used in folk medicine for gastrointestinal diseases. An ethanolic leaf extract (50–200 mg/kg) reduced ethanol-induced stomach lesions by up to 90% in rodents, lowered acid secretion, increased mucus and inhibited Helicobacter pylori in vitro.

Hopbush

Dodonaea viscosa

Tribes of the Western Ghats of India use it for stomach pain, piles and ulcers. In rats, a hexane leaf extract dose-dependently protected against ethanol- and indomethacin-induced stomach ulcers (up to about 90% at 500 mg/kg) and reduced gastric acid. No human data.

Hyacinth orchid

Bletilla striata

Chinese trials have added Bai ji powder to standard acid-suppressing treatment for peptic ulcer: in one of 68 patients, omeprazole plus 6 g Bletilla powder in capsules gave a higher H. pylori eradication rate (47% vs 18%) than omeprazole alone. The trials are small, published mainly in Chinese, and the reviewers do not assess bias.

Kokum

Garcinia indica

Garcinol purified from the rind, given by mouth, prevented acute stomach ulcers caused by indomethacin or stress in rats. No human data.

Large-leaf gentian

Gentiana macrophylla

Gentiopicroside protected the stomach lining of mice against ethanol-induced injury (title only); human data are lacking.

Larger tinsel flower

Alepidea amatymbica

Extracts inhibited clinical strains of Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium behind most stomach ulcers, in the lab (MIC50 0.06–5 mg/ml across the plants tested).

Liquorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Commission E approved liquorice for gastric and duodenal ulcers, and a glycyrrhetinic-acid derivative (carbenoxolone) was once prescribed for them. Modern ulcer treatment (acid suppression, H. pylori eradication) has replaced it, and NCCIH finds no high-quality evidence for any condition.

Madras pea pumpkin

Mukia maderaspatana

An ethanol extract reduced indomethacin-induced stomach ulcers and acidity in rats; animal work only.

Mastic tree

Pistacia lentiscus

In a 1984 placebo-controlled trial in duodenal ulcer, 1 g mastic daily for 2 weeks was followed by endoscopic healing in 70% vs 22% on placebo, but many patients dropped out. In a small trial against Helicobacter pylori, mastic alone cleared the infection in only about a third of patients.

Neem

Azadirachta indica

MSK notes small human studies suggesting neem may reduce stomach acid; larger trials are needed.

Njansang

Ricinodendron heudelotii

Used in African traditional medicine for gastric ulcers and stomach pain. In rats with ulcers induced by acidified alcohol or indomethacin, a hydroethanolic stem-bark extract (30–300 mg/kg by mouth) lowered the ulcer index, raised gastric pH and preserved the stomach lining, with omeprazole as the comparator. Animal work only.

Oriental sweetgum

Liquidambar orientalis

Used for peptic-ulcer symptoms in Turkish folk medicine 'for centuries'. Oral doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg protected the stomach of rats against ethanol-induced ulcers.

Patala

Stereospermum chelonoides

Used traditionally as an antidyspeptic. A methanolic stem-bark extract protected rats against ulcers caused by tying off the stomach outlet. Animal data only.

Pointed gourd

Trichosanthes dioica

Small, uncontrolled Indian studies reported improvement in peptic and duodenal ulcer with Patoladi kashaya formulas (10 and 33 patients) and with patola alone (20 patients; 45% 'excellent' response). None was a randomised trial.

Red mangrove

Rhizophora mangle

Bark extracts protected the stomach lining in rat models of ulcers caused by NSAIDs and other agents. No human studies.

Red sanders

Pterocarpus santalinus

An ethanol extract (200 mg/kg was the lowest effective dose) reduced ibuprofen-induced stomach lesions in rats, with lower acid output and oxidative damage.

Red silk-cotton tree

Bombax ceiba

The gum is used traditionally for stomach ulcers. Given by mouth to rats (100–400 mg/kg), it reduced gastric juice volume, acidity and ulcer scores in experimental ulcer models.

Scopolia

Scopolia carniolica

The same patent-medicine extract is used to reduce gastric acid secretion. The alkaloid content of commercial scopolia extract powder is controlled by Japanese Pharmacopoeia assay methods.

Senburi

Swertia japonica

A methanol extract inhibited Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium behind most stomach ulcers, in the test tube; its constituent swertianolin was active (IC50 6.1 µM, far weaker than amoxicillin at 0.044 µM) and acted synergistically with amoxicillin. Laboratory work only.

Shalaparni

Desmodium gangeticum

An ethanol extract (200 mg/kg by mouth) protected rats against stomach ulcers caused by stress, aspirin, alcohol and pylorus ligation, and guinea pigs against histamine-induced duodenal ulcers. It cut acid secretion by about 42%. No human studies.

Shea tree

Vitellaria paradoxa

Stem-bark extracts (50% ethanol) protected rat stomachs against ethanol-induced ulcers (about 67% protection) in one study; there are no human trials.

Soapnut

Sapindus mukorossi

Ethanol and chloroform fruit extracts inhibited 30 drug-resistant Helicobacter pylori isolates in vitro and cleared H. pylori infection in rats within 7 days. No human trials.

Sour plum

Ximenia americana

Used for gastritis and stomach discomfort in Brazil. Aqueous bark extract (100–400 mg/kg) protected rats against ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions (up to 100% inhibition) and reduced acid secretion.

Spanish cherry

Mimusops elengi

Bark extract and its ethyl acetate fraction reduced gastric ulcers in several rat models and lowered acid output; the fraction was non-toxic in mice up to 5,000 mg/kg.

Syrian oregano

Origanum syriacum

An ethanol extract given by mouth reduced ethanol-induced stomach damage in rats, in one prophylactic model comparably to lansoprazole. Animal studies only.

Zhejiang fritillary

Fritillaria thunbergii

Anti-ulcer and anti-diarrhoeal effects were reported in animal studies.

Balloon flower

Platycodon grandiflorus

Used for peptic ulcers and mouth inflammation; platycodins reduced gastric secretion and ulcers in rats only.

Brazilian peppertree

Schinus terebinthifolia

Folk anti-ulcer use; an official Brazilian tablet preparation is listed for this purpose. Evidence is preclinical.

Broadleaf plantain

Plantago major

In Turkey powdered leaves are taken with honey before breakfast for stomach ulcers; anti-ulcer activity has been seen only in animal studies.

Candlenut

Aleurites moluccanus

Folk use of the leaves for gastritis and gastric ulcer.

Ceylon leadwort

Plumbago zeylanica

Haya healers in Tanzania give a decoction for peptic ulcer; a root extract protected against gastric ulcers in an animal model.

Chaga

Inonotus obliquus

Used in folk medicine for gastritis and ulcers; a chaga extract was used in the Soviet Union for gastric complaints. No controlled trials exist.

Gennoshoko

Geranium thunbergii

Described as a traditional East Asian medicine for stomach diseases including stomach ulcers and, as a tea, to prevent gastritis; only cell and animal studies exist.

Sangre de grado

Croton lechleri

Taken by mouth in folk medicine for stomach and intestinal ulcers; supported only by animal studies.