Despite progress in conventional pharmacology in producing effective drugs, the plant kingdom might provide a useful source of new anti-ulcer compounds for development pharmaceutical entities or, alternatively, as simple dietary adjuncts to existing therapies. Botanical compounds with anti-ulcer activity include flavonoids(i.e.quercetin, naringin, silymarin, anthocyanosides, sophoradin derivatives) saponins (i.e. from Panax japonicus and Kochia scoparia), tannins (i.e. from Linderae umbellatae), gums and mucilages (i.e. gum guar and myrrh). This article reviews the gastro-protective and anti-ulcer properties of the most commonly employed herbal medicines and their identified active constituents. Among herbal drugs, liquorice, aloe gel and capsicum (chilli) have been used extensively and their clinical efficacy documented, but тhe documented literature has centred primarily on pharmacological action in experimental animals.
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