Review
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2014; 20(45): 17020-17028
Published online Dec 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i45.17020
Table 1 Efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for gastric ulcer in animal models and possible mechanisms
Herbal extractsModelTreatment course (d)Efficacy
Possible mechanismsAdverse effectsRef.
Herbal extractPositive control
Myristica malabaricaNSAID362%-86%176%-79%1↑ EGF, ↑ VEGF, ↓ endostatinNone[18]
Piper betelNSAID793.4%285.4%2Antioxidant, ↑ mucus contentN/D[20]
Teucrium poliumNSAID2890%2N/D↑ Proliferation, ↓ inflammationN/D[21]
Phyllanthus emblica fruitsNSAID780%2N/DAntioxidantN/D[22]
BeeswaxNSAID, acetic acid3 h for NSAID, 5 d for acetic acid56%3 for NSAID; 65.8%3 for acetic acidN/DN/DN/D[23]
Qualea grandifloraAcetic acid1483%476%4↑ Mucus production, ↑ Proliferation, ↓ acid secretionN/D[24]
Centella asiaticaAcetic acid750%4N/D↑ bFGF, ↑ proliferation, ↓ MPON/D[25]
Ocimum sanctum Linn.Acetic acid2092.75%287%2↑ Mucin content, ↑ proliferation, ↓ acid secretionN/D[26]
Alchornea glandulosaAcetic acid1443%416%4↑ Proliferation, ↓ acid secretionNone[27]
Radix Bupleuri, Radix Codonopsis, radix paeoniae alba, rhizoma corydalis, rhizoma bletilla, margarita, indigo naturalis, radix glycyrrhizaeIL-1b, acetic acid7-9256%2 at 7 d, 12.5% recurrence rate at 92 d27%2 at 7 d, 25% recurrence rate at 92 d↑ VEGF, ↓ inflammation, ↑ Microvasculature density, ↓ NF-κB mrna and proteinN/D[28,29]
Bacopa monnieraAcetic acid1085.9%2 in normal; 52.5%2 in diabetes rats68%2 in normal; 41.8%2 in diabetes ratsN/DN/D[30]
Azadirachta indicaAcetic acid1065.6%2 in normal; 71.5%2 in diabetic rats68%2 in normal; 41.8%2 in diabetic ratsN/DN/D[30]
Chitosan, chitinAcetic acid1460%246%2↓ Acid secretion, ↑ mucusN/D[31]
Salvia miltiorrhizaAcetic acid5-3031%2 for 5 d 59%2 for 30 d19%2 for 5 d 33%2 for 30 d↑ ProliferationN/D[32]
Ganoderma lucidumAcetic acid1455.9%282.8%2↑ Mucus content, ↑ PGE2N/D[33]
Tea catechinAcetic acid1466%259%-77%2AntioxidantN/D[34]
Solanum nigrumAcetic acid770.1%275.7%2H+/K+-atpase activity, ↓ gastrin, ↓ acid secretionNone[35]
Cochinchina momordica seedAcetic acid1471.2%3N/D↑ VEGF (protein and mrna), ↑ Microvasculature densityN/D[36]
Rhizoma Coptis ChinensisAcetic acid1053.86%336.47%3↓ Acid secretionN/D[37]
Glycyrrhetic acid, β-sitosterol, berberine, baicalin and ginsenosideAcetic acid↓ Endothelin-1, ↑ leptin[38]
Curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcuminAcetic acid1086.05%482.42%4↓ iNOS, ↓ acid secretion, ↓ inflammationN/D[39]
Bupleurum falcatum L.Acetic acid1451.9%483.1%4N/DN/D[40]
Plantago lanceolata LAcetic acid1077.9%276.2%2↑ Mucus content, ↓ gastric secretion, ↓ acid secretionNone[41]
Croton lechleriAcetic acid755%3N/D↓ Bacterial colonization, ↓ MPO, ↓ iNOS, ↓ inflammationN/D[42]
Panax notoginseng, rhizoma bletilla, Poria cocos, Taraxacum mongolicum HandAcetic acid7N/DN/DN/DN/D[43]
Tabebuia avellanedaeAcetic acid736%348%3↑ Proliferation, ↑ mucus contentN/D[44]
Sea buckthorn barkAcetic acid1480%270%2↑ Plasma EGF, ↑ EGFR, ↑ PCNAN/D[45]
AstaxanthinAcetic acid1093.5%3N/DAntioxidant, ↓ inflammationN/D[46]
Angelica sinensisAcetic acid3-795%3 for 3 d, 62%3 for 7 dN/D↑ Mucus contentN/D[47]
Radix Aristolochiae, Potentilla bifurca L, Resina Draconis, Taraxacum mongolicum Hand, radix paeoniae alba, Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipech, radix glycyrrhizaeAcetic acid16N/DN/D↑ Proliferation, ↑ NO, ↑ EGFN/D[48]
Rhizoma Atractylodis macrocephalae, Radix Linderae, Rhizoma Dioscoreae, rhizoma bletilla, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Viride, Rhizoma Alpiniae Officinarum, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Herba AgrimoniaeAcetic acid1445.15%472.12%4↑ Serum EGF, ↑ serum no, ↓ Acid secretion, ↑ PGE2N/D[49]
Nyctanthes arbortristis LinnAcetic acid1055%-60%3N/D↓ InflammationN/D[50]
Radix Codonopsis, Radix Adenophorae, Radix Angelica Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, radix paeoniae alba, Poria, Rhizoma Atractylodis macrocephalae, Radix Bupleuri, Radix Scutellariae, Rhizoma Coptidis, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhiza, Taraxacum mongolicum Hand, rhizoma corydali, Panax notoginseng, Radix Glycyrrhizae. PreparataAcetic acid1449%330%3↑ Serum and mucosal EGF, ↑ EGFRN/D[51]
Bacopa monnieraHCI1091.8%2 in normal; 76.2%2 in diabetes92.5%2 in normal; 71.5%2 in diabetesN/DN/D[30]
Azadirachta indicaHCI1093.4%2 in normal; 91.2%2 in diabetes92.5%2 in normal; 71.5%2 in diabetesN/DN/D[30]
Prumnopitys andina wood and barkAcetic acid1492.5%479.6%4↑ Proliferation, antioxidant (only lipoperoxidation, no change in reduced glutathione content), ↑ PGE2N/D[52]
Bupleuri Radix, Pinelliae Tuber, Scutellariae Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Cinnamomi Cortex, Ginseng Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Zizyphi Fructus, Zingiberis RhizomaCold water restraint stress3 h24%2N/DN/DN/D[54]
Coptidis Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, Phellodendri Cortex, Gardeniae FructusCold water restraint stress3 h62%2N/DAntioxidantN/D[54]
Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, Glycyrrhizae RadixCold water restraint stress3 h20%2N/DN/DN/D[54]
Curcuminpyloric ligation19 h90.79%2N/DAntioxidant, ↓ acid secretion, ↓ inflammationN/D[55]
Table 2 Efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for gastric ulcer in humans
Herbal extractsNo. of patients (M/F)Treatment course (d)Efficacy
Adverse effectsRef.
Herbal extractPositive control
Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix Sanguisorbae, radix paeoniae alba, rhizoma bletilla, Chickens Gizzard membrane60 (41/19)42Cure rate: 20% Effective rate: 85%Cure rate: 10% Effective rate: 71.67%None[56]
Radix Astragali, Radix Aucklandiae, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis, Chickens Gizzard membrane, radix notoginseng, radix paeoniae alba, Radix Scutellariae, Radix Glycyrrhizae50 (35/25)60Cure rate: 72% Effective rate: 96%N/DVomiting in one case[57]
Radix Astragali, radix codonopsis, poria, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, dried orange peel, Radix Glycyrrhizae841 (43/41)60Effective rate: 92.9%N/DN/D[58]
Radix Bupleuri, Radix Codonopsis, radix paeoniae alba, rhizoma corydalis, rhizoma bletilla, margarita, indigo naturalis, radix glycyrrhizae26 (15/11)28Effective rate 92.3%Effective rate 92.3%Temporary diarrhea at beginning[60]
Margarita, borax, Rhizoma Coptidis, rhizoma bletilla, indigo naturalis, amber90 (N/D)30Cure rate: 88.9% Effective rate: 96.7%Cure rate: 82.8% Effective rate: 89.7%None[61]
Rhizoma curculiginis, Herba Epimedii, Radix Astragali, rhizoma bletilla, poria, Fructus Amomi, Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata622 (44/18)30Cure rate: 82.3% Effective rate: 98.4%Cure rate: 81.4% Effective rate: 93.0%5 cases had dry mouth; 7 cases had constipation[62]
Radix Codonopsis, Herba Taraxaci, Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, Rhizoma Atractylodes alba, Radix Glycyrrhizae30 (22/8)56Cure rate: 50% Effective rate: 86.7%Cure rate: 40% Effective rate: 70%N/D[63]
Ramulus Cinnamomi, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, Fructus Jujubae, Sacchaium Granorum, Radix Cynanchi Paniculati80 (58/22)28Cure rate: 45% Effective rate: 93.75%Cure rate: 10.26% Effective rate: 74.36%N/D[64]
Radix Astragali, Taraxacum mongolicum Hand, tokyo violet herb, Bulbus Lilii, Radix Linderae, Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza, radix paeoniae alba, Radix Glycyrrhizae12 (ND)28Cure rate: 100%Cure rate: 62.5%N/D[65]