Abstract

Gastric ulcer generally results from persistent erosions and damage of the stomach wall which become perforated and develops into peritonitis and massive haemorrhage as a result of inhibition of the synthesis of mucus, bicarbonate and prostaglandins. The commercially available antiulcer drugs usually have various side effects. Due to these side effects, there is a need to find new antiulcerogenic compound(s) with potentially less or no side effects and medicinal plants have always been the main source of new drugs for the treatment of gastric ulcer. Several hundred plant genera are used medicinally mainly in the form of herbal preparation in indigenous system of medicine in different countries for the treatment of ulcers. In this review, we have given a detailed description of ulcer and its causative factors along with medicinal plants with antiulcer potency.

Key words: Helicobacter pylori, Meckel’s Diverticulum ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease.