**4. Some scientifically validated antiulcerogenic medicinal plants**

Despite the rapidly changing concept of SU disease management from conventional vagotomy, H<sup>2</sup> -receptor antagonists and antacids to proton pump inhibitors, gastrointestinal toxicity and other inherent adverse effects remain significant impediments to their application in clinical practice. Investigation on the phytotherapeutic applications of medicinal plants that are highly valued and widely used in the traditional systems of medicine have been and still providing efficient formulation for better management of SU [2, 22].

The under-listed medicinal plants have been pharmacological reported to possess antiulcer activity as previously compiled [34–39]. They are:

*Acacia arabica* (Family: Mimosaceae); *Abutilon indicum* L. (Family: Malvaceae); *Adansonia digitate*; *Aegle marmelos* (Family: Rutaceae); *Allium sativum* (Family: Liliaceae); *Allophylus serratus* Kurz (Family: Sapindaceae); *Aloe vera* (Family: Liliaceae); *Alstonia scholaris*; *Annona squamosa* (Family: Annonaceae); *Asparagus racemosus; Azadirachta indica* (Family: Meliaceae); *Bacopa monnieri*; *Benincasa hispida*; *Bauhinia purpurea* (Family: Leguminosae); *Bauhinia variegate* (Family: Caesalpiniaceae); *Berberis aristata*; *Beta vulgaris*; *Buchanania lanzan* Spreng. (Family: Anacardiaceae); *Butea frondosa* Roxb. (Family: Fabaceae); *Boswellia serrata* (Family: Burseraceae); *Careya arborea* (Family: Myrtaceae); *Carica papaya* (Family: Caricaceae); *Capsicum annuum* L. (Family: Solanaceae); *Centella asiatica; Cissus quadrangularis* L. (Family: Vitaceae); *Curcuma longa* L. (Family: Zingiberaceae); *Desmostachya bipinnata* (L.) Stapf (Family: Gramineae); *Desmodium gangeticum; Emblica officinalis* (Family: Euphorbiaceae); *Excoecaria agallocha* (Family: Euphorbiaceae); *Garcinia cambogia; Glycyrrhiza glabra* (Family: Leguminosae); *Ficus arnottiana*; *Ficus religiosa* (Family: Urticaceae); *Hemidesmus indicus*; *Hibiscus rosa sinensis* (Family: Malvaceae); *Ipomoea batatas* L. (Family: Convolvulaceae); *Ixora pavetta* (Family: Rubiaceae); *Kielmeyera coriacea* Mart (Family: Guttiferae); *Lagenaria siceraria* (Family: Cucurbitaceae); *Leucas lavandulifolia* Sm. (Family: Labiatae); *Mangifera indica* (Family: Anacardiaceae); *Mimosa pudica* (Family: Fabaceae); *Mentha arvensis* L. (Family: Lamiaceaea); *Momordica charantia* (Family: Cucurbitaceae); *Momordica cymbalaria* Hook. (Family: Cucurbitaceae); *Morinda citrifolia*; *Moringa oleifera* (Family: Moringaceae); *Musa sapientum*; *Myrtus communis* (Family: Myrtaceae); *Ocimum sanctum* (Family: Lamiaceae); *Oryza sativa* (Family: Gramineae); *Phyllanthus niruri* (Family: Euphorbiaceae); *Plectranthus amboinicus*; *Polyalthia longifolia* (Family: Annonaceae); *Psidium guyava* (Family: Myrtaceae); *Rhus coriaria* (Family: Anacardiaceae); *Rhizophora mangle* L. (Family: Rhizophoraceae); *Sapindus trifoliatus* L. (Family: Sapindaceae); *Sesbania grandiflora* (Fabaceae); *Shorea robusta* (Family: Dipterocarpaceae); *Solanum nigrum* (Family: Solanaceae); *Tamarindus indica* (Family: Caesalpiniaceae); *Tamarindus indica* (Family: Caesalpiniaceae); *Tecomaria capensis* (Family: Bignoniaceae); *Terminalia chebula* (Family: Combretaceae); *Terminalia pallida; Utleria salicifolia Bedd*. Ex.Hook. F. (Family: Periplocaceae); *Vinca minor* L. (Family: Apocynaceae). A comprehensive list of some selected plants being embraced as antiulcerogenic agents is presented in **Table 2**.



**Table 2.** Some selected medicinal plants with antiulcerogenic properties.

Anacardiaceae); *Butea frondosa* Roxb. (Family: Fabaceae); *Boswellia serrata* (Family: Burseraceae); *Careya arborea* (Family: Myrtaceae); *Carica papaya* (Family: Caricaceae); *Capsicum annuum* L. (Family: Solanaceae); *Centella asiatica; Cissus quadrangularis* L. (Family: Vitaceae); *Curcuma longa* L. (Family: Zingiberaceae); *Desmostachya bipinnata* (L.) Stapf (Family: Gramineae); *Desmodium gangeticum; Emblica officinalis* (Family: Euphorbiaceae); *Excoecaria agallocha* (Family: Euphorbiaceae); *Garcinia cambogia; Glycyrrhiza glabra* (Family: Leguminosae); *Ficus arnottiana*; *Ficus religiosa* (Family: Urticaceae); *Hemidesmus indicus*; *Hibiscus rosa sinensis* (Family: Malvaceae); *Ipomoea batatas* L. (Family: Convolvulaceae); *Ixora pavetta* (Family: Rubiaceae); *Kielmeyera coriacea* Mart (Family: Guttiferae); *Lagenaria siceraria* (Family: Cucurbitaceae); *Leucas lavandulifolia* Sm. (Family: Labiatae); *Mangifera indica* (Family: Anacardiaceae); *Mimosa pudica* (Family: Fabaceae); *Mentha arvensis* L. (Family: Lamiaceaea); *Momordica charantia* (Family: Cucurbitaceae); *Momordica cymbalaria* Hook. (Family: Cucurbitaceae); *Morinda citrifolia*; *Moringa oleifera* (Family: Moringaceae); *Musa sapientum*; *Myrtus communis* (Family: Myrtaceae); *Ocimum sanctum* (Family: Lamiaceae); *Oryza sativa* (Family: Gramineae); *Phyllanthus niruri* (Family: Euphorbiaceae); *Plectranthus amboinicus*; *Polyalthia longifolia* (Family: Annonaceae); *Psidium guyava* (Family: Myrtaceae); *Rhus coriaria* (Family: Anacardiaceae); *Rhizophora mangle* L. (Family: Rhizophoraceae); *Sapindus trifoliatus* L. (Family: Sapindaceae); *Sesbania grandiflora* (Fabaceae); *Shorea robusta* (Family: Dipterocarpaceae); *Solanum nigrum* (Family: Solanaceae); *Tamarindus indica* (Family: Caesalpiniaceae); *Tamarindus indica* (Family: Caesalpiniaceae); *Tecomaria capensis* (Family: Bignoniaceae); *Terminalia chebula* (Family: Combretaceae); *Terminalia pallida; Utleria salicifolia Bedd*. Ex.Hook. F. (Family: Periplocaceae); *Vinca minor* L. (Family: Apocynaceae). A comprehensive list of some selected

30 Stomach Disorders

plants being embraced as antiulcerogenic agents is presented in **Table 2**.

*Acacia arabica* Mimosaceae Gum, leaves Arabic acid, malate, sugar, mineral

*Adansonia digitata* Malvaceae Leaves Mucilage, glucose, albuminoids,

*Aleo vera* Liliaceae Whole plant Aloin, isobarbaloin, emodin,

*Allium sativum* Liliaceae Bulb Mucilage, starch, albumen,

*Annona squamosa* Annonaceae Leaves Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponini,

*Azadirachta indica* Meliaceae Leaves Saponin, flavonoids, phenolics,

*Achyranthus aspera* Amaranthaseae Root, seeds Saponin, glycosides [42]

*Aegle marmelos* Rutaceae Leaves Flavonoid, tannins, saponin [44]

*Alhagi maurorum* Fabaceae Root Terpenes, saponin, tannins [46]

*Bauhinia variegate* Caesalpiniaceae Stem-bark, root Rutin, quercetin, apigenin, tannin [50] *Berberis aristata* Berberidaceae Root Alkaloids [51] *Bata vulgaris* Chenopodiaceae Root Betin [52] *Carica papaya* Caricaceae Fruit, seeds Papain, pectin, carpaine, carposide [53]

**Plant Family Plant used Phytonutrients Reference(s)**

elements, tannins

adansonin, tannin

vitamins, sugar, allicin, alliin

saponin

tannins

tannin

[40, 41]

[43]

[45]

[47]

[48]

[49]

Following the experimental demonstration that many medicinal plants are endowed with good antiulcerogenic activity with relatively lesser adverse effect compared with the conventional drugs, further steps have been taken in presenting a good number of them for clinical trials. Despite this giant stride, not many of the medicinal plants have passed market entry stage. To the best of our knowledge, of the many presented for developmental evaluations in 2004, only *Azadirachta indica* (Family: Meliaceae) received remarkable attention at its advance stage of clinical trial. It exhibited significant therapeutic potency by reducing gastric hypersecretion, gastroesophageal and gastroduodenal ulcers [76].
