Herbal Aloe Vera, The Potential Cure of Gastric Ulcer With No Side Effects

By Kyle J. Norton

Scientists may have found a natural herbal medicine for treatment of gastric ulcer without inducing any side effect, some studies suggested.

Gastric ulcer is the medical condition characterized by the open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach. If the open sores are developed in the upper part of the small intestine, it is a duodenal ulcer.

Most common cause of the gastric ulcer, represented over 30% of all cases is associated with the infection of H. pylori.

Certain medical conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and long-term use of some medication such as alendronate (Fosamax) and risedronate (Actonel) are also the prevalent risk factors that elevate the disease onset.

Most common symptoms of a gastric ulcer are gastrointestinal discomforts, blood in your stool,  difficulty breathing, shortness of breath with physical activity, and persistent fatigue. 

Some patients with severe gastric ulcer may also experience symptoms of vomiting blood,  feeling faint or losing consciousness. However, 75% of patients with gastric ulcer do not feel any symptoms.

If you have some of the above symptoms, please make that you check with your doctor to rule out the possibility of the condition.

Treatment of gastric ulcer is totally depending on the causes, such as histamine receptor blockers (H2 blockers) or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for patients with gastric ulcer induced by overproduction of stomach acid and the antibiotics for the infection caused by H. pylori.

Aloe Vera is species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe, belonging to the Family Xanthorrhoeaceae, native to Sudan.

The herb has become very popular for commercial cultivation due to its health benefits. Aloe vera has been used in herbal medicine in treating many kinds of disease, including wound, burn healing, minor skin infections, sebaceous cysts, diabetes, and elevated of cholesterol, etc.

It is also one of many popular herbs studied in scientific ways with some conflicting results.

The ten main areas of chemical constituents of Aloe vera include amino acids, anthraquinones, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, lignins, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, salicylic acid, saponins, and sterols. All ingredients work together in a synergistic way to create healing and health-giving benefits, according to Gertrude Baldwin in the article of THE BENEFITS OF THE USE OF ALOE VERA IN HERBAL PREPARATIONS.

In the study to examine the effects of Aloe vera and sucralfate on gastric microcirculatory changes, cytokine levels, and gastric ulcer healing in 48 Male Spraque-Dawley rat divided into four groups as the following, group1 served a as control group, group 2 as gastric ulcer group without treatment, groups 3 and 4 as gastric ulcer treatment groups with sucralfate and Aloe vera, researchers found
* On day 1 after induction of gastric ulcer and before treatment the leukocyte adherence in postcapillary venule was significantly increased in the ulcer groups, an indication of immune response to the gastric damage when compared to the control group. The level of TNF-alpha was elevated and the level of IL-10 was reduced, an indication of overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

* In the ulcer groups treated with sucralfate and Aloe vera, leukocyte adherence was reduced in postcapillary venule. The level of IL-10 was elevated, but the level of TNF-. alpha had no significant difference, an indication of the leading process with the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokine.

* On day 8, the leukocyte adherence in postcapillary venule and the level of TNF-alpha were still increased and the level of IL-10 was reduced in the ulcer group without treatment.

Dr. Eamlamnam K, the lead scientist at the final days of the study, wrote, “histopathological examination of the stomach on days 1 and 8 after induction of gastric ulcer showed that gastric tissue was damaged with inflammation. In the ulcer groups treated with sucralfate and Aloe vera on days 1 and 8, gastric inflammation was reduced, epithelial cell proliferation was enhanced and gastric glands became elongated”.

The results further confirm the efficacy of Aloe vera in promoting gastric ulcer healing, through the expressions of leukocyte adherence and TNF-alpha level, elevate IL-10 level.

Additionally, in the examination of the anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe vera on leukocyte-endothelium in the gastric microcirculation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-infected of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 3 groups: control, H. pylori-infected, and A. vera-treated group (200 mg/kg b.w., twice daily). researchers found that

* H. pylori-infected group shows a significant increase of the leukocyte adhesion cells and the TNF-alpha level compared with the control group on day 8.

* After treatment with Treatment with A. vera H. pylori-infected group exerts a reduced the leukocyte adhesion and TNF-alpha significantly.

Dr. Prabjone R, the lead author at the final conclusion said, “enhancement in leukocyte-endothelium interaction could be improved by the treatment of A. vera, associated with the reduction in TNF-alpha level”.

Interestingly, in the acute gastric mucosal lesions induced by 0.6 M HCl and acid output Aloe vera endowed with gastric acid anti-secretory activity were found to protect the gastric mucosa at low concentrations against injurious agents. Its bioactive component, the Polymer fraction reduce 50% of the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the initiation of the pathogenesis of inflammation.

Taken altogether, herbal Aloe vera may be considered a functional food for the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer without inducing any side effects.

However, due to the limitation of the above studies, further data collection large example size and multi-centers studies performed with human consumption of the whole food or its bioactive compounds during the course of the disease will be necessary to complete the picture of herbal Aloe vera anti-gastric ulcers possibilities.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it’s news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada – Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

References
(1) ALOE VERA by Gertrude Baldwin, http://www.herballegacy.com/Baldwin_Chemical.html
(2) Effects of Aloe vera and sucralfate on gastric microcirculatory changes, cytokine levels and gastric ulcer healing in rats, by Eamlamnam K, Patumraj S, Visedopas N, Thong-Ngam D.(PubMed)
(3) The effect of Aloe vera A. Berger (Liliaceae) on gastric acid secretion and acute gastric mucosal injury in rats by Yusuf S, Agunu A, Diana M.(PubMed)(4) Anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe vera on leukocyte-endothelium interaction in the gastric microcirculation of Helicobacter pylori-infected rats by Prabjone R, Thong-Ngam D, Wisedopas N, Chatsuwan T, Patumraj S.(PubMed)
(5) Polymer fraction of Aloe vera exhibits a protective activity on ethanol-induced gastric lesions.
Park CH, Nam DY, Son HU, Lee SR, Lee HJ, Heo JC, Cha TY, Baek JH, Lee SH.(PubMed)