Peptic Ulcer: Causes and Therapy
About Author:
Anuradha Kaplish
M. Pharmacy (Drug discovery and drug development)
University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University,
Chandigarh-160014, India
1. INTRODUCTION
A peptic ulcer is a hole in the gut lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. A peptic ulcer of the stomach is called a gastric ulcer; of the duodenum, a duodenal ulcer; and of the esophagus, an esophageal ulcer. An ulcer occurs when the lining of these organs is corroded by the acidic digestive juices which are secreted by the stomach cells. Peptic ulcer disease is common, affecting millions of Americans yearly. The medical cost of treating peptic ulcer and its complications runs in the billions of dollars annually. Recent medical advances have increased our understanding of ulcer formation [1,2].