Herbal Supplements for GI upset
What are some of the remedies the YOU turn to for an upset stomach?
Most people have experienced gastric upset in their lifetime. What are some of the remedies that you used? There are medicines available at Pharmacies such as Pepto-Bismol and TUMs.
Today, I’m going to introduce 3 herbal supplements that might be useful.
Ginger
Ginger has been used for over 2,000 years in China as a remedy for digestion, stomach upset, and diarrhea. Gingerols and shogaols are the main bioactive compounds in ginger oil that display carminative effects and are also responsible for the pungent properties.
Indications
Ginger is used for nausea and vomiting related to dyspepsia, chemotherapy, and pregnancy.
One study, randomized controlled trial and cross over study evaluated 11 adult patients with functional dyspepsia who displayed symptoms for at least 6 weeks, demonstrates that ginger significantly increased gastric emptying time compared to placebo 12.3 minutes compared to 16.1 minutes. However, there is a limitation to this study. The sample size of the study is small.
Another study, a meta-analysis of 6 studies from 1991 to 2009 evaluated 508 subjects receiving ginger to demonstrate its effect in the morning sickness in pregnancy. The study shows that ginger was better at improving NVP when given 1000mg per day for at least 4 consecutive days. The limitation of this study was various dosages and formulations.
Interactions of Ginger
- NIfedipine: doses over 1 gram of pure ginger may inhibit platelet aggregation.
- Warfarin: Ginger may interact with thromboxane synthetase and decrease platelet aggregation. Therefore, patients taking Warfarin for more than 4 months should closely monitor INR.
Garlic
Garlic was used to prevent gangrene in WWI and WW2 and as an antiseptic to prevent wound infection. It contains the chemical compound allicin that relaxes smooth muscle by supporting nitric oxide production.
Indications of Garlic
Upset stomach and antihypertensive
The randomized controlled study used garlic containing products (Karinat) to treat gastritis in 66 patients in addition to the standard of care. The product contained 150mg of garlic powder and was used twice daily for months in both treatment and placebo groups. There was a significant improvement of digestion, inhibition of H.pylori infection, and stimulation of stomach activity in the treatment group receiving garlic powder.
Interactions of Garlic
- Isoniazid: 10mg of allicin reduced absorption up to 65% shown by a decrease in AUC
- Saquinavir: 3 consecutive weeks of 1200mg lead to CYP3A4 induction and decreased levels by 49 % leading to subtherapeutic effects
Peppermint
Peppermint was used for cooking and herbal medicine dating back to 1500BC in ancient Egypt. It relaxes the muscles of the stomach and improves the flow of bile allowing food to pass quicker.
Indications of Peppermint
IBS symptoms that are characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea, dyspepsia, nausea, and heartburn
According to the study, Meta-analysis of eight RCT analyzed 347 patients, IBS symptoms significantly improved compared to the placebo in fice of the studies following 2 and 4 weeks of peppermint treatment.
Another study, a randomized controlled study evaluated the effectiveness of peppermint in 60 patients, demonstrates that the peppermint group had significantly less pain, nausea, heartburn, and gastro-spasms compared to the drug group.
Interactions of Peppermint
- Antacids: increased in gastric PH
- Cyclosporin: interferes with cyclosporine metabolism
- Iron supplement: interferes with iron absorption
Summary
Ginger may be effective for nausea and vomiting related to dyspepsia, pregnancy, or chemotherapy. In addition, peppermint may be effective for dyspepsia and IBS symptoms. Finally, garlic may display antimicrobial properties.
