Gastritis is an inflammation of the mucosa that covers the walls of the stomach, which manifests itself with pain in the abdominal part, acidity, burning, cramps, nausea, and vomiting, sometimes accompanied by blood components, due to the loss of integrity of the mucous membrane which involves bleeding . We see the various herbal remedies to treat it.

Phytotherapy, for the treatment of gastritis, uses officinal plants with an anti-inflammatory, protective action on the mucous membranes, and regulates gastric secretion ; of mineral salts that modify the pH of the gastric environment; and finally, live milk enzymes that restore digestive function .

The psychosomatic reactions of the digestive system that manifest themselves as burning, stomach acid or cramps, are the expression of a state of emotional suffering, often caused by an excessive attempt to control reality and frantic work activities, which do not allow the right time for rest, or strong emotions . For this reason even Bach flower mixes can be a valid support in the treatment of gastritis.

The excessive production of gastric juices, in addition to being irritating to the mucosa, can cause inflammatory and sometimes erosive lesions and, in the most serious cases, real ulcers . This disorder can have different causes and is distinguished in:

• Acute gastritis : it is often the result of toxic damage caused by medicines (aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs), ingestion of corrosive chemicals, excess alcoholic beverages, smoking, traumatic events, food allergies .

• Chronic gastritis : most of the time it derives from persistent excessive stress, as the digestive functions are regulated by the neurovegetative system, which is very sensitive to psychic stimulation . Other times the consequence of an infection due to the Helicobacter pilori, a Gram negative bacterium that has as an ideal habitat the gastric mucus. This micro-organism lives only in an acid environment , which is why it is found only in the stomach. Here it produces the enzyme urease, ie it converts urea into ammonia, which allows it to neutralize gastric acidity and to survive. Once in place, it subjects the mucosa to toxic metabolites that cause cell damage. As a consequence of the infectious action of this bacterium, the acidity of the gastric environment is lowered further, making the tissues of the stomach walls more vulnerable to the erosive activity of gastric juices. The most common symptoms are esophageal reflux , (passage of acid from the stomach to the esophagus), burning, poor digestion, areophagy, nausea .

Find out how to fight gastritis with food

Medicinal plants in case of gastritis

Generally the most frequent complaints are inflammation of the mucosa, the presence of air in the stomach or intestine ( meteorism ), with flatulence and eructations, acid regurgitations, gastric heaviness or even pain, similar to a heart attack . The plants used will therefore have a decongestant and protective action on the mucous membranes, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive and relaxing on the nervous system .

• Aloe vera : the pure juice contained in the leaves is useful in case of gastric disorders such as gastritis and ulcer, colitis and irritable colon, as it has a marked eupeptic action (increases appetite and facilitates digestion), cholagogue (stimulates the secretion of bile and promotes its inflow into the intestine), anti-inflammatory on the digestive tract, with a healing, re-epithelising effect (it favors the reconstitution and healing of the epithelium of the internal mucous membranes), and balancing the pH and the gastrointestinal bacterial flora .

• Licorice : the root contains flavonoids that carry out a strong antispastic activity on the smooth muscles of the stomach, and the glycity with a mucoprotective and healing action on the gastric lesions; a certain decongestant activity on the inflammation of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract is also ascribed to both substances.

• Angelica : the root can be considered a valid remedy against gastritis due to its mucilage content, flavonoids with spasmolytic action and oil with anti-inflammatory and ulcer-protecting properties. Furthermore, the plant has calming, carminative, digestive, tonic, expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Altea : the mucilages, contained in the roots, give the plant emollient, soothing and protective properties of the tissues and soothing painful spasms . For this reason it is indicated in the treatment of all forms of inflammation of the gastric or duodenal mucosa, and in the treatment of ulcers .

• Chamomile : the flowers have mainly antispasmodic properties, such as lemon balm, that is, they produce a muscle relaxation, due to the presence in its phytocomplex of flavonoids (eupatuletin, quercimetrin) and coumarins . These combinations of active ingredients make the plant useful in case of gastric or intestinal cramps, poor digestion, irritable bowel syndrome. Like mallow, chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to the protective action on the mucous membranes exerted by the mucilages and by the components of its essential oil (azulene and alpha-bisabolol). For this reason it is used as a soothing, decongestant, soothing and calming remedy, in all types of irritation of external and internal tissues: dermatitis, wounds, ulcers, gastritis, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, oral cavity irritations, gingivitis and urogenital inflammation.

• Ginger : it is used as an anti-inflammatory and digestive and is among the most effective remedies for emetics and anti- origin . For this reason it is effectively used against nausea or vomiting . These properties appear to reside in local effects on the walls of the stomach and intestines. The active ingredients of the plant all concentrate in its root : non-volatile substances, such as gingerols, resins and mucilages that make it an excellent protective of the gastric mucosa .

The buds

Ficus carica : the bud's bud derivative acts directly on the main cause of gastritis of nervous origin: stress and anxiety, which induces the body to an excessive production of gastric juices, up to, in the most serious cases, chronic gastritis and ulcer .

The Ficus carica is therefore indicated to those who have a tendency to a visceral somatization of anxiety, and have swelling in the belly ; gastric spasms, stomach acid, dyspepsias or slow digestion .

Discover also the homeopathic remedies against gastritis

Salts for gastritis

• Coral calcium, Magnesium carbonate and Potassium bicarbonate play a buffering effect on gastric juices , helping to normalize the physiological pH of the stomach. These salts help restore the acid-alkaline balance leading to increased alkalinity. This is a feature of great importance for the human body. Almost all the fluids of the human body are neutral or slightly alkaline, with the exception of gastric juices: gastric pH -1.0.

• White clay has a protective action on the mucous membranes, because it forms a barrier to acids, thanks to the cation exchange capacity and to the absorbent, which it exerts on gastric juices . Not only. This last property is also expressed as a chemical fixation of a body, which gives the clay the possibility of trapping bacteria and microbes, toxins and waste of intestinal metabolism, gases and poisons, so it has a high detoxifying power. On the other hand, it does not absorb nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, for this reason it is called selective absorption. on the contrary, it itself supplies numerous minerals and trace elements, so it is also remineralizing . The disorders for which internal use of clay is recommended are in particular gastritis, abdominal meteorism and borborigmas, digestive insufficiency and stomach acid, aerofagia, gastric reflux, colitis.

Lactic ferments

Probiotics enrich the intestinal bacterial flora and, very important for the proper functioning of the stomach and intestines, and for the well-being of the whole organism.

In particular, the bacterial species that colonize the stomach and the intestine form an ecosystem of over 400 types of microorganisms, whose distribution and composition differs with respect to various traits of the digestive system.

In fact, while in the stomach and in the first part of the intestine the bacterial flora varies from 10, 000 to 10, 000, 000 bacteria, as it reaches the rectum the quantity increases up to 100, 000, 000, 000 units.

The use of lactic ferments in the treatment of gastritis is justified by the fact that they favor the digestion and restoration of the functionality of the digestive tract; and defending the stomach and intestines from attacks by pathogens, preventing their proliferation.

3 herbal remedies to combat gastritis