Pharmacology of traditional herbal medicines and their active principles used in the treatment of peptic ulcer, diarrhoea and inflammatory bowel disease

The endocrine, exocrine and paracrine secretions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract play a pivotal role in the digestion and absorption of food and orally administered drugs. The secretion of mucus by mucus-secreting cells protects the erosion of the gastric mucosa from the highly acidic gastric juice. The secretion of hydrochloric acid from parietal cells is regulated by acetylcholine, histamine and gastrin. Disturbances in secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to several GI complications. Conventional therapies employ a range of drugs that have been pharmacologically well characterised. While these drug molecules are proven to be beneficial, the adverse effects and drug-drug interactions highlight the need for better treatment modalities for GI tract disorders.