This was a clinical trial of tumeric to treat patients with symptoms of peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcers in humans occur in the stomach and the duodenum (small intestine attached to the stomach). Forty-five patients, 24 males and 21 females, aged between 16-60 years were included. Twenty-five patients, 18 males and 7 females, were endoscoped; their ulcers located in the duodenal bulb (DB) and gastric (stomach) angulus (GA). The ulcers ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters in width. Capsules filled with turmeric (300 milligrams each) were given by mouth. They gave 2 capsules five times daily, one half to an hour before the three meals, at 4 pm and at bedtime. After 4 weeks of treatment ulcers were absent in 48% or 12 cases (DB 9 and GA 3). After 8 weeks eighteen cases (DB 13 and GA 5) had no ulcers. Nineteen cases (76%) (DB 14 and GA 5) did not have ulcers after 12 weeks of treatment. The rest, 20 cases, were not found to have ulcers even before treatment. Some were not endoscoped. These 20 seemed to have erosions, gastritis and dyspepsia. They were treated with turmeric capsules for 4 weeks. Their abdominal pain and discomfort satisfactorily lessened in the first and second week. After treatment they could take normal foods instead of soft meals. Blood studies of all patients, before and after treatment, showed no significant changes in the blood cells, nor in the chemicals and enzymes used to measure liver and kidney health.
Phase II clinical trial on effect of the long turm…[Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2001]