Herbs with high acidity

In addition to taking anti-acid drugs antacids, doctors recommend to adhere to dietary nutrition and apply herbs with increased acidity.

Increased secretion of hydrochloric acid and its excess in gastric juice causes characteristic dyspeptic and pain syndromes: heaviness in the stomach after eating, heartburn, acidic eructation, pain in the epigastric region with an empty stomach, constipation. If these signs are present and, moreover, are manifested constantly, you need to go to the gastroenterologist to accurately determine the acidity level, diagnose a specific pathology and begin treatment with the help of intragastric pH-metry. 

[1], [2], [3]

Indications for the use of herbs in high acidity

To the number of acid-dependent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in which herbs that reduce acidity can help, include gastritis with increased secretion (acute and chronic), gastroesophageal reflux (gastric acid into the esophagus), peptic peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, ulcerative colitis , gastroduodenitis with high acidity, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (pancreatic gastrinoma).

To pathologies in which it is advisable to use herbs that reduce acidity, doctors also classify lesions of the gastric mucosa, which quite often occur after long-term use of certain drugs, in particular, acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Treatment of herbs with increased acidity of the stomach

Among all the variety of plants that have medicinal properties, phyto-therapeutists use calendula (marigolds), chamomile, yarrow, marsh swine, peppermint, ayr, St. John's wort, centurium centaurus, centenarian hibiscus (Ivan the tea ) and etc.

In many sources, you can find recipes for decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs with increased acidity, in which there is a remarkable plant - birdwort, a mountain lizard. Indeed, this herb growing around every rural hut is used in the treatment of gastritis, but only with normal or reduced acidity.

The same can be said about the plantain. Glycosides, flavonoids and phytoncides of plantain leaves have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that are manifested not only in bronchitis, but also in acute and chronic gastritis. But the preparations of plantain, as well as its decoctions or infusions cooked at home, do not apply to gastritis against the background of increased acidity of the stomach.

Another plant - a three-leaf watch - is also mentioned in some herbal collections to reduce acidity. However, the real connoisseurs of medicinal plants claim that this herb is recommended for stomach diseases and gastritis with low acidity. This plant contains bitter glycosides, meniantine and meliatin, which - like any bitterness - excite the center of digestion and thus increase the production of gastric juice.

Pharmacodynamics herbs in high acidity

The mechanism of therapeutic action, that is, the pharmacodynamics of herbs with increased acidity, is based on the multifaceted positive effect on the human body of all the chemical constituents of plants: flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, macro- and microelements, organic acids, essential oils etc.

Studies of the action of plant biologically active components at the molecular-cellular level are carried out constantly. However, the exact mechanism of how the substances contained in many herbs behave is not known to date. It is also unknown how the hydrochloric acid producing parietal cells of the gastric mucosa react to the components of specific medicinal plants. And so far it is not known what biochemical processes occur between the biologically active substances of herbs and stimulating the production of hydrochloric acid by hormones (gastrin, histamine and acetylcholine), which are synthesized by the endocrine cells of the stomach.

Concerning the pharmacokinetics of herbs with increased acidity, we can say that in nature, including in the microbiology of man and plant life, there is still a lot of unexplored.

Herbs with gastritis with high acidity

The presence of chamomile pharmacy in many grass gatherings with gastritis with high acidity is explained by the versatility of this plant-healer. Strong anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect is its main biologically active substance - hamazulene. A glycoside apiin provides spasmolytic effect of chamomile.

Biologically active substances that are rich in calendula, act as bactericides, that is, they remove various inflammations. In addition, they also help to repair damaged tissues, including the mucous membrane of the stomach. The root of licorice contains almost three dozen flavonoids, many of which well relieve spasms, kill bacteria, block foci of inflammation and normalize the process of producing gastric enzymes. In the rhizomes of the aura there is glycoside acorin, which improves digestion, as well as essential oil, which is active against pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microbes. In no way inferior and wormwood bitter, which contains extremely useful in gastritis glycosides, absintine and anabsintine, and also turpentine alcohol - turkey.

Peppermint also successfully copes with gastric spasms and helps to reduce the acidity of gastric juice - due to the action of its essential oil, ursolic and oleanolic acids and betaine.

List of herbs for gastritis with high acidity will be incomplete without the well known since time immemorial ivan-tea (kapreya narrow-leaved). Its unique anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic qualities show their therapeutic effect in any secretory pathologies of the stomach.

Herbs with high acidity of the stomach

In the complex therapy of a number of diseases of the digestive system, medicinal herbs are used with increased acidity of the stomach.

In the case of hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid, phyto-therapeutists recommend such water infusions:

• herb of the golden-hipped umbrella - 2 parts, the herb of St. John's wort - 2 parts, the leaves of peppermint - 1 part. A mixture of herbs (at the rate of a tablespoon per glass of water) brew with steep boiling water, let it brew for an hour and a half, drain. Take 30-40 minutes before meals 150 ml three times a day.
• in equal parts - chamomile, licorice root bare, fennel fruits (or dill seeds), peppermint. Two tablespoons of a mixture of herbs pour boiling water (500 ml), insist for 2.5-3 hours, drain. Drink a third cup three times a day - an hour after eating.
• yarrow (3 parts), St. John's wort (3 parts), chamomile (3 parts), celandine (1 part). A tablespoon of a mixture of herbs pour a glass of boiling water, insist under the lid for about an hour, filter. 30 minutes before meals you need to take a third cup - three times during the day.

Dosing and Administration

The only way to use medicinal herbs with increased acidity is inside, in the form of a decoction (with boiling) or infusion (without boiling). By the way, for cooking herbal infusions it is very convenient to use a thermos of small capacity.

The basic composition of grasses, reducing acidity, is the following composition: marsh swine (9 tablespoons), birch leaves (7 tablespoons), calendula (5 tablespoons), chamomile (3 tablespoons), wormwood (1 st. Spoon), yarrow (1 tablespoon). Take a tablespoon of a mixture of herbs, brewed 500 ml of steep boiling water, insisted in a sealed container for at least an hour, and then filtered. Dosage of this infusion: half a glass 3-4 times during the day - about an hour after eating. With chronic gastritis, you can add natural honey in the infusion (half a teaspoon at a time, that is half a cup).

In diseases associated with high acidity, such a decoction of medicinal herbs is also recommended: marsh swine (4 parts), ivan tea (4 parts), calendula (3 parts), rhizome of ayr (2 parts), peppermint (1 part).

A tablespoon of a mixture of herbs pour a glass of boiling water, bring to a boil, cover the dishes and let it brew for an hour. Dosage and administration: Take two tablespoons three times a day - 25-30 minutes before meals.

With regard to overdose, as well as the interaction of herbs with increased acidity with other drugs, then, as phyto-therapeutists say, there are usually no problems here. Because the infusion of herbs acts gently, the active substances of the plants used in the body do not accumulate, and the effect of the antacid preparations prescribed by the doctor does not contradict the therapeutic focus of phytotherapy.

[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14]

Contraindications and side effects

However, as they say, every barrel of honey necessarily has its own fly in the ointment ... The common opinion that medicinal herbs can not harm the health of a person does not correspond to the truth. All contraindications to the use of herbs with increased acidity are directly related to their possible side effects.

And the side effects of herbs with increased acidity are as follows:

• St. John's wort (in case of prolonged admission) is able to cause narrowing of the blood vessels, which leads to an increase in blood pressure;
• Licorice naked can also raise blood pressure and, in passing, lead to the formation of edema. In addition, this plant stimulates the production of hormones;
• wormwood with prolonged use can provoke muscle cramps and even hallucinations. This herb can not be used during pregnancy;
• Swamp swine is not used at low arterial pressure, because its active substances dilate the small blood vessels;
• Yarrow can cause dizziness and rashes on the skin, as well as lower blood pressure. Moreover, medicinal preparations with yarrow are absolutely contraindicated to those who have blood coagulability increased and there are problems with veins on their legs. For this reason, during pregnancy, this plant is strictly prohibited.

By the way, independent - without medical advice - the use of herbs with increased acidity during pregnancy, and also during lactation is unacceptable.

[4], [5]

Storage conditions for herbs with increased acidity

To preserve medicinal plants their natural properties, do not spoil and absorb moisture and foreign smells, they should be stored in a glass container with a lid. The optimum temperature is room temperature. Shelf life is 2 years, but it should be borne in mind that the longer dry herbs lie, the less their therapeutic potential.

Normalize the secretory function of the stomach - with the help of an appropriate diet and adequate medication - everyone is able to take their health seriously. And herbs in high acidity can help in this.