Treatment of gastritis with herbs: erosive, atrophic, with high and low acidity

Mankind has long had a respectful and trusting attitude towards medicinal herbs. In those times, when medicine was inaccessible to many and not very developed as a science, people, observing the effect of certain plants on the body, were convinced of their healing properties and used them to get rid of various ailments. Later, their healing effect was confirmed in the laboratory. The modern world does not fully rely on herbal medicine, but they always have a place in complex or preventive measures. There are many medicinal herbs used to treat gastritis.

What herbs can be used for gastritis?

The diagnosis of "gastritis" implies problems with the functioning of the stomach, accompanied by heaviness, pain in the epigastric region, belching, heartburn, nausea and other unpleasant symptoms. This is a sign of inflammation of the mucous membrane, provoked by various reasons. Their detection is impossible without a thorough examination by specialists who classify the disease and prescribe treatment, including determining which herbs can be used for this type of gastritis. In some cases, herbs should have an astringent and enveloping effect, neutralize secretion, in others - increase acidity and stimulate gastric motility, heal ulcers and erosions.

Useful herbs for gastritis

Each plant has its own chemical composition, depending on which its effect on the focus of pathology is manifested. With the diversity of medicinal plants that come to the aid of a sick stomach, it is impossible not to highlight the following:

• yarrow - abundantly populating fields and wastelands, with white inflorescences collected in umbrellas, has long proven its beneficial effect on the body. Its strength lies in its composition: resins and essential oils determine its antiseptic effect, carotene promotes visual acuity, vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant, vitamin K is involved in hematopoiesis, in addition, it contains amino acids, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, polysaccharides, trace elements. Such qualities make the plant in demand in surgery, gynecology, traumatology and gastroenterology. In gastritis, it has a bactericidal, analgesic, strengthening the walls of the stomach, antispasmodic, healing, hemostatic, appetite stimulating agent;
• St. John's wort - rich in tannins, resinous substances, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotene, essential oil. The therapeutic effect on the stomach is due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent action, and regenerative processes. It is active as an antispasmodic against the smooth muscles of the stomach, and has a good general tonic property;

A useful herb with one type of gastritis can be harmful with another. Therefore, herbs are selected individually, taking into account the pathogenetics and causes of its occurrence. Let us consider in more detail the therapeutic effect of the most effective medicinal plants on various forms of the disease:

• in acute gastritis - the condition is accompanied by attacks of pain, nausea. The task of natural remedies is to provide an analgesic and antispasmodic effect. For this purpose, peppermint, lemon balm, chamomile, wild rosemary, thyme, fireweed, Kalanchoe, hawthorn, motherwort, hop cones are used;
• in chronic gastritis - acute gastritis that is not properly treated often becomes chronic. Depending on the pH level, it can be with increased or decreased acidity. Both forms can cause the disease to become chronic. Herbs for gastritis with excessive secretion of gastric juice are different from those with insufficient:
  • with increased acidity, St. John's wort, yarrow, dill, sea buckthorn oil, chamomile and calamus decoction will come to the rescue. Treatment of exacerbation of such gastritis is well amenable to sea buckthorn. Its oil not only reduces the production of hydrochloric acid, but also has a healing, antimicrobial effect, accelerates the regeneration of the intragastric epithelium, and normalizes the motility of the organ;
  • Low acidity requires restoring the enzyme synthesis process and eliminating the causes of low secretion. Plantain copes well with this task. It contains a complex of biologically active substances that increase the secretory function of the stomach. Its juice combined with honey gives good healing results. Cabbage juice and viburnum berries are also effective. Herbs such as yarrow, wormwood, lemon balm, and chamomile have a beneficial effect on normalizing stomach functions;

• with atrophic gastritis - a condition when degenerative-dystrophic changes occur in the epithelial layers of the gastric mucosa. It is difficult to treat, but the use of traditional methods, including herbs, improves well-being, starts the processes of activating the motility of the organ and eliminating congestion. Oats are considered effective in this case. An infusion is prepared from its grains ground to a powdery state, the course of therapy with which should last at least a month. Flaxseed and sea buckthorn oil are also used. The following herbs also have a noticeable effect: plantain, elderberry, chamomile, mint, lemon balm, fennel, linden flowers, St. John's wort, wormwood, burdock leaves, parsley root and calamus;
• with erosive gastritis - a fairly serious disease that affects not only the superficial layers of the epithelium, but also deeper ones. It brings suffering to patients, annoying pain that occurs on an empty stomach and after eating, nausea, often vomiting, problems with stool. It is dangerous due to the possibility of bleeding, which can lead to death. It will not be possible to cure it by using herbs alone, but herbal medicine as part of a comprehensive treatment is quite appropriate. For this, they resort to plants with a pronounced healing effect: St. John's wort, plantain, calamus, calendula, horsetail, marsh cudweed. Aloe juice, Kalanchoe, flax seed, various vegetable oils with the undisputed leader - sea buckthorn are also effective. It heals erosions, relieves inflammation and pain, protects the mucous membrane, enveloping it;
• with reflux gastritis - a form of the disease in which the contents of the duodenum enter the stomach along with aggressive acids that irritate the inner wall of the organ and cause inflammation. In this case, herbs will come to the rescue: dandelion, calamus rhizome, peppermint, calendula, oregano, chamomile, celery, St. John's wort;
• with gastritis and stomach ulcers - most often, the ulcer is formed due to an excessive increase in acid and bile, both against the background of chronic gastritis and acute. A single lesion appears on the walls of the stomach, less often several. In addition to the usual symptoms of gastritis, it makes itself known with hunger and night pains. The goal of treatment is to restore the acid balance, heal wounds, cover the inner lining of the stomach with an enveloping film. Herbs cope with this: watercress leaves (infusion), yarrow, buckthorn, thyme, sea buckthorn, licorice roots, chamomile, celandine, yarrow, elecampane, pine cones, aloe, cabbage juice;
• with heartburn and gastritis - heartburn is provoked by the release of acidic contents of the stomach into the esophagus and causes a lot of trouble for a person. To treat this phenomenon, coltsfoot, calendula, chamomile, wormwood, and calamus root are used. When the inflammation is eliminated and the acidity of the stomach is normalized, this problem also disappears.

Herbal collection for gastritis

Most often, as a phytotherapy for the treatment of pathologies of the digestive organs, not monotherapy is used, but herbal mixtures from various specially selected medicinal plants in a strictly calculated proportion, suitable for a specific form of the disease. In pharmacy chains, such herbal mixtures are sold under the numbers:

• gastric collection 1 - is intended for the treatment of inflammation, reduction of acidity in gastritis with increased. Consists of the following herbs:
  • knotweed or bird's knotweed - has antimicrobial, astringent, anti-inflammatory properties, promotes wound healing;
  • calendula - accelerates the process of mucosal regeneration, relaxes the smooth muscle structure of the stomach;
  • yarrow - eliminates spasms, pain syndrome, improves digestion, improves appetite, restores metabolic processes;
  • plantain leaves - is an effective anti-inflammatory agent, relieves inflammation, pain, cleanses the blood;
  • Horsetail - disinfects, effective against bacteria and inflammation;
  • St. John's wort - eliminates inflammation, improves mood, normalizes bowel movements;
  • immortelle - has an enveloping, anti-inflammatory effect, increases peristalsis;
  • lemon balm, mint - relieve spasms, improve motility and functions of the digestive system, eliminate flatulence, improve appetite;
  • Ivan tea - fights inflammation, coats the mucous membrane;
  • chamomile - stimulates digestion processes, relieves pain, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, reduces gas formation;
  • nettle - increases the tone of the digestive tract, normalizes metabolic processes;
• Gastric collection 2 - is indicated for the treatment of functional dyspepsia, is used as an element of complex treatment of ulcers and inflammations, to eliminate flatulence. It is intended for the treatment of gastritis with low acidity. Contains a complex of biologically active substances that irritate the walls of the stomach and enhance their motility. It has an antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, choleretic effect. These functions are provided by the following composition:
  • chamomile;
  • peppermint;
  • marigold flowers;
  • yarrow;
  • St. John's wort.

Decoction and infusion of herbs for gastritis

In addition to knowing the pharmacodynamics of each medicinal herb, you also need to be able to prepare it correctly. The most convenient and safe form of herbal preparations are their decoctions and infusions. They do not use any chemicals and retain most of the beneficial vitamins and microelements. Enameled, glass, porcelain or stainless steel utensils are used to prepare decoctions and infusions for gastritis. Decoctions are prepared from coarse and hard parts of plants: roots, rhizomes, and infusions from soft ones: leaves, flowers, stems. Decoctions are absorbed more slowly, but act longer. On average, a tablespoon of dry medicinal raw materials is taken per glass of water, filled with water and kept in a water bath: decoctions - half an hour, infusions - a quarter of an hour. The former are filtered through gauze while hot, the latter - while cooled. Herbal infusions containing different parts of plants are usually prepared in a water bath or in a thermos.

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Herbs for gastritis in children

Many parents prefer folk methods for treating gastritis in children. Among them is herbal medicine. Trustworthy herbs include chamomile, licorice, marshmallow root, St. John's wort, plantain, and mint. Their concentration in decoctions and infusions for children is lower. If the average dose of dry raw materials for adults is a tablespoon per glass of water, then for children a teaspoon is taken and the infusion can be diluted with boiled water. As for the age from which decoctions and infusions can be taken, each herb has its own. For example, chamomile is used from the age of one year, plantain is recommended to start from two, St. John's wort, yarrow - from 5-6, calendula cannot be used until 12 years.

Use during pregnancy

Many people consider herbal treatment to be a completely safe procedure, and pregnant women often replace medication with them, trying not to harm the fetus. But this is far from true. The use of a number of herbs during pregnancy can provoke a miscarriage. Herbs such as horsetail, knotweed, St. John's wort, calendula, yarrow, and nettle are prohibited in the last trimester of pregnancy. Before using herbal treatment, you need to carefully study all the recommendations and even refuse herbal preparations if they contain an undesirable component.

Contraindications for use

Despite the relative safety of many herbs, each of them has its own contraindications. Thus, horsetail should not be taken by people diagnosed with nephritis and nephrosis, because it irritates the renal parenchyma; plantain is prohibited for those with a tendency to thrombosis, high stomach acidity. St. John's wort increases blood pressure, calendula, lemon balm are dangerous for bradycardia and low blood pressure, yarrow should not be taken for angina and hypotension, nettle is contraindicated for thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis, hypertension. What herbs should not be taken for gastritis? These are antagonist herbs that can provoke the activation of the gastric glands with increased acidity, and inhibit their functions with decreased acidity.

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Side effects

Any herb can cause an allergy if you are hypersensitive to it. Therefore, you should start treatment carefully, in small doses, observing yourself. Skin rashes, itching, redness, swelling are a signal to stop. Other side effects are associated with ignoring contraindications and can result in a deterioration in the health of those organs that are affected by them. Thus, St. John's wort, immortelle, yarrow can lower blood pressure, licorice can raise it, wormwood can cause convulsions and hallucinations.

Method of administration and dosage

Medicinal decoctions for gastritis are drunk on an empty stomach 15-30 minutes before meals three times a day. For hyperacid gastritis, they should be warm, for hypoacid gastritis, at room temperature. The average single dose for adults is 100 g, for children - 50-70 g. Before use, it is best to study the instructions for the dosage of a specific herb or collection. Overdose is fraught with allergic reactions and symptoms that are atypical for you. In this case, you need to stop herbal treatment and, if necessary, seek help from a doctor.

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Interactions with other drugs

The use of some herbs weakens the therapeutic effect of other drugs, and in some cases they are completely incompatible. Thus, St. John's wort is not used simultaneously with antibiotics. Plantain reduces the effectiveness of antacids. Calendula, on the contrary, enhances the effect of anti-inflammatory and choleretic agents, including those based on chamomile and yarrow, and lemon balm - drugs that depress the central nervous system.

Storage conditions

Properly prepared herbs require special storage conditions. This should be a dry, well-ventilated, dark place with a humidity of 13% and a temperature of 10-18 ⁰ C. Different parts of the plants are stored separately: flowers and leaves can be mixed and kept in paper or cloth bags, plants with a strong smell - in glass or ceramic dishes, prepared potions - in the refrigerator.

Best before date

Long-term storage of herbal preparations leads to loss of their activity. The optimal shelf life for leaves, buds, flowers is 1-2 years, fruits - 2-3 years, roots, rhizomes, bark - no more than 3 years. Prepared infusions and decoctions are not stored for a long time, their maximum shelf life is 3 days.