Marine Brown Algae Soothe Stomach Disorders

It is estimated that one in three people have experienced indigestion. One is a disorder that affects many of the stomach due to inflammation or also called gastritis. This disorder occurs due to damage caused by acid in the stomach wall.

According to Professor of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Marcellus Simadibrata, gastritis is not only caused by the acidic conditions of the stomach, but also the erosion of the stomach lining that is protective of materials destroyer.

Gastritis is usually influenced by two factors. First, aggressive factors, among others, stress, gastric acid, pepsin, and Helicobacter pylori infection. The second, defensive factors, such as the surface epithelium, mucus gastric mucosa, and prostaglandins.
 
Gastric natural defense mechanisms or defensive factors such as mucus or mucosal surface epithelium. The defense mechanisms of the gastric wall keeping the inflammation caused by the consumption of food or beverages, or bacterial infection. This mechanism is referred to as a defensive factor, while the things that cause damage to the stomach is called aggressive factors.

"Currently gastritis treatment therapy is still focused on the aggressive factor, not the defensive factor. Products supporting defensive factor of effective and safe in treating gastric disorders is still a little," he said in a SOHO Natural Wellness Global Health Symposium in Makassar, on Saturday (14/6 / 2014).

Hull will be healthier if both of these factors in a state of balance or homeostasis. However, if the rise of aggressive factors and defensive factors down, then there was a gastric disorders including mag. Gastric disorders have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain.

One drug which serves to strengthen the gastric defensive factors are shown to be effective is the use of brown seaweed (Cladosiphon okamuranus). Research shows, brown seaweed fucoidan-containing compounds that can improve gastric defensive factors.

Clinical trial in 28 patients showed improvement after gastritris given brown seaweed extract. Compared with placebo, fucoidan better in increasing the thickness of the gastric mucus in the top 32 percent and 29 percent at the bottom of the hull.

"Fucoidan also accelerates healing and safe with side effects and drug interactions are minimal," said Marcellus.

According to data from the Ministry of Health in 2012, gastric disorders including upper gastrointestinal disorders (dyspepsia) has a frequency of hospital visits and the sixth highest for inpatients and seventh highest for outpatients.

In Indonesia, the prevalence of dyspepsia in adults 15-30 percent. As many as 35 percent consult a general practitioner, and 40 percent of gastroenterology. Meanwhile, 49 percent of patients were dyspepsia gastritis.