Double-blind trial of deglycyrrhizinated liquorice in gastric ulcer

Abstract

SUMMARY In order to investigate further the reported beneficial effect ofdeglycyrrhizinated liquorice in gastric ulcer, a trial with a double-blind, cross-over design was performed. The patients were treated during two consecutive periods of four weeks each with either liquorice extract during the first period and placebo during the second or placebo during the first period and liquorice during the second. Only patients with chronic ulcer disease were accepted for the trial. The dosage of the liquorice extract was 760 mg three times daily. During the first period 38 patients with 47 ulcers in the ventricle and during the second period 30 patients with 36 ulcers took part in the trial. The patients' sex, age, site of the ulcer in the ventricle, and ulcer size in the groups treated with liquorice and placebo during periods I and II were similar. Nor could any difference be shown between the groups treated with liquorice and placebo with respect to heredity, duration of ulcer disease, alcohol consumption, smoking, or the use of drugs.There was no tendency to quicker healing in either group as regards change of ulcer area or complete healing. Small ulcers healed more quickly than big ones. Ulcers at the angulus healed very poorly. No side effects of treatment were observed.Our study was not able to demonstrate any healing effect of the liquorice extract (Caved-S) on gastric ulcer.

Pharmacology of Traditional Herbal Medicines and Their Active Principles Used in the Treatment of Peptic Ulcer, Diarrhoea and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…In a double-blind clinical trial, administration of deglycyrrhizinized liquorice thrice daily at the dose of 760 mg for four weeks significantly accelerated the healing of gastric ulcer. In contrast, a cross over study at the same dose and treatment time reported no improvement in ulcer healing (Engqvist et al, 1973). A similar result was shown in a double-blind placebo-control study with administration of deglycyrrhizinized liquorice for one month at the dose of 380 mg thrice daily (Feldman et al, 1971).…”

Effect of a Deglycyrrhizinised Liquorice Compound on the Gastric Mucosal Barrier of the Dog

“…Clinical trials of deglycyrrhizinised liquorice in gastric ulcer have produced conflicting results. The study by Enquvist et al [12] failed to show any effect of liquorice compared with a placebo. However, a large number of their patients had a prepyloric gastric ulcer, which is known to be associated with high acid secretion and behaves like duodenal ulcer.…”

“…Clinical trials have produced conflicting reports of the efficacy of deglycyrrhizinised liquorice in the treatment of peptic ulcer [12,17].…”

Clinical trial of deglycyrrhizinised liquorice in gastric ulcer.

“…Treatment and placebo groups were similar in all respects that might be expected to influence healing, most particularly in smoking habits. Engqvist et al (1973) have suggested that ulcers at the angulus heal less well than those at other sites. Our results show poorer healing of ulcers either at or distal to the angulus, but it is clear from Table 4 that there is no difference in healing rates between the treatment groups, even when the site of ulcer is taken into account.…”