Research progress on the treatment of peptic ulcers with cuttlefish bone

Peptic ulcer is a common disease of the digestive system, referring to a defect in the gastrointestinal mucosa that usually extends beyond the mucosal muscular layer. Globally, both its incidence and recurrence rates are relatively high, severely affecting patients quality of life. The typical symptom of peptic ulcer is upper abdominal pain, which belongs to the category of stomach pain in traditional Chinese medicine. Long-term use of therapeutic drugs such as proton pump inhibitors and H receptor antagonists brings drawbacks. The emergence of Helicobacter pylori resistant strains and the increasing elderly population, together with more frequent use of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antithrombotic drugs, make the prevention and treatment of PU more difficult. At present, traditional Chinese medicine has definite efficacy in treating gastrointestinal ulcers. Among them, cuttlefish bone has a clear therapeutic effect on peptic ulcers, with the functions of astringing to stop bleeding, consolidating essence to stop leucorrhea, neutralizing gastric acid to relieve pain, and absorbing dampness to heal sores. This paper analyzes the reliability of cuttlefish bone in treating peptic ulcers from the perspectives of clinical application, clinical trials, and laboratory research, aiming to provide a reference for the clinical use of medications in peptic ulcer treatment.