Future treatment of peptic ulcer: is there room for anti-infective drugs?

Several major Laboratories have recently given up their search for uncovering innovative antiulcer drugs despite the fact that none of the available drugs meet the ideal aims of therapy: to relieve pain, to heal the ulcers and to prevent the recurrences. Furthermore, no single antiulcer drug has proven effective in managing ulcer-related complications or ulcers associated with oncology and sclerotherapy treatment. Recent research suggests that the eradication of H. pylori infection is associated with decreased rate of duodenal ulcer recurrences, however, appropriate and convenient eradication therapy needs to be developed. Moreover, we must also continue to search for ideal drugs effective for the treatment of ulcers and their complications.