Peptic Ulcer Prevalence
 
The peptic ulcer is mainly caused by Helicobacter pylori, alcohol, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), stress and gastritis. H. pylori is the major factor that causes peptic ulcer; 80% gastric ulcers and most duodenal ulcers are related to the infection of H. pylori. According to the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO), the global infection rate of H. pylori is over 50%. In developed countries, the infection rate of H. pylori has shown a reductive tendency because of the advances in medicine and the use of antibiotics, but in developing countries or less developed countries, the infection rate is still very high, which is about 70~90%. According to the report of 37th edition of Scientific American in 2005, the infection rate of H. pylori in people over 20 years of age in Taiwan is about 32%~69%, and increased with age.

 

Market of Anti-Ulcer Drugs
 

According to the IMS HEALTH reports, anti-ulcer drugs is one of the three best sold drugs in the world, and in 2005-2006, the annual sale of anti-ulcer drugs has reached $22.9 billion. In 2001, the annual sale of proton pump inhibitors in the USA has reached $10.2 billion and the global market reached 13.4 billion whereas the annual sale of Prilosec alone reaches $4.6 billion. In 2005 the best sold proton pump inhibitors Esomeprazole (Nexium) has also reached an annual sale of $4.63 billion.

Antacids (proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or H2 receptor antagonist) are the most common used drugs for ulcer treatment. If the patient is examed to be infected with the H. pylori, one or two antibiotics or bismuth will be added, known as dual, triple or quadruple therapies. Because the main functions of the proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonist are to inhibit gastric acid secretion, they would disturb the normal digestion and absorption, and even lead to the abnormality of gallbladder function, and causing cholelithiasis and biliary tract diseases.