CellMed

Atrophic gastritis is a condition in which the stomach mucous membrane becomes thinner and dysfunctional, often affecting adults with persistent indigestion, deficiency anemia, autoimmune diseases, long-term PPI use and a family history of stomach cancer.¹ It can potentially lead to cancer or anemia.²

The risk of cancer increases exponentially with the severity and extent of atrophic gastritis, and in severe atrophic gastritis patients, the risk of stomach cancer increases by about 45 to 90 folds compared to those with healthy stomachs.³

Atrophic gastritis has no particular symptom and does not require any specific treatments unless it is caused by a Helicobacter pylori infection. However, due to the possibility of increased prevalence of gastric cancer compared to the normal persons, endoscopic examination is recommended at every 1~2-year interval. Since this patient had a past family history of maternal gastric cancer, she underwent OCNT due to various psychological factors, including concerns about possible risks of cancer.

This case is reported with the consent of the patient as the patient displayed improvement in her atrophic gastritis significantly following the implementation of OCNT.

1. Subject

It was conducted on 1 case of atrophic gastritis patient.

1) Name: ㅇ ㅇ (F/44 years)

2) Name of diagnosis: Atrophic gastritis

3) Date of manifestation: April 10, 2023

4) Treatment period: 4 months

5) Main symptoms: None

6) Past medical history: None

7) Past social history: None

8) Past family history: Mother’s side – gastric cancer

9) Medication being administered: None

2. Method

1st session of OCNT (2 months)

Cyaplex X Granule (101, 1 sachet at a time for 2 times a day)

Gastron (101, 1 sachet at a time for 2 times a day)

Caroplex Granule (100, 1 sachet at a time for once a day)

2nd session of OCNT (2 months)

Cyaplex X (101, 1 sachet at a time for 2 times a day)

Gastron (101, 1 sachet at a time for 2 times a day)

Heartberry Black (100, 1 sachet at a time for once a day)

OCNT was administered in the aforementioned method for 4 months.

On April 10, 2023, although the patient was diagnosed with severe atrophic gastritis through gastroscopy, dyspepsia caused by atrophic gastritis decreased in the 1st month of implementation of OCNT. In the 2nd month, her blood pressure, which was usually low, also improved. Four months after the initial implementation of OCNT, she was diagnosed with no particular finding through endoscopy (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Gastroscopic photo after 4 months of implementation of OCNT. No abnormality could be observed.

This Korean female patient in her 40s was diagnosed with severe atrophic gastritis on the day of her initial examination on April 10, 2023. Although she was asymptomatic, OCNT was implemented with the goal of full remission due to her family history of gastric cancer. Since no Helicobacter pylori infection was detected in her case, it was determined that her atrophic gastritis is due to an autoimmune response.

Oxidative stress can damage cell membranes, cytoplasmic proteins and nuclear DNA, which are the key components of cells, thereby inducing cellular damage and inflammation.⁴ Anthocyanin in Cyaplex X is a powerful antioxidant⁵ that can provide assistance in alleviation of the symptoms of atrophic gastritis by regulating such oxidative stress and removing active oxygen species.

In addition, cyanidin glycosides⁶, polyphenols⁷, and vitamin C8 contained in Heartberry Black are powerful antioxidants that, like anthocyanin, can help with controlling of the symptoms of atrophic gastritis. Moreover, gastric juice from patients with gastrointestinal disorders such as atrophic gastritis has the tendency to elevated the nitrite level and lower the vitamin C level9. As such, cyanidin glycoside in Heartberry Black plays the role of lowering the nitrite level.¹⁰ Therefore, this may prevent the reduction in vitamin C that can occur in patients with atrophic gastritis. Musin in Gastron also protects the stomach lining by playing the role of shielding microscopic epithelial cells from the external environment.¹¹

Caroplex, which contains carrot extract, can help improvement of blood pressure in patients who normally have hypotension. Consumption of carrot has been reported to help maintenance of normal blood pressure in animals in which abnormal blood pressure was induced through high-fat diet.¹² In addition, as balanced diet and improved gastrointestinal function allow adequate nutrient absorption from the intestines, there is possibility of restoration of blood pressure to normal level.

Although this is a single case report and cannot be applied universally to all atrophic gastritis patients, it is being reported with the consent of the patient as it is thought to be a case in which OCNT assisted with the improvement of the atrophic gastritis symptoms of the patient