Evidence supporting the use of: Cabbage leaf
For the health condition: Duodenal Ulcers

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Cabbage leaf, specifically cabbage juice, has scientific evidence supporting its use in the treatment of duodenal ulcers. The use of cabbage to treat peptic ulcers dates back to at least the 1940s. Dr. Garnett Cheney at Stanford University published clinical studies in the 1940s and 1950s demonstrating that fresh cabbage juice, rich in the amino acid glutamine and a compound called S-methylmethionine (sometimes referred to as "vitamin U"), could accelerate the healing of peptic ulcers, including duodenal ulcers. Patients who consumed cabbage juice reportedly experienced faster healing times compared to conventional therapy available at the time.

The proposed mechanisms include the ability of cabbage juice to enhance the mucosal barrier, promote regeneration of the gastrointestinal lining, and increase protective mucus secretion, largely due to its high content of glutamine and S-methylmethionine. While these early studies were promising, they were relatively small and lacked the rigorous controls of modern clinical trials. However, the biological plausibility of cabbage's benefits is supported by laboratory data showing its anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties on gastric mucosa.

More recent research is limited, and cabbage juice is rarely used in mainstream medicine today due to the effectiveness of modern pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, the historical studies provide modest scientific validation (rated 3/5) for its use in duodenal ulcer support, and some practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine may still recommend it as an adjunctive therapy.

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