Use
Ranitidine bismuth citrate, a novel salt formed from ranitidine and a bismuth
citrate complex, is a new agent introduced in the United Kingdom for the
treatment of duodenal and benign gastric ulcers, for eradication of Helicobacfer pylori,
and for prevention of relapse of duodenal ulcer when administered in combination with
an antibiotic such as clarithromycin or amoxicillin. Ranitidine is a potent histamine H2-receptor
antagonist with ability to inhibit gastric acid secretion. Other type of agents
such as tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate exert their therapeutic effects in peptic
ulceration by providing a protective coating to the ulcer crater, stimulating endogenous
prostaglandin production, and inhibiting pepsin activity. More significantly, they inhibit
micro-organism Helicobacfer pylori, a prevalent, specifically human pathogen
associated with gastritis and gastric ulcers. The title compound possesses a novel
combination of properties of the above two types of drugs and displays excellent
therapeutic efficacy in clinical studies. Ranitidine bismuth citrate is being investigated
for use in gastritis and non-ulcerating dyspepsia, acute healing of gastrointestinal ulcer
and in prevention of the recurrence of peptic ulcer disease.