H⁺/K⁺-ATpase inhibitors from plants: A potential source for drug discovery

Apart from regulatory biomolecules, namely acetylcholine, histamine, and gastrin that stimulate gastric acid secretions, H+/K+-ATPase also referred to as the proton pump plays a central role in controlling gastric secretions. Any disarray in the secretions of these biomolecules can lead to an imbalance between the aggressive secretions and defense/protective factors, thereby causing hyperacidity. Several drug regimens that target these regulatory biomolecules are available, but the most frequently recommended by health practitioners have been synthetic proton pump inhibitors. The use of synthetic proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has revolutionized the management of peptic ulcers, nevertheless, there are still various challenges associated with long-term usage that calls for pharmacotherapeutic alternatives. This chapter presents an overview of the structure of H+/K+-ATPase highlighting its central role as one of the most appropriate drug targets necessary for control of hyperacidity. In addition, the role of plant natural nutraceutical products as inhibitors of H+/K+-ATPase is presented. This review also presents evidence that compounds belonging to different classes of natural products make significant contributions to alleviate gastric acid secretion-related diseases, and thus these compounds or their derivatives could be useful "seed" compounds for developing new drugs and nutraceutical supplements for prevention and management of peptic ulcer diseases.