Treatment of chronic gastric ulcer with carbenoxolone and gefarnate: a comparative trial

In 68 patients with chronic gastric ulcer treated in an outpatient clinical trial with either carbenoxolone or gefarnate ulcer healing was consistently greater during carbenoxolone treatment, even though the dose of gefarnate was ultimately increased to four times that recommended. One-third of the patients receiving carbenoxolone gained weight rapidly and unexpectedly, and were given diuretic treatment, compared with two of the 35 patients receiving gefarnate, neither of whom developed clinical oedema.