An ulcer negative for Helicobacter pylori and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs? Consider herbal treatment as the culprit!

The cause of peptic ulcers that are negative for Helicobacter pylori or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug/aspirin use is an area of immense interest. We report here, for the first time, a case report of a young female who developed reflux-like symptoms and multiple ulcers as a result of herbal treatment with turmeric for osteoarthritis. With the current marked increase in usage of herbal products as part of a complementary medicine approach, gastroenterologists must be vigilant when evaluating patients with peptic ulcer disease of unknown cause.