Q: What alternative therapies are available for ulcer treatment, baring Sucralfate? How effective is sucralfate and what are its advantages over other therapies, if any?

A:Sucralfate (Brand name: Sucrase) is a complex preparation of aluminium hydroxide and sulphated sucrose. It acts locally by binding to the ulcer site and preventing contact of gastric juices (that contain acids) with mucosa (the inner lining of the stomach). It also enhances the defence mechanism that protects the inner lining of the stomach. Other agents act through different mechanisms and hence can not be compared with sucralfate; hence there is no true alternative.