Pharmaceutical composition

A pharmaceutical composition in uncoated tablet dosage unit form useful for treating oesophagitis comprising (a) 1-100 mg. of at least one member selected from the group consisting of glycyrrhetinic acid, the hemiesters thereof, and the salts of the hemiesters, in admixture with (b) 1-50% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, the non-toxic salts of alginic acid, the carboxyalkyl-cellulose and the non-toxic salts of the carboxyalkyl-celluloses, (c) 1-30% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of the non-toxic carbonates and bicarbonates and (d) 0-30% by weight of at least one antacid compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, dihydroxyaluminum aminoacetate, magnesium hydroxide, and magnesium trisilicate, said tablet composition capable of forming a colloidal solution in the stomach, whereby the carbonate or bicarbonate component (c) reacts with the acid medium in the stomach to evolve carbon dioxide gas which foams up the colloidal solution, thereby filling the lower oesophagus with a long lasting foam containing the active glycyrrhetinic acid component (a) which remains in contact with the inflammatory site in the oesophagus for a time sufficient to promote prolonged and beneficial results.