An image of Benachio from Dong-A Pharm (Photo: Dong-A Pharmaceutical)

What medicines do the Korean people take most?

The answer is digestives.

Indigestion patients are on the rise in Korea. According to sour stomach and indigestion data released by the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of indigestion patients increased by 138,000 (21.2 percent) over five years to about 790,000 in 2013 from about 651,000 in 2009.

The annual growth rate stood at 4.9 percent.

According to the ‘Pharmaceutical Consumption and Sales Statistics’ released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a total of 29,765 pharmaceutical items were sold as of 2015. Annual pharmaceuticals sales stood at 24,559.1 billion won, up 4 percent from 2014. In particular, 6,755 digestive and metabolic drugs accounted for 23 percent of total drugs sold.

The monetary amount of their sales was the highest now that digestive and metabolic drugs made up of 15 percent of the total.

Dyspepsia refers to all digestive symptoms that take place in the upper gastrointestinal such as the stomach or duodenum, according to an article of an official health webzine published by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

If you have indigestion symptoms that do not stop, you will suffer discomfort in your daily life and have trouble eating. To improve this, it is necessary to change lifestyles or to take medications.

Benachio's liquid digestive launched by Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co. is a medicine that helps resolve indigestion. The product name, Benachio, originated from the phrase “Apeun Baega Nachio” a Korean phrase which means that the medicine can quickly treat indigestion.

Benachio has been gaining in popularity since its launch in 2009. In 2016, it became the overwhelming market leader in the liquid digestive market, surpassing 10 million bottles per year for the first time since its launch.

Benachio is taken after meals three times a day to improve indigestion symptoms such as overeating, food sitting heavy on the stomach, upper abdominal fullness, nausea and vomiting. Its main ingredients are extracts of various herbs such as fennels, corydalises and licorices.

In particular, Benachio does not contain carbonic acid, minimizing burdens on the stomach.

In 2008, Dong-A Pharmaceutical confirmed through animal tests that Benachio was superior to other liquid peptics in making an improvement in gastric emptying, stomach compliance and promoting bile secretion among others.

Moreover, a Korean clinical institution conducted a clinical test on functional dyspepsia patients for four weeks with Benachio, a first for an over-the-counter liquid digestive in Korea in 2014.

As a result, overall indigestion symptoms felt by the tested patients were eased. In addition, Benachio was found effective in improving upper abdominal symptoms such as early satiety, sour stomach and chest pain after eating.

Dong-A Pharmaceutical plans to promote Benachio as a digestive brand. Indeed, the company will offer a wide selection to consumers with launching a wide array of products under the Benachio brand.

The Benachio brand has a 20mL product suitable for senior citizens and women who cannot drink large amounts, and 75mL products that can be taken in the form of powder or pills.

In 2015, it launched fast-acting general digestive Benachio Granules with a combination of three digestive enzymes and herbal ingredients. Benachio is an over-the-counter medication that can be purchased at a pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription.

Dong-A Pharmaceutical engages primarily in over-the-counter products, quasi-drugs and functional health foods. Its primary products include Bacchus, Garglin, Morning Care, and Tempo.

The company vows to remain faithful to its founding spirit of making good medicines to contribute to national health and to become the country’s top-line healthcare specialist.