Abstract
Three herbal pharmaceuticals and Chinese medical prescriptions, “Yokuinin” extract, “Oren-to”extract, and “Sho-saiko-to”extract, were subjected to a sensory difference test with a panel of 20 members. The first 2 were contrasted to placebo preparations and the last to a preparation of different lot. They were examined in three forms: powder; water soluble form; and hot-water soluble form. For all of the pharmaceuticals, the duo-trio test proved more sensitive in discrimination than the pair test. As for the powder preparations of “Yokuinin”and “Oren-to”, the true and placebo preparations were not discriminated, but those dissolved in water or hot water were discriminated at the 5% level. The different lots of “Sho-saiko-to”were mainly differentiated in the powder but not in the forms dissolved in water and in hot water. This result indicates that clinical trials should be carried out with preparations of the same lot and that strict quality control of pharmaceuticals is required in the manufacturing process.
