A Case of Radiation-Induced Enteritis Effectively Treated with Daikenchuto

Abstract

Radiation-induced enteritis can cause acute or chronic radiation damage to bowel tissues producing a variety of symptoms which can have a significant impact on patients' quality of life. The herbal medicine, daikenchuto has been noted for its usefulness in preventing postoperative ileus or abdominal dysfunction. Here, we present a case of radiation-induced enteritis ; a 59-year-old woman who underwent radical hysterectomy and subsequent chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer. Daikenchuto (TJ-100, Tsumura, Japan, 15 g/day) was administered to the patient in hopes of controlling abdominal dysfunction, pain, and fullness that was considered as a series of symptoms of radiation-induced enteritis. This case was successfully treated with daikenchuto in an attempt to control and prevent these gastrointestinal symptoms associated with radiation-induced enteritis. An increase in bloodstream with daikenchuto to the intestinal tract in which a microcirculatory insufficiency was developed by radiation exposure, may contribute to the improvement of these abdominal symptoms of this disease.