Abstract
Dai-kenchu-to, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine (Kampo), has been used for the treatment of postoperative ileus after abdominal surgery. However, its efficacy and mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. For nearly a decade, the efficacy and mechanisms of Dai-kenchu-to have been reported on and well established. Several studies have shown Dai-kenchu-to to accelerate gastrointestinal transit. Moreover, some recent reports have also indicated that it may also increase the intestinal blood flow. A Japanese nationwide multicenter, doubleblind, placebo-controlled study of Dai-kenchu-to following a colonic cancer resection was launched in 2009. The results of this study are therefore highly anticipated.
