Cosmetic Investigation of Kihada-Prescriptions in Chinese Medicine

Abstract

The six kinds of crude drugs frequently used in the Kihada-prescriptions in Chinese medicine were studied mainly about its moisturizing effect. It was recognized that the three crude drugs, Toki (Angelicae Radix), Shakuyaku (Peaoniae Radix), and Byakushi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) had maintenance of a constant moisturizing effect, while Senkyu (Cnidii Rhizoma), Jio (Rehmanniae Radix), and Kanzo (Glycyrrhizae Radix) had few. Among them, especially Toki had desirable moisturizing effect that improved water holding capacity, and inhibit the water desorption from epidermis even under a circumstance of low humidity.
As a consequent of this examination and our investigation that most of the Kihada-prescriptions contains one of these three drugs, Toki, Syakuyaku, and Byakushi, it was confirmed that the effectiveness of the Kihada-prescriptions was partly ascribed to the moisturizing effect and wound healing.