Japan has created a unique culture, based on the influence and acceptance of Chinese culture since long years ago. This can also be said of medicine.
Traditional medicine of Japan, is called “Kampo” medicine, which had been rearranged from Chinese medicine years ago suitable for the topography, climate, and race of the Japanese islands.
The rearrangement of Chinese medicine to Japanese medicine started at the latter half of the 16th century. This took place during the Ming era when medical treatment was that of the Chin-Yuan era. In Japan, Li-Chu medicine was accepted among schools in medicine, and resulted in establishing the socalled Gosei-Ho school later.
During the 18th century, there arose a movement to search for the origin of its medicine and to follow the original medical treatment. They finally attained the “Chang Han Lun” (“Shokan-Ron” in Japanese), established in the Heu-Han era in China. Many doctors read and studied that textbook and wrote their interpretation in their own books at that time. The medical treatment based on “Shokan-Ron” is called Ko-Ho school. Also the name Kampo, traditional Japanese medicine, may be implicated by the original medical treatment of the Han (Kam in Japanese) era.
The unique point of Ko-Ho school in medical treatment of Japanese kampo medicine may be the restoration of the old medical textbook “Shokan-Ron” to apply for clinical practice. The following books have left great influence up to the present time, “Ruiju-ho” written by Tohdo Yoshimasu, “Fukusho-Kiran” (1800) and “Fukusho-Kiran yoku” (1809-1853) which contain the method for abdominal examination by palpitation so-called Fukushin, written by Bunrei Inada and Shukuko Wakuda, respectively.
On the contrary, Ko-Ho school established a therapeutic method based on the readjustment of disorders mentioned in “Shokan-Ron” (Shokan namely febrile acute illness), followed by the concepts of Hyo-Ri, Kan-Netsu, and Kyo-Jitsu. Also, the school recalled Fukushin (abdominal sho), the sign of the abdominal wall, written in “Shokan-Ron” following the objective restoration. Based on its original Fukusho, other Fukushos were found and extended its original Fukusho, other Fukushos were found and extended its category to apply for other diseases. This has been handed down to the present era.
My presentation on this theme, review of Japanese traditional medicine: Kampo, will be given more concretely.

View full abstract

We investigated the clinical effects of Hochu-ekki-to on symptoms, biological properties, quantities of hepatitis C virus, and fibrotic markers of 25 patients with chronic hepatitis C for six months. Results were analyzed by comparison of sex, age, and Ki-deficiency symptoms. Transaminase levels did not change in total, although decreases in scores of malaise and fatigability were statistically significant. Nevertheless, in patients 60 years old or older, GOT levels were elevated and total cholesterol levels decreased as compared to younger patients. Decreases in transaminases after administration of Hochu-ekki-to were statistically significant only in the 60+ age group. Decreases in transaminases were also statistically significant in patients who suffer from malaise, who are highly susceptible to colds, or who have reduced tension of the radial pulsation and faint red color or edema of tongue. Decreases were not observed in patients without these symptoms. These results suggest that the diagnosis of Ki-deficiency in Kampo medicine is very important in treating hepatitis C with Hochu-ekki-to.

View full abstract

The effects of stimulating Neiguan acupoints on cardiac pump function were studied in 20 athletic subjects during the performance of submaximal (70% VO₂max) stable bicycle exercise in the supine position. M mode, two dimensional echocardiography and a computerized light-pen system were used to quantitatively assess the differences between stimulating and not stimulating Neiguan acupoints. Measurements were taken with the subjects at rest, every 12 minutes during exercise, and after exercise. Results indicate that stimulating Neiguan acupoints improves cardiac pump function during exercise and accelerates the recovery of heart function after exercise.

View full abstract

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, routinely utilized in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, does not decrease serum levels of triglyceride (TG) as much as it decreases levels of cholesterol. Clofibrates, on the other hand, quite effectively decrease triglyceride levels but severe adverse effects have been reported. Dandao-paishi-tang, a Chinese herb combination, generally used to promote the passage of gallstones, was modified and used to treat three patients with hypertriglyceridemia. A male with hypertriglyceridemia, mild hypertension, and cholelithiasis began to take modified Dandao-paishi-tang when 55 years old. Serum TG level decreased from 634mg/dl to 273mg/dl over four years of treatment. A 66-year-old female patient with hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes took the prescription for four months and TG decreased from 815mg/dl to 442mg/dl. A 76-year-old female with mild hypertriglyceridemia showed a decrease in TG from 154mg/dl to 132mg/dl in four months.

View full abstract

It is known that Kiutsu state (obstruction of qi) is frequently observed in bronchial asthma. We found that Oketsu (blood stagnation) state is also observed in such patients. In the present study, we analyzed the Oketsu state in 70 asthma patients. Oketsu state was evaluated by Oketsu score (OS) by Dr. Terasawa. OS was significantly elevated in asthmatic patients, and it increased depending on the severity of the asthma. OS was no different in atopic asthma and non-atopic asthma. OS was significantly high in oral steroid treated patients. However, when the object is restricted only in the moderate state, OS was no different between the steroid treated group and the non-steroid treated group. From these results, we conclude that the Oketsu state is deeply interacted with asthma and that low dose oral steroid administration does not seem to worsen the Oketsu state in patients with asthma. We should follow the OS before and after the administration of steroids to test this hypothesis. We will investigate it in the near future.

View full abstract

Recently we observed three cases in which symptom-producing doses of Kampo medicine with aconiti tuber dramatically ameliorated primary diseases. The symptoms were similar to intoxication caused by aconiti tuber. Case 1 had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. After the daily dose of Keishi-ni-eppi-itto-ka-ryojutsubu, a Chinese herbal medicine containing aconiti tuber, was increased from 6g/day to 7g/day, the patient briefly experienced palpitation and nausea. At the same time, polyarthralgia and laboratory data dramatically improved. Case 2 suffered from lumbago due to osteoarthritis. Numbness around the lips and in the limbs and gait disturbance occurred in this patient after the basal prescription was changed from Shakuyaku-kanzo-bushi-to to Hachimijio-gan-ryo with the 4g/day dose of aconiti tuber remaining the same. The patient's lumbago disappeared almost completely. Case 3 had osteoarthritis and began taking Hachimijio-gan-ryo, containing aconiti tuber (8g/day), in early June. Numbness around the lips and limbs occurred after administration of Hachimijio-gan-ryo containing aconiti tuber (4g/day) in late July. After that, her gonalgia was recovered. Based on our experience above, we had the impression as follows: 1) Symptoms similar to intoxication due to aconiti tuber may be caused not only by increasing the daily dose of aconiti tuber, but also by changes of basal description or climate variations such as a rise in temperature. 2) In order to use aconiti tuber effectively, it is sometimes necessary to increase the daily dose to the level where it provides treatment, in spite of the risk of intoxication.

View full abstract

A case of atypical facial pain treated with Toki-shigyaku-ka-goshuyu-shokyo-to was reported. The patient was a 30-year-old female with oversensitivity to cold. She had suffered from intractable atypical facial pain in her left cheek for eight years. Diagnostic images showed no organic lesion and microvascular compression along the left trigeminal nerve. Although conventional medical therapy had not been successful in relieving the pain, Toki-shigyaku-ka-goshuyu-shokyo-to, in combination with several analgetic agents, was therapeutically effective. Later, Toki-shigyaku-ka-goshuyu-shokyo-to alone was effective in relieving painful episode.

View full abstract

The case of a 48-year-old man suffering from severe alcoholic liver disease accompanied by severe ascites and leg edema, who had been effectively treated with Kampo medicine, is described. The ascites disappeared promptly, but leg edema did not diminish. Thus, “Kumi-binrou-to” and some kinds of Kampo-formula were prescribed for depression and grasping-pain of sural muscles. The edema disappeared. The patient's liver function and mental state improved. Kampo medicine is useful for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease with psychological problems.

View full abstract

A patient with gas symptom-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who complained of recurrent severe abdominal pain was successfully treated with Saiko-sokan-to.
The patient was a 31-year-old male. Beginning in November, 1994, he repeatedly visited the emergency clinic with severe abdominal pain and abdominal distension. He was hospitalized three times, but no organic disorder was found. He usually had alternating constipation and diarrhea. He was diagnosed as gas symptom-predominant IBS because he mainly complained of gas symptoms such as abdominal distension, borborygmus and flatus together with abdominal pain. He was also suspected of having splenic flexure syndrome because his abdominal roentgenography revealed apparent intestinal gas at the splenic flexure. After treatment with Igakutoshi Saiko-sokan-to was begun in June 1996, his abdominal pain disappeared. Furthermore, emotional instability, lightheadedness, and skin troubles were also alleviated.
Saiko-sokan-to is indicated for patients having Sigyaku-san syo with severe Ki-depression, and appears to be a useful agent for gas symptom-predominant IBS.

View full abstract

In Japan chronic constipation is divided into two groups: atonic constipation and spastic constipation. Stimulant laxatives are unsuitable for patients with spastic constipation, and routine use of stimulant laxatives over long periods of time should be discouraged. Nevertheless stimulant laxatives are often used continually among these patients because their stools are too hard and infrequent without stimulant laxatives.
In this report, we present 4 cases of chronic constipation treated with Kami-shoyo-san. Cases 1, 2 and 3 were patients with spastic constipation and case 1, 3 and 4 had used stimulant laxatives continually. In all cases both stimulant laxatives and Kampo medicines containing Rhei Rhizoma caused adverse effects such as abdominal discomfort and pollakisuria. Kami-shoyo-san improved bowel movement as well as other complaints: irritability, heat in the upper part of the body, painful tension of shoulder muscles, fatigue, dysmenorrhea and pollakisuria. Withdrawal from stimulant laxatives was achieved in the patients except for case 2. In drug treatment of chronic constipation, Kampo medicines such as Kami-shoyo-san seem to be useful in withdrawal from stimulant laxatives.

View full abstract