Leg cramps are frequently seen in patients who are undergoing hemodialysis. Syakuyaku-kanzo-to is usually effective against leg cramps, but not for all patients. On the other hand, Yokuinin, coix seed, has been known to restrain spasms of the frame muscle. This paper reports on the effectiveness of Yokuinin in controlling leg cramps during hemodialysis-especially when Shakuyaku-kanzo-to is not effective. Tests were performed on nine patients who have had maintenance hemodialysis in our hospital, and whose leg cramps were not responsive to Syakuyaku-kanzo-to. The patients were provided with three to six tablets of Yokuinin (Yokuinin extract tablet “Kotaro”) a day, and the effect on their leg cramps was measured after three weeks. Yokuinin was effective on five patients, whose leg cramps disappeared (an efficacy rate of 55.6%). Side effects were not observed. These results suggest that Yokuinin is a useful medicine (as part of a treatment regimen of traditional medicine) for leg cramps that result from hemodialysis-especially with patients for whom Shakuyaku-kanzo-to is not effective.

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This article analyzes the Okada Documents that were kept by the descendents of Okada Shôshun (1827-97) for over a hundred years and recently became available for scholarly use. In the existing scholarship, Okada Shôshun was considered merely one of many practitioners of East Asian medicine in the early Meiji period. His family background was obscure. This study of the newly emerged documents shows that his family practiced medicine for six generations-from the mid-Edo until the Meiji period-and produced medical administrators in the Bakufu. Also, a book on pharmaceuticals preserved in the Documents and written by his adoptive father, Shôseki, reveals that the family originally specialized in surgery. In addition, because Shôshun studied at the Bakufu's official medical school, Igakkan, under the guidance of the Taki family, the Documents include rare books such as Taki Motonori's “Rankei sensei yakushitsu kijô” (draft), Taki Motoyasu's “Isekikô” (the first draft), “Byômei san, ” and “Qianjin yueling.” Since the mid-1870s, Shôshun participated earnestly in the movement to preserve East Asian medicine and was particularly close to Asada Sôhaku (1815-94). The Documents include Sôhaku's medical essay (untitled), a book manuscript written by Shôshun with commentary by Sôhaku, and sixty-two letters that were exchanged between Shôshun and Sôhaku.

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This paper reports the results of clinical research on spring pollen disease based upon the Oriental medical diagnoses. Sixty-nine patients (twenty-four males and forty-five females) who were afflicted with the spring pollen disease were categorized into groups according to the types of Oriental herbal medicine that they responded to. Then, the authors compared the respective periods when the disease first developed in the patients of each group. A comparison was also made based on the differences between their objective signs and subjective symptoms.
As a result of the research, the types of spring pollen disease observed have been classified into the following three groups, with one exceptional type (see Example 4). The first is a group for which “a treatment for superficies-syndrome” (Kai-hyo) was effective using “the drugs of acrid taste and warm nature” (Shin-on) (see Example 23). The patients of this type first manifested their symptoms in the period between the end of January and mid-February. It was found that most of them exhibited a predisposition to a “hypofunctioning condition” (Kyo-sho), and were diagnosed as having pollen disease with the “wind-cold symptom” (Fu-kan-sho). The second is a group for which “a treatment for superficies-syndrome” was effective using “acrid and coldnatured drugs” (Sin-ryo) (see Example 22). Most of the patients of this type first manifested their symptoms after mid-February. It was found that they exhibited the symptom of “cold in the superficies” (Gai-kan) and “the pathogenic factor blending wind-evil and heat-evil” (Fu-netsu), and that most of them manifested “a hyper-functioning condition” (Jitsu-sho). They were diagnosed as having pollen disease with the “wind-warm symptom” (Fu-on-sho) of a “warm disease” (On-byo) with a strong “wind-evil” (Fu-ja) and weak “warm-evil” (On-ja). The third is a group with the mixture of “the treatment for superficies-syndrome” with “the drugs of acrid taste and warm nature” and those of “acrid and cold nature” (see Example 20). It was found that the patients of this group carried little predisposition to “a hypofunctioning condition, ” and that they exhibited a mixed condition of coldness and heat, carrying both characteristics of the first and second groups. They were diagnosed as having the pollen disease with “auxiliary symptoms” (Ken-sho), “the wind-warm symptom” of “a warm disease” combined with “cold-evil” (Kan ja).

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We report a case of a 40-year-old male with mycosis fungoides who was successfully treated with traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine in addition to Western medicine-including electron beam therapy and local injections of IFN-γ. In December 1991, he noticed erythema on his upper extremities, and the eruptions gradually worsened. In July 1997, various-sized skin tumors appeared on his trunk. He was diagnosed as being at the tumor stage of mycosis fungoides on the basis of a histological examination.
In September1997, he was referred to our department and was treated with Jumi-haidoku-to, Takuri-shodoku-in, Naitaku-san, Kyuki-kyogai-to, etc., for his skin lesions. When he felt thirst and heat from the irradiation, he was given Byakko-ka-ninjin-to. He also received Ohgi-kenchu-to for diarrhea and general malaise. He is currently receiving IFN-γ and immunotherapy at the department of dermatology, and his condition is good. Careful follow-up will be necessary. It is thought that the traditional herbal medicines are useful for the treatment of mycosis fungoides.

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Fisher syndrome is characterized by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia after preceding infection. The ophthalmoplegic symptom is described in a volume of Yomeibyo of the Shokan Ron, the classic Chinese encyclopedia of medical treatment. The Shokan Ron recommends Dai-joki-to as a treatment for this symptom. Accordingly, we administered Dai-joki-to to one patient diagnosed with atypical Fisher syndrome. The result was a prompt reduction of the ophthalmoplegic symptom in the patient. As Fisher syndrome is not a critical disease, Dai-joki-to administration should be considered as an alternative treatment to plasmapheresis.

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Although the treatment of Parkinson's disease is well established, side effects and weaning effects in the long term are a problem. In this context, it is reasonable to establish an alternative medicine for Parkinson's disease. Hange-byakujutsu-tenma-to in traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo) is similar to Teishingan, a formula for Parkinson's disease in traditional Chinese medicine, in that both formulas contain tenma and qi-supplying agents. We therefore administered Hange-byakujutsu-tenma-to (TJ-37, Tsumura, Tokyo) to a 77-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease. After taking Hange-byakujutsu-tenma-to, her symptoms of rigidity of the upper limbs, frozen gait, propulsion and retropulsion improved. These results suggest that Hange-byakujutsu-tenma-to is useful for treating Parkinson's disease.

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