ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
[Objectives] Repeated episodes of anger are a risk factor for cardiac diseases such as ischemic heart disease and arrhythmia. In this context, controlling anger may ameliorate the severity of effective cardiac diseases. In traditional Chinese and/or Japanese (Kampo) medicine, anger is one of the five basic emotions and is related to the <i>liver</i>, and formulas coursing, clearing and calming the <i>liver</i> are thought to be able to control anger. Accordingly, it is possible that formulas targeted to the <i>liver</i> are useful for preventing and managing cardiac diseases. However, it has not been established how to use formulas that target the <i>liver</i> in modern cardiology. The objective of this study is to examine the usefulness and therapeutic implications of Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to (Chaff-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Du-Li-Tang) as a formula targeted to the <i>liver</i> in modern cardiology.<br>[Methods] We analyzed nine patients aged 44±13 years (mean±SD) who took Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to in our cardiological clinic. We examined the influence of selected formulas on the symptoms.<br>[Results and discussions] The total effectiveness of Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to was 78%. Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to improved symptoms such as palpitation, chest discomfort, cough and insomnia in patients with supraventricular arrhythmia, psychosomatic cough, hypertension and cardiac neurosis. Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to also showed an anti-hypertensive effect, an anti-arrhythmic effect and an advantage over β-blockers in terms of its safety. These results suggest that Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to may be useful for treating and preventing cardiac diseases through its effects on palpitation and insomnia caused by emotional disturbances. We should therefore consider using Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to in cardiological clinics.
ABSTRACT
A 76-year-old patient with double valvular replacement was hospitalized every year during the last four years because of congestive heart failure. It was thought that the patient had difficulties in maintaining appropriate water intake because of a lack of understanding about the disease. However the findings of his tongue indicated that the patient suffered from severe deficiency of Yin-fluid. We therefore hypothesized that the thirst derived from deficiency of Yin-fluid. Diuretics may have affected the patient's control of water intake. After he was discharged from hospital, we avoided increasing the dose of diuretics and administered Seihai-to (TJ-90), Gosha-jinki-gan (TJ-107) and then Bakumondo-to (TJ-29). After we used Bakumondo-to, the diameter of the inferior vena cava (IVC) was significantly decreased (IVC=8mm, P<0.01 smirnoff's test) as compared with the estimated IVC before Kampo treatment (19.6±2.2mm, α=0.05, n=13). Because the amount of Bakumondo-to administrated was not very large, it is unlikely that Bakumondo-to directly reduced the blood volume. Bakumondo-to may prevent heart failure by modifying the sensation of thirst as the cause of inappropriate water intake.