Pharmacological characteristics of Kampo medicine as a mixture of constituents and ingredients / 中西医结合学报

Herbal medicine in Japan is termed as Kampo medicine, which is derived from traditional Chinese medicine. Shakuyakukanzoto (Shao-Yao-Gan-Cao-Tang) as a kind of Kampo formulations is composed of just two components; Paeoniae Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix, which produced marked relaxation of intestinal tract. Mokuboito (Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang) inhibited cardiac ionic channel currents, and as a mixture also produced great vasodilatation. Sinomenine (a main ingredient of Mokuboito) as a single compound also caused the vasodilatation, but decreased it along with ageing. Gypsum containing in Mokuboito and Chotosan (Diao-Teng-San) caused more marked effects, as compared with those without Gypsum. On the other hand, Rokumigan (Liu-Wei-Wan), Hachimijiogan (Ba-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan) and Goshajinkigan (Niu-Che-Shen-Qi-Wan) increase in order the number of contained ingredients. The formulations with more herbs (ingredients) produced much more effective actions on rat aorta, presumably due to compensation of the decline of pharmacological sensitivity with ageing. Thus, there are some important differences between single chemical drugs and mixture drugs with many ingredients. The effects of Kampo medicine (mixture) are never just a sum of each effect induced by a lot of ingredients. For elder persons, furthermore, Kampo medicine exerts more effective actions.

Pharmacological characteristics of Kampo medicine as a mixture of constituents and ingredients / 中西医结合学报

Herbal medicine in Japan is termed as Kampo medicine, which is derived from traditional Chinese medicine. Shakuyakukanzoto (Shao-Yao-Gan-Cao-Tang) as a kind of Kampo formulations is composed of just two components; Paeoniae Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix, which produced marked relaxation of intestinal tract. Mokuboito (Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang) inhibited cardiac ionic channel currents, and as a mixture also produced great vasodilatation. Sinomenine (a main ingredient of Mokuboito) as a single compound also caused the vasodilatation, but decreased it along with ageing. Gypsum containing in Mokuboito and Chotosan (Diao-Teng-San) caused more marked effects, as compared with those without Gypsum. On the other hand, Rokumigan (Liu-Wei-Wan), Hachimijiogan (Ba-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan) and Goshajinkigan (Niu-Che-Shen-Qi-Wan) increase in order the number of contained ingredients. The formulations with more herbs (ingredients) produced much more effective actions on rat aorta, presumably due to compensation of the decline of pharmacological sensitivity with ageing. Thus, there are some important differences between single chemical drugs and mixture drugs with many ingredients. The effects of Kampo medicine (mixture) are never just a sum of each effect induced by a lot of ingredients. For elder persons, furthermore, Kampo medicine exerts more effective actions.

A Case of Rapid Successfully Treated Hypertension with Chotosan under the Treatment of Tinnitus / 日本東洋医学雑誌

The case was a 70-years-old man whose chief complaint was tinnitus. After the administration of chotosan, his tinnitus was improved in 10 months. In addition, his headache, which had not been his main complaint, also disappeared. However, hypertension, which had not been reported in his history, was newly observed, when his chotosan dosage was reduced. After the usual dosage of chotosan was prescribed again, his blood pressure promptly decreased from the day that the administration started. Chotosan can improve tinnitus, especially in elderly people. Furthermore, this case suggested that chotosan is potentially useful as a primary medication in mild hypertension, when there are no severe coexisting illnesses. And, it may exhibit its anti-hypertensive effects quite rapidly.

Gender-Related Differences in a Process of the Age-Dependent Alterations of the Elements in Monkey Sino-Atrial Node

Gender differences in the trace elements of monkey sino-atrial (SA) node were investigated in a process of age-dependent alterations. Sixty hearts from Japanese and rhesus monkeys (30 male and 30 female) used were aged ranging from 1-day- to 30-year-old. The elements were analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). Advancing age decreased all the trace elements. Ca, P, S and Mg significantly decreased. The correlation coefficients of Ca and P were -0.178+/-0.081 (p<0.05) and -0.088+/-0.022 (p<0.05) in male (n=30), and -0.095+/-0.026 (p<0.05) and -0.069+/-0.017 (p<0.05) in female (n=30), respectively. The age-dependent coefficients for Fe/Ca, Zn/Ca, Fe/P, Fe/S, Zn/S, Fe/Mg and Zn/Mg were exhibited markedly in male, but all was less in female. In gender-related differences, only a ratio of P/Ca (p<0.05) was significantly observed with ageing. The trace elements such as Cu, Se and Sn were less detected in the SA nodes. These results indicate that the age-dependent changes in the ratios of elements are appeared more rapidly in male monkey SA node, and the gender difference is observed in ratio of P/Ca. The different attenuations may be involved with the age- and gender-related SA nodal functions.

Possible Involvement of Ca2+ Activated K+ Channels, SK Channel, in the Quercetin-Induced Vasodilatation

Effects of quercetin, a kind of flavonoids, on the vasodilating actions were investigated. Among the mechanisms for quercetin-induced vasodilatation in rat aorta, the involvement with the Ca2+ activated K+ (KCa) channel was examined. Pretreatment with NE (5 micrometer) or KCl (60 mM) was carried out and then, the modulation by quercetin of the constriction was examined using rat aorta ring strips (3 mm) at 36.5degrees C. Quercetin (0.1 to 100 micrometer) relaxed the NE-induced vasoconstrictions in a concentration-dependent manner. NO synthesis (NOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA), at 100 micrometer reduced the quercetin (100 micrometer)-induced vasodilatation from 97.8+/-3.7% (n=10) to 78.0+/-11.6% (n=5, p<0.05). Another NOS inhibitor, L-NG-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), at 100 micrometer also had the similar effect. In the presence of both 100 micrometer L-NMMA and 10 micrometer indomethacin, the quercetin-induced vasodilatation was further attenuated by 100 micrometer tetraethylammonium (TEA, a KCa channel inhibitor). Also TEA decreased the quercetin-induced vasodilatation in endothelium-denuded rat aorta. Used other KCa channel inhibitors, the quercetin-induced vasodilatation was attenuated by 0.3 micrometer apamin (a SK channel inhibitor), but not by 30 nM charybdotoxin (a BK and IK channel inhibitor). Quercetin caused a concentration-dependent vasodilatation, due to the endothelium-dependent and -independent actions. Also quercetin contributes to the vasodilatation selectively with SK channel on smooth muscle.

Awareness Survey toward Graduate (Doctors) Trained for Three to Five Years for Oriental Medicine / 日本東洋医学雑誌

An Oriental medicine awareness survey was performed with the doctors having graduated from Nara Medical University. The questionnaire was mailed to the doctors having trained there 3, 4 and 5 years after their graduation. The collection rate was 24.1%. The percentage of doctors with an interest in Oriental medicine was 83.0%. These doctors believed that Oriental medicine exerts a different efficacy from western medicine. In contrast, the doctors (17%) with no interest in Oriental medicine answered that they had little or no Oriental medicine knowledge and experience. Most doctors (89.8%) supposed that Oriental medicine will play a more important role in the future, and that Oriental medicine lectures and seminars are essential. It seems important, therefore, to give doctors more Oriental medicine instruction, to learn the basic theories, prescriptions, and diagnoses. Those doctors (93.2%) who answered in the affirmative said that they would make use of Oriental medicine in the future, presumably due to social trend.

Three-Year Follow Up of Medical Students Toward Awareness for Oriental Medicine / 日本東洋医学雑誌

An Oriental (Kampo) medicine awareness survey was given to two student groups at Nara Medical University, for 3 years (2003-2005). One group consisted of 59 second-year students, 81 third-year students, and 77 fourth-year students, while the other group consisted of 72 third-year students, 51 fourth-year students, and 34 fifth-year students. Both student groups received Kampo lectures in 2004. Student's interest increased through 2003 to 2005 from 85.4%, to 82.5% and 94.6% respectively, as they gained a more positive image of Oriental medicine year by year. They also came to understand that Oriental medicine efficacy differs, from that of western medicine. On the other hand, those students showing little interest had less knowledge Kampo medicine philosophies. Female students held a higher positive image of Kampo medicine, than they had before the surveys. But the degree of disagreement between male and female students was not so largely altered, as all students advanced through medical school. Most believed that Oriental medicine will play a more important role in the future, and that Oriental (Kampo) medicine lectures are an important part of their medical education. Therefore, it is essential that medical students are given more exposure to Kampo medicine, through further meetings and lectures. In addition, Kampo medicine needs to be demonstrated, both clinically and in principle, as a complementary and alternative medical philosophy to those students and doctors who still maintain a negative image.