Implications of the Origin of “Gui” in the “Bencaojingjizhu” / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Crude drugs that feature the name “gui” have appeared in classical medicinal textbooks with different names,and the correspondence between their names and origins remains the subject of research and discussion. In the present study, we investigated these correspondences using the descriptions in the annotations of the Bencaojingjizhu and through our previous study that revealed the standards of weights and measures in this book. Based on this investigation, we strongly speculate that “gui” in the Bencaojingjizhu was the branch skin of Cinnamomum cassia (C. cassia) (corresponding to cinnamon sticks in the market), which fits with the descriptions about the length and weight of “gui” -related crude drugs in this book. We measured the contents of cinnamic aldehyde and coumarin in the branch skin of C. cassia, and compared these to contents in other crude drugs related to “gui” that can be obtained on the market. The contents of these two compounds in the branch skin of C. cassia were similar to those in the bark of C. cassia from Vietnam that meets the standards for cinnamon bark in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia and is regarded as high-grade in the market. These results support our speculation, and it might be possible that the branch skin of C. cassia can be used as medicine instead of cinnamon bark.

<b>The Investigation of Metrological Standard in “</b><b><i>Songban Shanghanlun</i></b><b>” :Focus on the Absorbed Liquid in the Decoction Residues and the </b><b>Extraction Efficiency of Ephedra-alkal / 日本東洋医学雑誌

The dosage of crude drugs described in the <i>Shanghanlun </i>has long been discussed, and a conversion ratio for 1 liang in the <i>Songban Shanghanlun </i>into modern grams has not been established yet. <i>Ekisai Kariya</i>, a bibliologist in Edo period Japan, claimed that the formulas in the <i>Songban Shanghanlun </i>could not be decocted when weighed with the “Han shu (lu li zhi)” scale (1 liang = 14 g, “regular scale”), and the weight scale in the text should be “Scale of Shen nong” (1/10 scale of the regular scale). This claim leads to the standards for Kampo prescription dosages. We inspected this matter by focusing on the amount of liquid absorbed by decoction residues, and demonstrated that the formulas in <i>Songban Shanghanlun </i>could actually be decocted when weighed with the “regular scale”. In addition, we calculated the quantities of Ephedra-alkaloids in the one-time dose of “Ma huang tang” of the several books written in the Song period, and the <i>Songban Shanghanlun </i>text, with results showing that Chinese doctors in the Song period recognized 1 liang in the <i>Songban Shanghanlun </i>as 14 grams in modern terms, and that the “regular scale” could be applied clinically. This strongly suggests that the metrological standard in the <i>Songban Shanghanlun </i>should be the “regular scale”.

The Weights in <I>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</I> (Dun Huang Version) and the Volume of a <I>Fang Cun Bi</I> (One Cun Square Spoon) : Weights and Measures in the Period when the <I>Shan Han Lun</I> was Written / 日本東洋医学雑誌

For the purpose of investigating weights in the era when the <i>Shan Han Lun </i>was set forth, the weight and measures described in the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</i>, written in the period slightly after the <i>Shan Han Lun</i>, were studied. Some descriptions of the metrological standards are confusing in the <I>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</i>. We focused on the measuring container, whose volume is equal to that of the one cun square spoon (fang cun bi), shown in the dun huang version of the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</i>. The volume of this measuring container was calculated on the assumption that the measures in this text follow those of the <i>Han Shu Li Li Shi</i>, and a result of 5.07 cm³was obtained. The result was confirmed by using the actual measured values of the crude drugs. The result was also considered to support measurements of the volume in the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu </i>as following the <i>Han Shu Li Li Shi</i>. With those results, descriptions of the density of honey and lard were examined, and the weight in the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu </i>was clarified to follow that in the <i>Han Shu Li Li Shi</i>.

<b>On Ryokyu ARIMA, Tenmin NAMIKAWA's Mentor </b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Tenmin NAMIKAWA (並河天民) thought the <i>Shanghanlun</i> (傷寒論) was an important text. He also taught his pupils the importance of prescribing Zhongjing ZHANG's (張仲景) medicines. Ryokyu ARIMA (有馬凉及) was a physician-teacher, who prescribed Chengqitang (承気湯) for the emperor without conferring with other doctors. His chengqitang formulary was derived from medical texts by Zhongjing ZHANG. Kyugo GODA (合田求吾) on the other hand, was a pupil of Ikkannsai MATSUBARA (松原一閑斎), who wrote in the <i>Idokikigaki</i> (医道聞書) : the<i>Koho</i> (古方) school started by Ryokyu ARIMA. He was a hero who was punished by the Goseiin (後西院) emperor. He taught <i>Koho </i>to Tenmin. This therefore reveals that Ryokyu ARIMA was a teacher who taught the importance of the <i>Shanghanlun</i>.

<b>Differences in Water Hardness when preparing Ephedrae Herba Decoctions : Special Focus on a Comparison of Tap Water </b><b>in Japan and China </b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Decoctions of Ephedrae Herba were prepared using tap water sampled in Changping District, Beijing City(China), tap water sampled in Niigata City (Japan) and some mineral water samples sold in markets. Various dissimilarities were found between drug extracts prepared using tap water in Japan and China, and the extraction efficiency of the alkaloids with Beijing tap water was approximately 80% of that with Niigata tap water. It is suggested that these dissimilarities result from concentrations of temporally hard components, such as calcium and magnesium bicarbonate salts, in the water. In addition, when Zizyphi Fructus and Ephedrae Herba were decocted together in hard water, the state of the decoction, ephedra-alkaloid content included, was found to come close to that of single Ephedrae Herba decoctions prepared using soft water. It was suggested that Ziziphi Fructus might possibly play roles as a softening agent in decoctions prepared using hard water.

The traditional oriental medical Analysis of the Oketsu-night sweat / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Oketsu-night sweat was first mentioned in the “Yi lin gai cuo” by Wang Qing ren and the “Xue zheng lun” by? Tang Rong chuan, but there are few explanations of its disease condition. Thus we made pathological studies in Oriental medicine based on three cases (women), where Oketsu-sho was alleviated with Keppu-chikuo-to modification, and Teitou-gan and Tokaku-joki-to (Tao he cheng qi tang) modification. Common disease conditions were Netsu-sho or heat syndrome (summer incidences, redness, flushing during night sweat), and lower Oketsu symptoms (lower abdominal distention, distention and cramping of the lower abdomen, and increased urinary frequency). The theory of these disease conditions is as follows: During sleep, Wei-energy enters the blood. Because of this, Wei-energy of the body surface becomes asthenia making it easier to break out in sweat. The Wei-energy in the blood is depressed by Oketsu, and heat of Oketsu becomes stronger during the night. This fever heats and evaporates bodily fluids, and as a result fluids are pushed outward and cause night sweat. Therefore heat syndrome appears to be a pre-condition of Oketsu-night sweat. If the lower aspect of the body is taken to mean the liver, one would hypothesize that Oketsu-night sweat is more likely to emerge because blood accumulates in the lower area because it returns to the liver at night. Thus, it is thought to be necessary to consider Oketsu as one of the causes of night sweat.