ABSTRACT
We report a case of sciatica showing improvement by treatment with Gorei-san-ryo. The patient, a 66-year-old woman with right gonarthrosis, had been receiving treatment at the orthopaedic surgery department since May 19, 2000. She felt left hip pain and left leg numbness on May 10, 2002. She was diagnosed with left-side sciatica on May 15, 2002. She was treated with loxoprofen, eperisone, and epidural steroids at the orthopaedic surgery, but her symptoms hardly improved. She visited our department on August 7, and treatment wiht Busi-to was begun. After four weeks, her symptoms had not improved. Busi-to was stopped and Gorei-san-ryo was begun on September 4. After two weeks, her hip pain had improved. Keishi-bukuryo-gan was administered in addition to Gorei-san-ryo on September 18. On December 25, her sciatica as evaluated by visual analogue scale, had decreased from 100 to 35 since first visiting our department. Based on this experience, it is suggested that Gorei-san-ryo be considered in the treatment of sciatica.
ABSTRACT
The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue (Leuplin/<sup>®</sup>1.0mg/kg, s. c.) induced not only a decrease in the serum concentration of testosterone but also potentiation of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP: 10μg/kg, i. v.)-induced elevation of skin temperature in male rats. Keishi-bukuryo-gan (1, 000mg/kg, p. o.) and 17β-estradiol (0.010mg/kg, s. c.) significantly inhibited the elevation of skin temperature as well as teststerone (1.0mg/kg, s. c.) replacement. However, Keishi-bukuryo-gan and 17β-estradiol did not affect the low concentration of serum testosterone, although the hormone replacement of testosterone restored the plasma level. These results suggest that Keishi-bukuryo-gan, which does not have testosterone activity to serum, may be useful for the treatment of hot flushes due to testosterone deficiency after GnRH therapy in men with prostatic carcinoma, as well as 17β-estradiol.
ABSTRACT
In the hormonal treatment of uterine myomas, which are estrogen dependent, GnRH agonist (GnRHa) therapy has become widespread. However, GnRHa therapy causes uncomfortable or harmful side effects such as climacteric symptoms. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of Kampo (herbal) medicine to diminish climacteric symptoms induced by the GnRHa. Twenty-six patients with symptomatic uterine myoma were recruited, and informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Leuprolide acetate depot 3.75mg (LA) as GnRHa was given with subcutaneous injection every four weeks for six months. After LA therapy was initiated, Toki-shakuyaku-san, Kami-shoyo-san, or Keishi-bukuryo-gan was given from the second month of treatment. Climacteric symptoms were evaluated with Simplified Menopausal Index, which was improved for Japanese women. In the present study, we found all three Kampo medicines were useful. In particular, Kami-shoyo-san was useful for climacteric symptoms induced by LA. Also, LA therapy combined with Keishi-bukuryo-gan had beneficial effects in uterine myomas. However, the precise mechanism by which results were achieved remains unclear. Therefore, further research may be necessary to evaluate the ability of Kampo medicines to diminish climacteric symptoms induced by GnRHa.
ABSTRACT
Mortality rates for breast cancer in Japan have been increasing sharply. Earlier detection leading to early treatment is highly desirable. Despite improvement in imaging techniques for breast cancer, many cases with latent microcarcinoma go undetected each year. In Western medicine, diagnostic hormonal therapy with antiestrogens for mastopathy in order to induce latent carcinoma has been used successfully for diagnosis of such difficult cases. Antiestrogens, however, may cause intolerable side effects for some patients, and sometimes their administration must be stopped. Thus excisional biopsy is required for definitive diagnosis of malignancy. In oriental medicine, Keishi-bukuryo-gan has been shown to be effective for mastopathy and is considered quite safe. We examined it as an alternative to antiestrogens. Keishi-bukuryo-gan was administered to 116 patients out of 218 with mastopathy. In response, four were suspected to have breast cancer. All four were definitively diagnosed with breast cancer: two by fine-needle aspiration cytology, and two by excisional biopsy. Keishi-bukuryo-gan proved to be useful in diagnostic hormonal evaluation of mastopathy and diagnosis of breast cancer.
ABSTRACT
Currently, Keishi-bukuryo-gan is widely used for overcoming blood stagnation, and is most frequently used for adult women with blood stagnation (Oketsu) presenting the cold and hot flush (rush in the bust and cold in the lower half of the body) such as menopausal disorder. This time, we carried out thermographic tests for two groups: the patients with subjective symptoms of the cold and hot flush (group 1:8 adult women) and patients with subjective symptoms of cold sensation only in the lower limbs (group 2:8 adult women).<br>In the first group the difference between the surface temperature of the skin of the upper abdomen and that of the lower abdomen was more significant as compared with the second group. We also observed both groups for 60 minutes after administration of Keishi-bukuryo-gan. In the second group the surface temperature of the skin of both upper and lower abdomen decreased. In the first group, however, the skin temperature of the upper abdomen decreased but that of the lower abdomen increased in reverse, and the difference of the temperature between the upper abdomen and lower abdomen was reduced. This means Keishi-bukuryo-gan worked for improving “the cold and hot flush, ” i. e., the imbalance of the endocrine system and autonomic nervous system.<br>The findings suggest that Keishi-bukuryo-gan treatments for hot flush, which is the increase of the skin temperature caused by telangiectasis of the skin of the upper body, may increase the blood flow in the lower abdomen and improve pelvic congestion, which is one of the conditions of blood stagnation, as well as decreasing the skin temperature by contracting peripheral vessels.
ABSTRACT
Topical steroid application is widely used in the treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), but response is usually poor. A 39-year-old woman was given the Kampo (Japanese herbal) formulas Hochu-ekki-to and Keishi-bukuryo-gan according to the principles of Kampo diagnosis. Topical steroids were not employed. The erythema associated with DLE had visibly decreased by the third week of administration, and disappeared completely after seven months of treatment.<br>For maximum effectiveness, Kampo formulas should usually be selected through the Kampo diagnostic process.