ABSTRACT
We report a case of a 51-year-old male who suffered from chronic idiopathic urticaria on every part of his body. Urticaria appeared especially in the morning and evening. He visited our Kampo clinic because of insufficient effect of antihistamine drug and tokiinshi that had been prescribed by a dermatologist for about a half year. We thought this might be caused by blood deficiency, blood stasis and liver qi depression because he had symptoms of sensitiveness of heat, dry skin, purple tongue with yellow fur, a deeply located string-like pulse,and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium. Therefore, we administered keigairengyoto and ryutanshakanto but the effect was insufficient. During this treatment, we revealed his state of having thick fur in tonguediagnosis. Finally we prescribed him seijobofuto and inchingoreisan because we concluded that it might be necessary to remove dampness-heat in this case. His symptom improved within about a week after taking this formulation. Some cases of chronic urticaria are resistant to standard treatments in modern western medicine. Kampo medicine may be useful and hopeful in these cases.
ABSTRACT
[<b>Objective</b>] In this study, we retrospectively investigated the efficacy of Kampo medicine for refractory acne patients with standard therapy in Japan.<br>[<b>Patients</b>] Two hundred and thirty nine patients with inflammatory acne completed the study. Six Patients discontinued their systemic treatment because of adverse events. The patients included 193 females and 46 males, with a mean age of 26.5 years. They took Kampo medicine three times daily for 3 months, in a manner according to our protocol.<br>[<b>Result</b>] For females, 163 of 199 patients (82%) were in the KUOKETSUZAI Group taking medicines such as keisibukuryogankayokuinin, tokishakuyakusan, tokakujyokito, and kamishoyosan. Here, 124 of 163 patients (76%) had a significant decrease in new and inflammatory eruptions after taking the Kampo medicines alone or in combinations with other KUOKETSUZAI medicines. Fourteen of 19 patients (74%) took seijobofuto, of which 6 of 7 females (86%), and 1 of 3 males (33%) had decreased acne eruptions. Also in KUOKETSUZAI group, significant efficacy was shown in females over 21 years of age on combinations. For males, 18 of 23 patients (78%) taking keigairengyoto and 14 of 20 patients (70%) taking seijobofuto, also had decreased inflammatory acne eruptions.<br>[<b>Conclusion</b>] Kampo medicines exhibit significant efficacy for the treatment of the refractory acne.<br>KUOKESTUZAI : category of oriental medicines that improve peripheral blood flow while concurrently facilitating wound healing, and that regulate hormone balance, and improve gastrointestinal motility ; e.g. keisibukuryogankayokuinin, tokishakuyakusan, tokakujyokito, kamishoyosan.
ABSTRACT
Patients with acne vulgaris which could not be sufficiently controlled with antibiotics (tetracycline), or who had been receiving treatment for a prolonged period were selected for treatment with Kampo medicine. Patients in whom joint use of Kampo resulted in a decrease in blemishes, patients who were able to reduce the amount of antibiotics required or stop antibiotics altogether and patients who improved with Kampo alone were grouped according to the Kampo formula being taken. The formulas Seijobofu-to, Jumihaidoku-to and Keishibuuryo-gan proved to be effective. The patients in these groups were found to have certain characteristics in common. In particular, almost all of the cases with adult acne (25 years of age or older) had the symptoms of cold hands and feet, stiff shoulders, menorrhalgia, worsening of the condition before the menstrual period and other symptoms associated with Stagnated Blood. Formulas known as ‘agents for expelling Stagnated Blood’ (Kuoketsuzai), particularly Keishibukuryo-gan, were found to be effective.