ABSTRACT
We present two cases of night sweats due to eiefuwa (deficiencies of nutrients and defenses) that were successfully treated with Kampo medicine. Case 1 was that of a 64-year-old man with perspiration during sleep and slight fever, and Case 2 was that of a 78-year-old man with perspiration during sleep and common cold-like symptoms. Case 1 was administered with saikokeishito, and his symptoms quickly disappeared. Case 2 was administered with common cold drugs and saikokeishito initially, but the treatment was ineffective. Therefore, keishito was administered, and the patient's symptoms disappeared within 2 days. Sweating and common cold-like symptoms were successfully treated with Kampo medicine for the diagnosis of eiefuwa. Further, we discuss the various descriptions of eiefuwa in the literature.
ABSTRACT
We describe three cases of insomnia due to a feeling of heat in parts of the body, successfully treated with saikokeishito. Case 1 was a 50-year-old man who felt hot in his trunk and extremities at night. Case 2 was a 57-year-old women with osteoarthritis in the fingers who felt hot in her back at night. Their heat/pain was regarded as shisetsuhanto, or vexing pain in the extremities as described in “Shang Han Lun.” Case 3 was another 57-year-old woman who reported hot flushes both day and night. She did not have vexing pain in her extremities, but developed a rash. Although three patients felt hot, they all felt chill when they took off a blanket. Their heat vexation and intolerance of cold were considered as zokansonetsu, as seen in saikokeishito syndrome. They had kyokyokuman, or objective tenderness in the hypochondrium. However, they differed in shinkashiketsu, or tightness below the heart, another characteristic physical findings of saikokeishito : case 1 had stuffiness and rigidity below the heart and abdominal muscle contracture, case 2 had hardness and stiffness in zhong wan (middle segment of the stomach), and case 3 had mild stuffiness and rigidity below the heart, in terms of signs classically reported by Japanese doctors in the Edo period. These findings may suggest that saikokeishito has a wide range of indications. The three cases shared several characteristics, such as during menopause, without cold limbs, moderate or hypofunctional body energy, and alternating heat and chills. Saikokeishito could be a good medicine to treat patients suffering from insomnia with such symptoms, especially during menopause.
ABSTRACT
Calf cramps is a complication that can arise in dialysis patients. Shakuyakukanzoto is a useful medicine that is administered at appropriate doses for calf cramps. However, this medicine has been effective at the beginning, with a subsequent progressive decrease in its effect. We came to experience invalidity cases. In five phases theory, calf cramps were recognized as a disorder of the liver, and we administered saikokeishito, including saiko and shakuyaku, which regulate the liver function. We report on 9 dialysis patients with calf cramps who were successfully treated with saikokeishito. Calf cramps were considered to occur by the ataxia of organization of lesser yang pattern resulted in periodic attack, and the ataxia of auto nervous system as the symptom of yin yang disconnection. Saikokeishito is prepared using shosaikoto which regulates the lesser yang pattern and keishito which modulates the yin yang balance. Saikokeishito has the properties of both of these medicines. Thus, it may be a suitable medicine for calf cramps that occur owing to life style in dialysis patients.
ABSTRACT
<p>The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the Kampo medicine saikokeishito before and after treatment in postmenopausal women having various complains followed by a comparison of their effects. From April 2002 to March 2012, thirty-five (35) cases of HRT and eighteen cases of saikokeishito were evaluated by follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), Kupperman index, the self-rating questionnaire for depression (SRQ-D) and also various respective climacteric complaints such as hot flush, sweating, cold sensation, excitation, palpitation, stiffness in the shoulders and insomnia. While HRT was significantly more effective than saikokeishito by Kupperman index, hot flush and sweating (p < 0.05), saikokeishito was more than HRT in excitation, stiffness in the shoulders, insomnia significantly (p < 0.05) and also palpitation (p < 0.01). Although Kupperman index and SRQ-D were decreased significantly by HRT (p < 0.01) and saikokeishito (p < 0.05) over three months, HRT was significantly (p < 0.01) more effective than saikokeishito by Kupperman index and SRQ-D.<br>These results suggested that although HRT and saikokeishito were both effective for climacteric complains, they had many differentiated efficacies in each treatment. Therefore saikokeishito was favorable in women in whom HRT is contraindicated or undesirable. We posit that serious climacteric symptoms with somatic disorders should be treated with HRT. On the other hand, saikokeishito is indicated in psychological disorders.</p>
ABSTRACT
Previously, the authors reported that a painful point at the epigastrium may be closely related with the term “shinkashiketsu” for the Kampo formulation saikokeishito (SKT) which was described in the textbook, <i>shoukanron</i>. In order to find conclusive evidence for our hypothesis, we tried SKT in four patients, whose chief complaints were headache, epigastralgia with headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and anorexia due to Behcet's disease. In this trial, we obtained satisfactory clinical results, which strongly suggest that the symptom of a painful epigastral point correlates with the term shinkashiketsu in the <i>shoukanron </i>description.
ABSTRACT
The abdominal sign “shinkashiketsu” (lump of the epigastrium) is an important sign for the choice saikokeishito. However, an understanding of this symptom has been not defined in concrete terms. The author has found that this symptom can be recognized as a small painful point lying median to the xiphiod process and navel. This specific painful point is described equally in the textbook <i>Shokanron </i>and others. And the senior physician Kenzo Okuda has interpreted the suitability of their prescriptions as being decided by clinical results. Thus, the author has confidence that this painful point is an important indicator for saikokeishito.
ABSTRACT
We report a case of acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation caused by bacterial pneumonia infection, which was successfully resolved using saikokeishito. An 86-year-old woman with COPD presented with fever. Chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) confirmed bacterial pneumonia and she was admitted. Antibiotic therapy was started, but it had to be discontinued shortly thereafter because the patient developed drug rash. Oral saikokeishito was administered, as an alternative medicine, after which the patient showed dynamic improvements in pneumonia, and other general complaints such as respiratory dysfunction, fever, delirium, and appetite loss.<br>Saikokeishito is known to trigger various biomedical effects such as stimulation of anti-inflammatory and antipsychotic functions and autoimmune regulation.<br>Although antibiotic therapy is, without doubt, the most efficient treatment for acute bacterial pneumonia, in cases where antibiotic treatment is not possible, Kampo therapy may be used as an alternative treatment method for improving the condition and other complaints.<br>In future, more sequential case reports showing the use of Kampo therapy in acute respiratory medicine would be necessary to establish conclusive evidence for the use of this therapy as an alternative treatment method.
ABSTRACT
Orthopedic symptoms are not rare in palmoplantar pustulosis, but standardized treatments have not yet been established.Here we report a case of palmoplantar pustulosis followed by joint pain that was successfully treated with the Kampo formulation saikokeishito. The patient was a 44-year-old Japanese man. He was suffering from pustules on the soles of his feet due to palmoplantar pustulosis, and joint pain of the sternoclavicular area, hip and lumbo-sacral area, which had not been controlled with diclofenac sodium suppositories. We prescribed saikokeishito for 1 month, and he felt less joint pain and experienced less pustulosis. After that, he suffered from an upper respiratory tract infection, and he again developed plantar pustulosis. We added kikyo (<I>Platycodon grandiflorum</I> root) to treat the sore throat, and his symptoms almost disappeared following this treatment. No author has reported a patient with palmoplantar pustulosis accompanied by joint pain who was treated with saikokeishito. The results experienced in this case suggest that saikokeishito could be a useful formulation for the treatment of palmoplantar pustulosis accompanied by joint pain.
ABSTRACT
The authors report an interesting case of idiopathic taste disorder that was successfully treated with the Kampo formula Saikokeishi-to. A 45-year-old male went to a local hospital for an examination when he became awate of a decrease in his ability to taste. His serum zinc levels were within the normal range. Examination by the otorhinolaryngologist did not reveal any abnormalities other than the taste disorder. Zinc sulfate and mecobalamin were administered for three months with no improvement in his ability to taste.<br>The patient came to the authors' department in March 1995. Upon examination it was determined that he was of the Intermediate Sho according to Kampo diagnosis. The Kampo classic, the ‘Shokanron’ (Discussion of Cold-Induced Disorders), recommends Saikokeishi-to in cases of taste abnormalities. He began to show improvement in his ability to taste during the 3rd week of administration of this formula (7.5g/day). By the 12th week he had recovered his sense of taste.<br>It is thought that Kampo therapy restores the sense of taste indirectly by improving the overall condition of the health. This report and past reports suggest the potential for broader application of Kampo formulas containing Saiko in the treatment of idiopathic taste disorders.
ABSTRACT
A 41-year-old man had been suffering from loss of appetite and abdominal distension since November, 1990 and was diagnosed as suffering from chronic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia and mild depression as a result of examinations. His symptoms were not cured by various kinds of western drugs and he was admitted to our hospital on June 19, 1992. We diagnosed his symptoms as caused by chronic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia and regurgitated bile juice based on his general examinations (Kyoukyoukuman) and findings of gastrointestinal fiberscopy (GIF) . He made favorable progress on Saikokeishi-To within one week and his weight increased from 55 kilograms to 58 kilograms five months. 5 months after treatment with Saikokeishi-To, GIF findings were considered to have shown improvement but histological findings of gastritis with intestinal metaplasia were considered to have been aggravated. Saikokeishi-To cured his symptoms and increased his body weight, but failed to improve histological findings in the gastric mucosa. Therefore Saikokeishi-To may have a good psychological effect and improve gastrointestinal motility.