Three Cases of Schizophrenia that Improved with Daisaiko-to / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

We encountered three patients with schizophrenia diagnosed by DSM-III-R and/or ICD-9, all of whom improved significantly with Daisaiko-to. Psychiatric presentations evident were irritability, face-to-face tension and agitation, and constipation was present a somatic disturbance.<br>The psychiatric symptoms were associated with anger, the specific emotion corresponding to the orbis hepaticus, based on the Five Evolutive Phases (wu-hsing). Therefore, these symptoms were thought to be caused by dysfunction of Liver Ki (Qi) (energetic configuration). Daisaiko-to was prescribed in order to improve the function of Liver Ki based on the concept that the disorder was related to Kankao (a flaming up of Liver Fire). The effectiveness of this formula suggested that both Bupleuri Radix and Raeoniae Radix, which are components of Daisaiko-to, were important herbal drugs to alleviate “flaming up of the Liver Fire, ” in the treatment of schizophrenia.