Two Cases of Graves' Disease Successfully Controlled with Kampo Therapy / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

Two cases of hyperthyroidism were treated with Kampo therapy alone, without the use of antithyroid drugs. The first case was a 47-year-old female who had been experiencing palpitations, weight loss, nervousness, tinnitus and vertigo for two years. She was diagnosed as having Graves'disease because of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and increases in free T3 (fT3), free T4 (fT4), TSH binding inhibiting immunoglobulin (TBII), and 24-hour thyroid radioactive iodine uptake (24-h RAIU). Shakanzo-to was given for palpitations and other symptoms. Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to was later added in accordance with the Kampo diagnosis. After about one year and ten months, serum levels of TSH and fT3, fT4, and TBII are normalized.<br>The second case was a 40-year-old female, in whom palpitations had appeared about 3 years previously. Three months ago she was diagnosed as having hyperthyroidism. Thiamazole had been administered for two months. Serum TSH was decreased and fT3, fT4, TBII were increased when she first came to our clinic. Shakanzo-to was given for palpitations and other symptoms. After three weeks she refused to take thiamazole of her own accord. Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to was given concomitantly in accordance with the Kampo diagnosis. The serum levels of fT3 and fT4 increased gradually, but the palpitations were reduced. After about 10 months, the fT3 and fT4 levels were observed to decrease. This suggests that some of the hyperthyroidism can be imprgved by Kampo therapy without antitnyroid drugs.