Clinical Findings in Chronic Renal Failure by Administering Wen-Pi-Tang (Onpito) Specially Compounded with Processed Rhubarb / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

Rhubarb has been reported effective in patients with chronic renal failure, especially those patients with a high blood urea nitrogen (BUN) value. Rhubarb, however, is difficult to administer in large quantities because of its purging effect. Thus we prepared heated rhubarb, measured its sennoside A content using high performance liquid chromatography, and administered it to 2 patients.<br>Renal function of the first patient did not improve, following administration of extract derived from decocted rhubarb heated for 4 hours at 100°C.The extract's protective effect on renal function was considered lost by the boiling procedure. Dry-heated rhubarb was also prepared at 130°C for 4 minutes, and administered to the second patient. In this case, the extract's quantity could be increased up to 4.0g per day, and the patient's BUN value gradually decreased.<br>Onpito was later administered, because of increased BUN and creatinine values. Onpito was administered as a Ninjinto extract, Kakobushimatsu and rhubarb. And Onpito had a better protective effect on renal function in the second patient, than rhubarb alone.<br>In conclusion, we believe that dry-heated rhubarb can be effective for the improvement of nitric metabolism in patients with chronic renal failure, because of its low purging effect.