Clinical Experience of Hochu-ekki-to for Symptoms Indicating a State of Ki-deficiency and Low Body Temperature / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

Hochu-ekki-to is one type of medicine that improves a Ki-deficiency. We therefore investigated the effects of Hochu-ekki-to on symptoms indicating a state of Ki-deficiency. In addition, we studied the effects of Hochu-ekki-to on blood pressure or body temperature. We studied 14 adult male patients with symptoms of general fatigue, lack of will power and appetite loss. We orally administered 7.5g of Hochu-ekki-to extract fine granules (EK-41) (Kanebo Pharm. Co, Tokyo, Japan) per day for four weeks. Before the oral administration of EK-41, and again four weeks later, we investigated any improvement of symptoms, and changes in the blood pressure or body temperature. After the oral administration of EK-41 for four weeks the general fatigue or lack of will power improved significantly (p<0.05), and we observed a significant increase in body temperature (p<0.05). The over all rate of “improvement” was 57.1%, and the rate for “slight improvement or more” was 71.4%. The oral administration of Hochu-ekki-to not only improved the symptoms of general fatigue and lack of will power but also raised the body temperature. This leads us to suspect that Hochu-ekki-to increased the metabolic function. We therefore consider the oral administration of Hochu-ekkito to be useful for the treatment of Ki-deficiency state patients with the symptoms of general fatigue and lack of will power.