<b>Kampo Medicine Treatments in Nephrology </b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

It has been popular to group various renal disorders under chronic kidney disease (CKD). And, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) drugs are used as the first choice for treatment of CKD with hypertension. Here, however, I review some Kampo treatments. To begin with, shichimotsukokato is a promising formula for the treatment of CKD in combination with ACE inhibitors/ARBs. The effects of hachimijiogan show promise for the inhibition of diabetic nephropathy through basic studies using experimental models. And, recent evaluations have revealed the efficacy and usefulness of saireito, in reducing steroid dose for the treatment of glomerulonephritis and primary nephrotic syndrome. Moreover, when considering disease backgrounds, saibokuto is useful in the patients with IgA nephropathy accompanied by frequent episodes of upper respiratory infection, while saireito is occasionally effective for nephrotic syndrome with allergic disorder. Saireito has also been reported to be effective in childhood IgA nephropathy in a prospective controlled study. The effects of onpito, on the other hand, are reported to prevent or postpone the introduction of dialysis in pre-dialysis patients with chronic renal failure. And furthermore, for the treatment of hemodialysis patients, goreisan efficacy has been reported for the difficulty of fluid removal, while saireito is promising for the treatment of peritoneal fibrosis due to peritoneal dialysis.