<b>A Case of Depression Effectively Treated with B</b><b>ofutsushosan</b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

Bofutsushosan has recently become a well-known Kampo formulation for treating metabolic syndrome. It is effective for obesity in people who have mental disorder, but few reports suggest that it is effective for mental disorder itself. We report a case of depressive complaints treated effectively with bofutsushosan. The case was 63 years-old male who had had depression for twenty years. His depressed condition had been stable owing to antidepressant therapies. However, he had could not read books, and so had not been able to enjoy the pleasure of reading since nine months previously. He did not believe that his depression had taken a turn for the worse, but rather that he had the partial androgen decline (or deficiency) of aging males. Therefore he did not consult his psychiatrist, and he wanted to be treated with Kampo formulations. He was diagnosed with a hyperfunctional constitution, heat pattern, and a <i>ki </i>obstruction pattern. Bofutsushosan was prescribed, and his complaints improved remarkably. This suggests that bofutsushosan is effective for treatment of not only obesity but also mental disorder itself.