Current Evidence of Kampo

List of Kampo Clinical Studies indexed in PubMed - Updated August 2010

Many clinical studies including case series and clinical trials were available in Japanese only. English resources in Kampo were very limited. In recent years, however, a growing number of Kampo research papers have been appearing in English peer-reviewed journals. Here is the list of Kampo clinical studies that are published in PubMed indexed journals.

Psychological/Behavioral conditions

A randomized cross-over study of a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo), yokukansan, in the treatment of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.  Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2009 Mar;12(2):191-9. Epub 2008 Dec 11.

Yi-gan san as adjunctive therapy for treatment-resistant schizophrenia: an open-label study.  Clin Neuropharmacol. 2009 Jan-Feb;32(1):6-9.

Clinical effectiveness of the Kampo medicine kamishoyosan for adjunctive treatment of tardive dyskinesia in patients with schizophrenia: a 16-week open trial.  Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2007 Oct;61(5):509-14.

Studies on the psychosomatic functioning of ill-health according to eastern and Western medicine. 3. Two treatment methods using kampo medication for stress-related and lifestyle disease. Am J Chin Med. 1999;27(3-4):315-29.

Four cases of panic disorder successfully treated with Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicines: Kami-shoyo-san and Hange-koboku-to. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2002 Dec;56(6):617-20.

Post Surgical Conditions

Juzentaihoto (TJ-48), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, influences hemoglobin recovery during preoperative autologous blood donation and after hip surgery.  Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Dec;47(12):716-21.

Therapeutic effects of Saireito (TJ-114), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, on postoperative edema and inflammation after total hip arthroplasty.  Phytomedicine. 2007 Sep;14(9):581-6. Epub 2007 Feb 9.

Headache/Migraine

Effects of goshuyuto on lateralization of pupillary dynamics in headache. Auton Neurosci. 2008 May 30;139(1-2):9-14. Epub 2008 Jan 28.

The efficacy of goshuyuto, a typical Kampo (Japanese herbal medicine) formula, in preventing episodes of headache. Curr Med Res Opin. 2006 Aug;22(8):1587-97.

Complete recovery from tension-type headache through Kampo medicine. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Jul;15(7):799-801.

Kampo medicines as alternatives for treatment of migraine: six case studies. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2006 Nov;12(4):276-80. Epub 2006 Sep 28.

Premenstrual Syndrome/Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Effectiveness of kamishoyosan for premenstrual dysphoric disorder: open-labeled pilot study. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2007 Jun;61(3):323-5.

Kampo therapy for premenstrual syndrome: efficacy of Kamishoyosan quantified using the second derivative of the fingertip photoplethysmogram. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2007 Jun;33(3):325-32.

Kampo in women's health: Japan's traditional approach to premenstrual symptoms.  J Altern Complement Med. 2008 May;14(4):427-35.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Effects of switching to wen-jing-tang (unkei-to) from preceding herbal preparations selected by eight-principle pattern identification on endocrinological status and ovulatory induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.  Am J Chin Med. 2006;34(2):177-87.

Threatened Abortion

Efficacy of the Kampo medicine Xiong-gui-jiao-ai-tang, a traditional herbal medicine, in the treatment of threatened abortion in early pregnancy.  Am J Chin Med. 2006;34(5):731-40.

Lactation

Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in), a traditional herbal medicine, stimulates lactation with increase in secretion of prolactin but not oxytocin in the postpartum period.  Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(2):195-202.

Maternity Blues Syndrome/Postpartum Depression

Efficacy of the kampo medicine xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (kyuki-chouketsu-in), a traditional herbal medicine, in the treatment of maternity blues syndrome in the postpartum period. Am J Chin Med. 2005;33(1):117-26.

Peri and Post Menopausal Symptoms

Comparing the effects of estrogen and an herbal medicine on peripheral blood flow in post-menopausal women with hot flashes: hormone replacement therapy and gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan, a Kampo medicine. Am J Chin Med. 2005;33(2):259-67.

Chai-hu-gui-zhi-gan-jiang-tang regulates plasma interleukin-6 and soluble interleukin-6 receptor concentrations and improves depressed mood in climacteric women with insomnia. Am J Chin Med. 2005;33(5):703-11.

Menopausal hot flash and calciotonin gene-related peptide; effect of Keishi-bukuryo-gan, a kampo medicine, related to plasma calciotonin gene-related peptide level.  Maturitas. 2003 Jul 25;45(3):199-204.

Uterine Myoma Related Anemia

A comparative study of the usefulness of toki-shakuyaku-san and an oral iron preparation in the treatment of hypochromic anemia in cases of uterine myoma. Yakugaku Zasshi. 2003 Sep;123(9):817-24.

Chronic Fatigue

Reduction of perception of chronic fatigue in an observational study of patients receiving 12 weeks of Kampo therapy. J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Oct;11(5):895-901.

Upper GI Conditions (Nausea, Dyspepsia etc.)

Effectiveness of Gorei-san (TJ-17) for treatment of SSRI-induced nausea and dyspepsia: preliminary observations. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2003 May-Jun;26(3):112-4.

The traditional Japanese medicine Rikkunshito increases the plasma level of ghrelin in humans and mice. J Gastroenterol. 2010 Mar;45(3):300-7. Epub 2009 Dec 10.

Impact of rikkunshito, an herbal medicine, on delayed gastric emptying in profoundly handicapped patients. Pediatr Surg Int. 2009 Nov;25(11):987-90.

Lower GI Conditions (Constipation, Diarrhea, IBS etc.)

Effect of daikenchuto (TU-100) on gastrointestinal and colonic transit in humans.  Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2010 Jun;298(6):G970-5. Epub 2010 Apr 8.

Preventive effect of Kampo medicine (Hangeshashin-to) against irinotecan-induced diarrhea in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2003 May;51(5):403-6. Epub 2003 Apr 9.

Hypertension

Improvement of accessory symptoms of hypertension by TSUMURA Orengedokuto Extract, a four herbal drugs containing Kampo-Medicine Granules for ethical use: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Phytomedicine. 2006 Jan;13(1-2):1-10. Epub 2005 Jul 21.

Cholesterol

Effects of Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to in patients with hyperlipidemia. Phytomedicine. 2001 May;8(3):165-73.

Asthma

Treatment of asthma patients with herbal medicine TJ-96: a randomized controlled trial. Respir Med. 2002 Jun;96(6):469-74.

Hepatitis
The efficacy of herbal medicine (kampo) in reducing the adverse effects of IFN-beta in chronic hepatitis C. Am J Chin Med. 2002;30(2-3):355-67.

Skin Conditions

Seijo-bofu-to, Jumi-haidoku-to and Toki-shakuyaku-san suppress rashes and incidental symptoms in acne patients.  Drugs Exp Clin Res. 2002;28(5):193-6.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Traditional herbal medicines (Kampo) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving concomitant methotrexate: a preliminary study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2010 Jan-Feb;16(1):46-51.

Treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer-type dementia with Yokukansan in clinical practice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Apr 16;34(3):541-5. Epub 2010 Feb 23.

Glossodynia (Burning Mouth Syndrome)

Effectiveness of kampo medicine (sai-boku-to) in treatment of patients with glossodynia. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1998 Dec;86(6):682-6.

Secretory Otitis Media

Treatment of secretory otitis media with kampo medicine. Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1988;245(4):234-6.

Blood Stasis

Comparative efficacy of Keishi-bukuryo-gan and pentoxifylline on RBC deformability in patients with "oketsu" syndrome. Phytomedicine. 2003;10(6-7):459-66.