We examined three cases where Kampo medicine had effects on palindromic rheumatism. All the patients are men with arthralgia accompanied by redness, fever, and swelling. All cases are RF negative. Cases 2 and 3 are brothers. Case 1: A 58-year-old patient with recurrent arthralgia on shoulders, hands, and legs for 30 years. Eppi-ka-jutsu-to was administrated for arthralgia. When discomfort of the hypochondrium (Kyokyokuman) was noted, the administration of Sho-Saiko-to reduced the symptom.
Case 2: A 40-year-old patient with recurrent arthralgia on shoulders, hands and legs for nine years. Eppi-ka-jutsu-to was administrated for arthralgia. When discomfort of the hypochondrium (Kyokyokuman) and contraction of the abdominal muscles (Fukuhikokyu) was noted, the administration of Eppi-ka-jutsu-to-go-Shigyaku-san-ryo was replaced, which reduced the symptoms.
Case 3: A 46-year-old patient with recurrent arthralgia on knees and fingers, and pain in hip joints. Eppi-ka-jutsu-to was administrated for arthralgia. When discomfort of the hypochondrium (Kyokyokuman) and contraction of the abdominal muscles (Fukuhikokyu) were noted, the administration of Shigyaku-san reduced the symptoms.
All cases were typical palindromic rheumatism, and Eppi-ka-jutsu-to was effective to a certain degree. Kampo diagnosis of Saiko (Saiko-sho) was made and additional Saiko-drugs (Saiko-zai) reduced the frequency, the degree, and the length of the period of symptoms.

In order to relieve the pain accompanying colonoscopy, we gave patients “Tsumura Shakuyaku-kanzo-to extract” 5.0g 30 minutes before their examination, and investigated its effect.
We were unable to find a statistical difference in the increase in systolic blood pressure and heart rate during the examination between the group prescribed Shakuyaku-kanzo-to (n=18) and the control group (n=20). However, the mean for visual pain score, by which we estimated the pain, was 4.89±0.42 in the group prescribed Shakuyaku-kanzo-to and 6.20±0.34 in the control group. This difference was statistically significant.
These results suggest that Shakuyaku-kanzo-to is effective as a premedication for relieving the pain accompanying colonoscopy. From the literature, we assume that this is caused mainly by the sedative effect resulting from suppression of the nerve center.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is an autoimmune disease and is caused by a blood antiplatelet antibody that reacts to thrombocyte membrane. The platelet associated immunoglobulin G (PAIgG) is admitted in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Adrenocortical steroids are our first choice as a treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
However, a sufficient thrombocyte increase is not obtained even when adrenocortical steroids are administered to the idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura patient.
On the other hand, we use Kampo medicine widely clinically. We are admitting the effectiveness of Kampo medicine in treating many refractory diseases. Even if it corresponds to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura that is one of a chronic refractory disease effective Kampo medicine is reorted several Kampo pharmaceutical preparations that are assumed when it is effective in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura are Sairei-to, Sho-saiko-to, Kami-kihi-to, etc.
This time we carried out Kampo therapy (Rikkunshi-to, Shimatsu-to) on patients with digestive and cutaneous problems but no other symptoms of hemopathy. A blood specialist at this university hospital tentatively diagnosed the patients' condition as thrombocytopenic purpura. Kampo therapy increased the thrombocyte count and alleviated the symptoms.
This result might suggest the possibility of a therapy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and even the importance of the therapy in accordance with the oriental medical syndromes.

A 82-year-old patient with congestive heart failure visited our hospital complaining of dyspnea and orthopnea. Initially, treatment was given based on the western medicine. She responded very well to a diuretic, with her congestive heart failure improving in a relatively short period of time. However, she could not adhere to the restriction of water intake she was supposed to follow was hospitalized repeatedly. While she was in hospital, just rest and water restriction alone improved dyspnea. Although she was discharged from hospital and was given increased doses of a diuretic and a vasodilator, congestive heart failure recurred. Since there was moderate discomfort of the hypochondrium and disturbance of the body's fluid metabolism, we added Sairei-to to her treatment. Six weeks later, the discomfort of the hypochondrium cleared. Her appetite started to improve and she had less severe dryness of the mouth. she was therefore gradually able to follow the water restriction and has not had recurrence of heart failure since then. Although Moku-boi-to is frequently used in the treatment of heart failure, it is assumed that a formulation with a diuretic action such as Gorei-san was effective because heart failure represents a disturbance of the body's fluid metabolism.

The term “half exterior half interior” is not found in the Oriental Medical Classic, the ‘Shang Han Lun’. Rather, the phrase “half outside and half inside” appears. It was Cheng Wu Ji that first used the term “half exterior half interior” in the phrase “Those in whom the disease-causing agent is half in the exterior and half in the interior are considered to be of the fever manifestation-type” appearing in his ‘Shang Han Ming Li Lun’. In the ‘Zhu Jie Shang Han Lun’ which Cheng Wu Ji wrote shortly afterwards, he explains that the phrase “half outside and half inside” found in the ‘Shang Han Lun’ means half exterior and half interior. Since this commentary on the ‘Shang Han Lun’ was more frequently published and more widely circulated than the original text, it is thought to be this explanation that accounts for the popularization of the term “half exterior half interior”.

We sent out questionnaires to out-patients that were receiving treatment at our Kampo clinic to determine their level of awareness concerning Kampo medicine.
The patients were particularly concerned about side effects, and the most frequent reason given for choosing Kampo was that it had few side effects. Although most felt that there were almost no side effects associated with Kampo, there were some that thought Kampo had absolutely no side effects, or that it could cause serious side effects. These responses indicate the need to explain any potential side effects fully to patients. Also among the responses were criticisms of Western medicine, people who reported that Western medicine had not helped them and those that felt they could not rely on Western medicine.
The expectations in Kampo for disease treatment were high, and the effectivectiveness of treatment was also highly rated. Moreover, there were expectations in other aspects of Kampo medicine that cannot be found in Western medicine, such as improvement of the constitution, health maintenance, disease prevention and increased stamina. The responses indicated that patients seeking treatment by Kampo were not satisfied with Western medicine, and were looking for a treatment method they could rely on in Kampo medicine.

We reported that a patient with ascites arising from liver cirrhosis was successfully treated with Dai-kentyu-to. The case was a 67-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having C-type chronic hepatitis. After the operation of gastric cancer, ascites appeared. She was treated by diureatics, but ascites increased. When she was operated on for an abdominal hernia, the liver was cirrhotic. She lost appetite and was fatigued. She visited our clinic to undergo Kampo therapy. Hochu-ekki-to, Gorei-san, Sho-kenchu-to were given for her symptoms, but had no effects. However, since she began taking Dai-kenchu-to for her cold and rumbling abdomen, her ascites decreased gradually, and diuretics were stopped.

The purpose of this study was to assess the status of nutrients intake in male Japanese collegiate athletes. Each 20 of baseball (B), soccer (S), volley ball (V), and long distance (L) athletes participated in this study. The B, S, and V athletes lived by themselves, whereas the L athletes lived in an athletes dormitory with provided meal. The nutritional status was assessed for 2 days. Mean energy intakes in the B, S, V, and L groups were 43.6, 53.7, 47.0, and 55.0 kcal/kg body weight, respectively. Mean protein intakes were 1.2, 1.6, 1.3 and 2.4 g/kg, respectively. In B athletes, skipping of breakfast was recognized frequently. Most of micronutrients intakes in the B, S, and V groups were less than the recommended dietary allowances for athletes. We suggest that a provided meal system is a better system for collegiate athletes and more nutritional education is necessary for Japanese male collegiate athletes, in particular, those living by themselves.

Medical education in Japan has centered upon Western medicine since the Meiji Era. Nevertheless, because patients have a great interest in Oriental medicine, many physicians have treated patients with traditional Chinese medicine. The Oriental Medicine Research Institute of Tokyo Women's Medical University opened in 1992, when education in Oriental medicine became a part of the curriculum. To understand the status of education in Oriental medicine in Japan, we conducted a questionnaire survey of all medical schools in the nation. With a response rate of 97.5%, the survey found that one university in four teaches Oriental medicine.
Since 1990, recognition of “alternative medicine, ” in contrast to “modern medicine, ” has gradually increased in both research and education around the world. In Germany, which was the model for the introduction of western medicine to Japan, the use of traditional herbs and spa treatment is already taught in medical school. In the United States, where the National Institutes of Health have established an alternative treatment clinic, research and education are already ongoing at many medical schools.
In such a global situation, the need for education in traditional Oriental medicine will increase, and systematizing such education may become a great challenge. We expect that Oriental medicine will one day be taught at all medical schools in Japan and will become part of the state medical examination.

Background: Sarcopenia negatively affects the short-term prognosis of hospitalized older adults. However, no evidence currently supports a direct relationship between sarcopenia and readmission among individuals who have experienced an acute stroke. Therefore, we investigated whether sarcopenia is associated with readmission after discharge. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients who had experienced acute stroke. Sarcopenia was defined as the coexistence of low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and grip strength. We applied the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to analyze whether sarcopenia, low SMI, and low grip strength were associated with readmission within 6 months. Results: Among 228 included patients (mean age, 72.8 years; 146 males), the prevalence of sarcopenia was 24.6% (n=56; male 17.8%; female 36.6%). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis using the propensity score as a covariate revealed that sarcopenia (hazard ratio [HR]=7.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45–35.8; p=0.016) and low skeletal muscle mass (HR=7.40; 95% CI 1.14–48.1; p=0.036), but not low grip strength (HR=1.42; 95% CI 0.281–7.21; p=0.670), were significantly associated with readmission for stroke within 6 months. Conclusions Sarcopenia was negatively associated with readmission within 6 months of stroke onset in patients in Japan who had experienced an acute stroke. These findings suggest that the identification of sarcopenia may facilitate prognostic prediction from the acute stage and intervention(s) to prevent rehospitalization.