The authors investigated the activity of Kikyo-to on the intestinal hormones, cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin, released in healthy humans. The clinical efficacy of Kikyo-to on the abdominal symptoms associated with chronic pancreatitis was also investigated. In healthy volunteers, Kikyo-to (5g) significantly increased plasma CCK and secretin concentrations 30 minutes after treatment. In chronic pancreatitis patients, abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, nausea and diarrhea were decreased by treatment with Kikyo-to (7.5g/day; divided into three doses). In conclusion, Kikyo-to improved the complaints of chronic pancreatitis, especially abdominal pain. The presumed mechanism was that Kikyo-to stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion by the release of intestinal hormones, CCK and secretin.

Operations were performed 3 times on ventricular septal perforation after acute myocardial infarction which exhibited cardiogenic shock, and the patient's life was saved successfully. The case was a female aged 64. Ventricular septal perforation developed in 6 hours after onset of acute myocardial infarction, and an emergency operation was performed because the patient exhibited cardiogenic shock. Intraventricular re-shunt was observed on the postoperative 5th day, and second operation was performed on the postoperative 7th day because a trend of cardiac insufficiency was intensified. Intraventricular re-shunt was observed again on the 5th day of the second operation, but third operation with a principle that further operation is to be performed awaiting regeneration of the tissue on the perforated margin to occur since the circulatory kinetics were seen to have been stabilized. The postoperative course was favorable, and the patient was discharged on 53 rd day of the third operation with the symptom alleviated. It was considered that our policy is to have to repeat operation when the patient's movement of circulation deteriorate at re-shunt from our experience of this time.