Considerable time has passed since Oriental medicine began to enjoy a revival and draw attention from modern medicine. Here, the author would like to present a simple introduction of some of the people involved in this resurgence of Oriental medicine, particularly Kampo medicine, in the hopes that it will prove useful in the consideration of the appropriate role of Kampo medicine in changing times.

Chinese medical herbs have pharmaceutical actions of multi direction spectrum. By combination of herbs, these actions are increased or decreased. Chinese medical prescriptions are constructed by using this mechanism.
In this paper, we discuss the action of Asarum heterotropoides by using Pattern analysis techniques.
Eight Chinese medical prescriptions containing Asarum heterotropoides are classified into 3 groups, and these groups correspond to traditional pharmacological categories, which are “perspiration”, “expectoration” and “pain killing”.
M-D-SCAL was found to be more adequate in this analysis than quantification of the fourth type.

Chinese medical prescriptions usually have one or more herbs in common, enabling the intra-relation of the prescriptions to be analysed. Computer science provides the methodology with which the analysis of the polypharmacy-structure of the chinese medical presciption can be undertaken, and it is that methodology with which we are concerned in this report.
Data should be collected in following 4 aspects: 1) the subject as doctor, school, country, etc. 2) classical and modern publications. 3) individual herbs contained in the prescriptions. 4) classical and modern concepts of disease.
Such data should then be analysed in either of 2 ways: 1) M-D-SCAL (Kruskal), quantification of the fourth type (Hayashi), when similarities are made. 2) quantification of the third type (Hayashi) for 2-mode data. And graphing of the results will facilitate.
Thanks to the technologic progress, calculations are made by micro computer.

The functional analysis of the “Oketsu syndrome” in liver disease (68 cases) was described, using the Multivariate Analysis, which was the Factor Analysis, Multiple step-wise regressive Analysis and so on. The subjective symptoms and the objective symptoms were divided into six groups of factors using the Factor Analysis and named as follows.
the first axis: signs observed on the surface of the body
the second axis: the degree of glow
the third axis: the degree of tenderness in the lower abdomen
the fourth axis: the tension in the hypochondrium
the fifth axis: signs of portal hypertension
the sixth axis: oral symptoms
The overall scales (the degree of the “Oketsu syndrome, ” the general evaluation and the efficacy) were analyzed using the Multiple step-wise regressive Analysis.
It showed that the degree of the “Oketsu syndrome” correlated to the third axis (signs observed on the surface of the body) in the second place.
The general evaluation also correlated strongly to the third axis. And details of this should be further studied by the laminate analysis.
Up this time, laboratory data were not included in this Multivariate Analysis. From the point of view of the correlation coefficient, the finding from laboratory tests showed no correlation to the third axis. There was a high incidence of correlation between the signs in the first axis and the Hepaplastin Test.
A high correlation between the Phosphatidyl Inositol in the membrane of red cells and the degree of the “Oketsu syndrome” as well as the efficacy should be given attention. We should further study the relation between their cause and effect.

Neuralgia due to tabes dorsalis is refractory to treatment. We report a case which responded to Kagawa-gedoku-zai-kamiho. A 55-year-old female patients started having persistent systemic pain, particularly frequently in both of her lower extremities. It did not improve, and the diagnosis was made as tabes dorsalis at Fukushima Medical College Hospital. After antisyphilitic therapy, she underwent acupuncture and treatment with various drugs for systemic pain. However, the analgesic effect of this treatment gradually diminished, and she was referred to our institute (Department of Kampo Medicine). Based on her medical history and systemic conditions, we prescribed the above formulation. The analgesic effect of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (suppositories) gradually increased. When pain in the legs later became more severe, Bushi and Daio were given in increased doses, which relieved the pain completely and enabled the patient to stop the suppositories. In January, 1993, pain developed again in the arm. The doses of Bushi and Daio were increased, which gradually reduced the pain. Kampo medicine seems to offer promising treatment for syphilis after antisyphilitic therapy.

The general survey for the curricula of traditional medicine (TM) in medical, dental and pharmaceutical courses (Universities and Colleges) has been carried out in Japan.
In this survey, TM in medical specialist education has come to focus on the following items;
1) Execution of TM educational issues
2) Prospect of education
3) Courses should be introduced from now
As a result: more than half of the Universities which does not introduce TM state reason for shortning of School hours and lack of the teaching staff. The total percentage of Universities which already introduced or intended to introduced TM soon exceed 37%. In medical and dental courses, TM will be introduced in clinical medicine as well as an optional subject. On the other hand, TM will be introduced as a postgraduate curriculum and optional subject in pharmaceutical courses.

The general survey for the curricula of traditional medicine (TM) in medical, dental and pharmaceutical courses (Universities and Colleges) has been carried out in Japan.
In this survey, TM in medical specialist education has come to focus on the following items;
1) A status of the introduction of TM in the curricula of medical, dental and pharmaceutical courses respectively
2) A comparision of the above status between public and private courses
3) Contents of the curricula of traditional medicine
4) An analysis of education system and contents in the medical specialist education
It was shown that TM education has been introduced 26% of the universities and the rate of introduction was higher in private universities than that of public.
Other statistical results of the survey are presented in this report.

Continuous subcutaneous injections of medication are effective in controlling symptoms of the terminal stage of cancer. Chlorpromazine and levomepromazine occasionally cause skin irritation. We examined all patients who underwent continuous subcutaneous administration of psychotropic drugs (chlorpromazine, levomepromazine, midazolam) at the palliative care unit of our hospital from April 2010 to March 2013, the frequency of adverse skin reactions of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0 grade 3 or above. Of the 603 hospitalized patients, 389 (64.5%) underwent continuous subcutaneous administration of one of the three drugs. The frequency of grade 3 or above (ulceration or necrosis) adverse skin reactions was 4 out of 345 chlorpromazine cases (1.2%; 95% CI: 0.0-2.3%), 2 out of 90 levomepromazine cases (2.2%; 95% CI: −0.8-5.2%), and 0 out of 210 midazolam cases (0.0%; 95% CI: 0.0-0.0%). The frequency of serious adverse skin reactions caused by continuous subcutaneous administration of psychotropic drugs was low, suggesting that this treatment is relatively safe for the skin.