The loss of essential oil during infusing Anchu-san was examined. After six minutes boiling, 22.7% of oil passed into the decoction and only 7.8% of oil remained when infused till half volume.
The contents of essential oil in diverse preparations of Anchu-san on the market were also compared to find that all of the medicines contained far less oil than decoction.
Then, simultaneous analysis of essential oils in Cinnamomi Cortex, Foeniculi Fructus and Amomi Semen, which constitute Anchu-san, by using high-performance liquid chromatography was investigated. The constituents of oils, cinnamaldehyde, D-camphor, borneol, linalool,
anethole and bornyl acetate, were separated by using μ-Bondapak C13 as column and water: methanol (40: 60) as eluate. From the patterns of chromatograms of the decoction and several preparations, some new informations were provided.

The decocted extract of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, for which prolonged boiling is presumed to reduce its activities, was extracted with n-hexane-chloroform (5: 1) and methanol consecutively. The patterns of each organic solvent extract were analysed with thinlayer chromatography (TLC) by several solvent systems using the Dual-wavelength TLC Scanner. No clear difference in the patterns was evident in any of the 10-120 min decocted extracts.
The comparison of patterns of the chromatograms however revealed some new informations.

Weights of extracts, ultra violet absorption spectrum, thin-layer chromatography and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum were used for discrimination of occurrence of reaction between constituents of a pair of crude drugs during decoction.
Distinction in the examination heads above mentioned between individual decoction and simultaneous decoction were investigated. A few of pairs were found to have some changes and these observations indicated possibility of the reactions of constituents in the crude drugs.

The changes of contents of dehydrocostuslactone (I) and costunolide (II) in the extract of Saussureae Radix were investigated during decoction. The contents of I and II in infused solution were reached to maximum after about 10min of the decoction, respectively. However, when the decoction was continued until the volume becomes to half, the contents of I and II in the solution decreased significantly compared to maximum content in the decoction. The content of II also decreased rapidly during the reflux in water. These results indicated that these small availabilities cause not only by volatilization but also by decomposition.

The adequacy of the Maoto decoction procedure described in the Shokan-ron text was investigated using the inhibitory activity of blended Ephedra herb on amylase enzyme. This enzyme is closely related to stress, and used clinically as an indicator of stress in humans.α-amylase in isolated mouse plasma was used in the experiment, and the enzymatic activity was measured according to the Caraway method. Two different decoction methods: the general process used today, and that described in the Shokan-ron (Ephedra herb alone is firstly infused, then another 3 crude drugs are added and it is further infused), were compared for yield of the extracts, inhibitory actions of the extracts, their crude polysaccharide fraction (one of the active components), and remaining fractions contained within each extract. The inhibitory activity of the extract was clearly promoted by the latter, ancient decoction method, compared with the former. Hence, the decoction method described in the Shokan-ron is presumed to have the aim of reducing stress to the body caused by Maoto itself, and mitigating the side effects of its component Ephedra herb. This biologically qualitative approach, reflected over the entire decoction process, is different from the simply physicochemically analytical approach which concerns itself merely with particular constituents, such as alkaloids. So, it may be beneficial to scientifically elucidate the significance of this decoction and its ingestion methods, as described by the ancient Shokan-ron and Kinki-yoryaku texts.
Ephedra ; Procedures ; Stress ; Endurance of activity ; Investigations

In this report, we describe the cases recovering from oral candidosis by treatment with oral ointment containing antifungal naphthoquinone derivatives. The patients bearing persistent colonization with Candida genera were treated with our domestic oral ointment, three times a day for two weeks or for one month. During the observation period, the oral candidosis was gradually vanished at 3 days after the treatment and disappeared completely at the end of the period. This ointment contains naphthoquinone derivatives, which are constituents of Shikon (root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon), having been investigated against several fungal pathogens. When the biological activity of these compounds was tested against fungi, a wide range of sensitivity was recorded. With the determination of these naphthoquinones by HPLC, this ointment contains about 10 to 100-folds of each effective concentration.
This observation demonstrates that the oral ointment containing some antifungal naphthoquinone derivatives would useful for the patients bearing serious oral candidosis.

We visited Mongolia in the summer of 1999 and again in the summer of 2000, and investigated the traditional and natural medicines of this country. Mongolian traditional medicine is classified into seven categories, namely, massage, acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary cures, aromatherapy, phlebotomy and sutra recitation. Herbal medicines, as well as acupuncture and massage, are the principal remedies. These remedies are based on Tibetan traditional medicine, which is derived from Indian traditional medicine. In both rural and urban areas, the Mongolian people use many herbs and herbal prescriptions to prevent and cure acute or chronic diseases. Important herbal plant sources, such as the Ephedra and Glycyrrhiza species, are abundant. Since the abandonment of socialism, traditional medicine has made a rapid comeback and is now a popular and important remedy in Mongolia.