Thirty-one outpatients with acute low back pain were all educated about activities of daily living. They also received spinal manipulation and SSP (TENS), and took NSAID for a certain period of time. Half of them were additionally exposed an electric field using HEAL THTRON, an electric field therapeutic decice, in order to analyze its efficacy.
The patients were randomly divided (non-blind test) into two groups. Those who received ordinary treatment were called the Non-HEALTHTRON group (NH-group); those who received HEALTHTRON treatment in addition to ordinary treatment were called the HEALTHTRON Treatment group (H-group). During the 15-day study period, the patients were subjected to a total of four electric field exposures using HEALTHTRON. Efficacy of the treatment was measured as an objective evaluation by measuring range of motion (ROM) using an inclinometer, and Peak torque and Total work using a dynamometer. A subjective evaluation was performed using the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, ADL pain questionnaire, Visual analog scale for Patient global assessment, VAS (Patient) and Visual analog scale for Physician global assessment, VAS (Physician). After ordinary treatment, significant improvement was found in all 31 patients with acute low back pain. The VAS (Physician), ADL pain questionnaire and ROM were more significantly improved in the H-group than in the NH-group.

Wistar rats (30 days after birth) were trained by treadmill running for fifteen weeks. The training program consisted of endurance running at a speed of 30 meters per minute, for 30 minutes a day, and 5 days a week. After the training, fiber composition and fiber area of thier leg muscles were histochemically studied.
Samples of the soleus, EDL, and plantaris muscles were stained with succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and myosin ATPase, and the muscle fibers were classified into the three types : fast-twitch glycolytic (FG), fast-twitch oxydative glycolytic (FOG), and slow-twitch oxydative (SO) .
The body and muscle weights of the rats in the training group were larger than those of the control group, but the difference was not significant.
After the training, the ratio among the numbers of three fiber types showed no difference between the training and control groups. Also, the average cross-sectional areas of the FG fibers showed no difference between the training and control groups ; however, those of the FOG and SO fibers were 8-11% larger in the training group than in the control group.
These results obtained in the present experiments indicated that the trained rats increased in their fatigue resistivity through the training.

The effect of the extracts of herb drugs in hydrotherapy was studied by recording skin surface temperature, intramuscular temperature, finger tip pletysmography and impedance pletysmography which were measured before taking the testee into the Hubbart tank containing 0.003% of B. H at 40°C for 10 minutes and at proper period until 2 hours after finishin the hydrotherapy.
The control study was done in simple water-bath in the same method.
30 testee were used for the test.
Results were as follows:
1. Skin surface temperature of B. H group showed 0.6-1.1°C higher than that of the control until 2 hours demonstrating significant difference.
2. Intramuscular temperature of B. H group showed 0.4-0.8°C higher than that of the control until 1 hour demonstrating significant difference. The difference in temperature however after 2 hours was not sifnificant.
3. The wave height of finger tip pletymography of B. H group was higher in significant difference, and presented 61% higher peak than the control at 50 minutes later.
4. IPG means blood flow of lower extremity, and then the wave peak height of B. H group showed significant difference against the control, especially the difference was the largest at 60 minute later.
We may conclude that the extracts of herb drugs in hydrotherapy played a role to promote blood circulation, suppress pain, relax the muscular tone, depress itching, make feel at home, keep the skin moisture and wash off the dirt well.

The number and the nature of reported side effects caused by over-the-counter Kampo formulations (OKF), as well as their changes over 10 years (fiscal years 2005 through 2014), were investigated using the data published on the website of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The total number of side effects reports regarding OKF was 367 during the period, including 151 reports of liver dysfunction, 54 reports of drug eruption/hypersensitivity, and 51 reports of lung injury. Annual incidence of reported side effects increased nearly threefold over the period, from 16 in 2005 to 43 in 2014. Bofutsushosan was involved in 110 cases, kakkonto in 45 cases, hachimijiogan in 15 cases, and daisaikoto in 14 cases. The number of side effects due to bofutsushosan and kakkonto showed an increasing trend during the period from 2005 to 2014. Bofutsushosan was associated with 65 cases of liver dysfunction and 23 cases of lung injury. Kakkonto was associated with 21 cases of drug eruption/hypersensitivity. Under the current circumstances, severe side effects requiring medical treatments such as liver dysfunction and lung injury are showing a tendency to increase. To improve safety, we recommend tighter control over the sale of OKF, especially bofutsushosan and kakkonto,which accounted for nearly half of all reported side effects.