We report two cases of unexplained thoracodorsal pain, which were successfully treated with the Kampo formulations karogaihakuhakushuto and karogaihakuhangeto. In case 1, the patient was a 67-year-old man. Left thoracodorsal pain appeared in this patient two months after the administration of chemotherapy for transverse colon cancer with hepatic metastasis. Bone metastasis was ruled out by bone scintigraphy, but the cause of the pain was still unknown. The Kampo formulation karogaihakuhakushuto was prescribed and the pain was reduced after two weeks, and disappeared within three months. In case 2, the patient was a 40-year-old man. Right thoracodorsal pain appeared in the right hypochondriac region without an apparent cause. Examinations, such as computed tomography and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were conducted, but the cause of the pain remained undiagnosed. The pain was not improved with pain killers, karogaihakuhakushuto was prescribed, and the pain was then reduced in about a month. The authors considered thoracodorsalpain as already described in the great classic Kinkiyoryaku (Chin Keiu Yao Lueh). We then prescribed karogaihakuhakushuto and karogaihakuhangeto, which resulted in immediate clinical improvement. These clinical courses indicate that the formulae can be effective for the treatment of thoracodorsal pain of unknown origin. Furthermore, the effect of herbal medicines and herbal decoctions boiled with rice wine may make it possible to have a more imminent effect on thoracodorsal pain.

The patient was a 45-year-old woman who began suffering from pain in her extremities 1 year and 6 months previously, and who received Oketsu-reducing Kampo. Her pain disappeared in a year. Six months after her treatment ended, she visited our hospital again complaining of the same symptom. Due to strong signs of Oketsu, we prescribed her a Kampo that reduces Oketsu, but her pain largely persisted. On re-examination, we noticed that her condition had occurred during the rainy season on both instances and speculated that high humidity and strong ‘wind' may be the reason. Therefore, Byakujutsubushito was prescribed for her, and her pain disappeared in 2 weeks. However, in the following rainy season, she visited us again complaining of the same pain, and Byakujutsubushito was again administered, and that relieved her from pain in 11 days. Although it is stated that Byakujutsubushito is useful for the treatment of pain resulting from dampness and ‘wind', there are very a few reports on this in the Kinkiyoryaku text. Nowadays, we live in air-conditioned spaces, and high humidity results in ‘cool wind’ and exterior dampness. Frequent movement in and out of such spaces worsens extremity pain, and we believe that the incidence of this condition is increasing. And we believe that Byakujutsubushito is one of the most useful formulations for the treatment of this condition that occurs during rainy season.

Extract of Lentinula edodes mycelia (LEM) reportedly maintains and improves the quality of life (QOL) of patients with cancer who undergo chemotherapy. We investigated the influence of LEM extract on the QOL of 73 Japanese patients with different backgrounds and stages of cancer who were undergoing various types of therapy at 16 institutions. All patients were orally administered with LEM (1200 mg/day) for four weeks. We compared changes in their QOL before and after taking LEM using the EORTC-QLQ-C30. The QOL scores for emotional function and fatigue were significantly improved after LEM intake. Global QOL and physical function scores improved only in patients with cancer at stages III and IV. These findings suggest that oral LEM intake improves the QOL of patients with advanced cancer.

【Objective】

To investigate the role of the back and foot muscles during lateral weight-shifting in the standing position by examining the corresponding muscle activity patterns associated with a postural change.

【Methods】

The subjects were 24 healthy men (age 24.3 ± 2.6 [mean ± SD] years). The following parameters were recorded : center of pressure (COP) ; surface electromyograms of the multifidus, iliocostalis, longissimus (bilateral), peroneus, and foot supinator (on the moving side) muscles ; and video imaging during lateral weight-shifting after 2 seconds in the standing position.

【Results】

Horizontal movement of the pelvis resulted in elevation of the non-moving side from the middle of the COP, with moving side displacement. In the lower limbs, lateral weight shifting resulted in an outward tilt due to foot pronation. Activity of the multifidus, iliocostalis, and longissimus muscles on the non-moving side, and the peroneus and foot supinator muscles on the moving side, tended to increase with displacement of the COP on the moving side.

【Conclusion】

The multifidus, iliocostalis, and longissimus muscles were involved in lateral flexion of the thoracolumbar area and elevation of the pelvis on the non-moving side. Simultaneously, the foot supinator and peroneus muscles were involved in pronation of the grounded foot.

Soshikokito is a Kampo formulation used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, especially in those patients with hot flushes and cold sensation in their feet. But there is also a description in classical textbooks for its usage for the treatment of tinnitus. We report two typical cases of prolonged tinnitus treated successfully with soshikokito. Case1was a 70-year-old woman who visited our clinic complaining of tinnitus, dizziness and insomnia. She had a history of bilateral otitis media in her childhood, and had been suffering from tinnitus after being operated for it. The tinnitus had worsened during the three months prior to her first visit to us. After 3 months' treatment with soshikokito with additional shisoyo, her symptoms improved, so much so that after 8 months, she could live her life normally. Case 2 was a 58-year-old man who presented with tinnitus, hearing disturbance and a sense of irritation. He also complained of insomnia and cold sensation in his limbs. After1month's treatment with soshikokito with additional shisoyo and bushi, most all of his symptoms resolved. In addition, we also evaluated the clinical efficacy of soshikokito for prolonged tinnitus, retrospectively, and found that it was effective in five out of the ten cases we treated with this formulation. Most of the successfully treated patients presented with hot flushes or cold sensation in their feet. These case reports suggest that soshikokito may be a useful formulation for the treatment of not only bronchial asthma, but also of prolonged tinnitus.
Tinnitus ; therapeutic aspects ; seconds ; month ; Esthesia

We report four cases which were successfully treated with keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto. Case 1 was a 53-year-old female who presented with a 15-year history of fatigue, headache and shoulder stiffness. After 1 month's treatment with keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto, her complaints improved remarkably. Case 2 was a 29-year-old female who was suffering from allergic rhinitis. After 6 month's treatment with keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto, her symptoms completely resolved. Case 3 was a 37-year-old female who was diagnosed with Meniere's disease. Some formulas had been prescribed before, but provided no relief. After the start of treatment with keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto, however, the patient's symptoms resolved completely within 2 weeks. Case 4 was a 50-year-old female who presented with tension headache. After 2 week's treatment with keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto, her headache had almost completely resolved. Most of the cases presented with slight epigastric tenderness and superficial-like symptoms such as headache and shoulder stiffness. Many of them also showed symptoms suggestive of fluid imbalances in the body, such as dizziness, rhinorrhea and teeth marks on both sides of the tongue. Keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto is a useful formula for patients with superficial-like symptoms accompanied by disorders of the body fluid homeostasis.
symptoms <1> ; seconds ; therapeutic aspects ; Female ; Headache

The purpose of this clinical investigation is to analyse the growth of the ventricular volumes and the changes of indices of cardiac performance during infancy and childhood. The materials were composed of 129 healthy infants and children (4 months to 13 years of age), who had a history of Kawasaki disease and without any evidence of coronary artery lesion. All the cases underwent cardiac catheterization and cineangiography under sedation. Volumes of the left and right ventricles were calculated by integration methods in tow frames for end-diastole and end-systole from biplane cineangiograms. Left ventricular mass was calculated in 120 infants and children by Rackley's method.
All the volumes and masses were deviled by body surface area in order to normalize the crude values for infants and children of different size. The mean values of left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and stroke index (SI) for each age were less in the younger children than those in the older children, and abrupt stepwise increase was observed at 1 year, 6 years and 10-11 years of age in the values of LVEDVI, RVEDVI and SI.
The infants and chidren were divided into four groups according to age (under 1 year, 1 to 5 years, 6 to 10 years and more than 11 years) . The values of LVEDVI, RVEDVI, SI and LVmass index were less in the younger age groups than those in the older age groups, and the difference of each age groups was statistically significant. The value of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was less in the youngest group (under 1 year) than those in the another groups (p<0.01) . The value for right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was not significantly different in the age groups. End-systolic pressure-volume ratio was normalized with left ventricular mass (LVESP/ (LVESV/LVmass) ) . This normalized ratio was the lowest in the youngest group (under 1 year) and the highest in the oldest group (more than 11 years) .
As mentioned before, abrupt stepwise increase was observed in the“normal”values of LVEDVI, RVEDVI and SI in infancts and children. The explanation of this fact may be difficult at present. By the evidence of the normalized end-systolic pressure-volume ratio, it can be said that the contractility of the left ventricle in“healthy”infants and children was increased according to age. The reason why the value of LVEF was less in the youngest group than those in the another groups can be attributed to the lower contrac-tility in the youngest group. A possible factor that the value of RVEF was not significantly different between the youngest group and the another groups is; because the right ventricle works under higher pressure during fetal and neonatal period, then the right ventricular performance developed already in infancy.

Although introduced to Japan as a health food, Huaier granule emerged with abundant evidence, both from fundamental and clinical researches, and is being prescribed clinically in China, since it was originally developed as a new pharmaceutical. Huaier granule has a wide range of application and this review narrow down to the effects of it to hepatocellular carcinoma, the most reported one.

Objectives: To study the effect of astaxanthin contained drink to skin conditionMethod: The study was conducted to the Japanese females between age over thirty to less than fifty , who had weakening of skin (including aging, sag and dry skin) and skin dullness. In order to conduct the objective evaluation, the comparison between the groups by the double-blind test was taken. Twenty of subjects were randomly allocated to the intake group of astaxanthin contained drink (astaxanthin 3mg contained) and the placebo group. After eight weeks intake of the drink, each group was evaluated with skin water contents, transepidermal water loss, skin elasticity, VISIA and skin texture etc.Result: In between the groups, the intake group of astaxanthin contained drink was greatly excellent in the categories of skin moisture, transepidermal water loss, skin elasticity , erythema dose and skin texture.Conclusion:Astaxanthin has protecting effect of skin barrier and is considered to increase the water retention capability to reduce skin dryness. Astaxanthin is also effective to erythema dose, skin elasticity and skin texture.　As no adverse events resulting from the test drink was seen, such food containing astaxanthin is considered as a safe and useful health functional food material to skin.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of lactic fermenting beverage ANP71 on defecation, blood pressure, immune function, constitution of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and safety.Methods: An open Clinical study was conducted on 15 healthy adults (female 11, male 4). ANP71 150ml per day was administrated for 4 weeks. At week 0, 1 and 4, blood samples were collected. blood pressure, immune function and constitutionwere measured.Results:① Defecation amount and exhilarating feeling increased. Abdominal feeling of fullness decreased.② Decrease of blood pressure was observed. ③ The change of parameters of blood biochemistry was in normal range. ④ Humoral immunity was predominant(Th1/Th2 decreased). ⑤ In constitution of TCM, Gentleness type, Yang-deficiency type, Yin-deficiency type, Phlegm-wetness type, wet-heat type and Qi-depression type were improved. ⑥ No significant adverse events were observed.Conclusion: Lactic fermenting beverage ANP71 appears to have benefits in improving defecation and constitutional problems. Various other biological effects of ANP71 were also observed.