Kampo Medicine  2011;62(6):727-735

doi:10.3937/kampomed.62.727

Fourteen Cases of Appetite Loss Treated with Shoyogan

Ryo FUKATANI ; Masataka SUGAO ; Kengo SHIMAZU ; Takeharu CHIJIWA ; Haruhiko AOYAGI ; Tomoaki OZAWA ; Yutaka SHIMADA ; Takashi ITOH

Keywords

appetite; lung cancer; shoyogan; QOL

Country

Japan

Language

Japanese

Abstract

Shoyogan is a Kampo prescription described in the Junqui Yaolue. Few cases have been reported using this medicine. This time, we prescribed shoyogan for 14 patients who suffered from severe appetite loss. We had positive outcomes as follows. We administered shoyogan to 8 patients with malignant disease. Six of them suffered from lung cancer. Shoyogan was effective in these patients. Shoyogan was not effective for the other 2 patients, with bile duct carcinoma and malignant lymphoma. The dietary intake was increased from 28 percent of meals supplied to 79 percent in the appetite-improved group. We also administered shoyogan to 6 patients with nonmalignant disease. It was effective for 3 patients: 1 with congestive heart failure and 2 with great trochanteric fractures of the femur. It was not effective for the other 3 patients, who suffered from anorexia, pneumonia and depression associated with diabetes mellitus. Shoyogan seems to be effective for patients with terminal lung cancer and maintains their quality of life.