Efficacy of Rikkunshito, a traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo), in treating functional dyspepsia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Rikkunshito, a traditional Japanese (Kampo) medicine, is widely prescribed as an oral preparation for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD). In our previous study, we reported that extracorporeal ultrasonography (US) is a useful technique for the assessment of the gastric accommodation reflex (AR) and duodenogastric motility. In this study, we examined the effects of Rikkunshito on the gastroduodenal function in patients with FD.

METHODS:

Sixteen FD patients (median age, 45 y) underwent US, before and after 14 days of treatment with Rikkunshito (7.5 g b.d.). For assessment of the AR, a cross-sectional area of the proximal stomach was measured after incremental ingestion of a liquid meal up to 400-mL. The expansion rate was used as the parameter to determine the AR. Then, the gastric emptying rate (GER), motility index (MI), and reflux index (RI) were evaluated using previously reported methods.

RESULTS:

Although no significant changes were observed in the total score of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), the scores of 3 of the 15 symptoms of GSRS decreased significantly after treatment with Rikkunshito. The expansion rate of the proximal stomach was significantly greater after treatment with Rikkunshito than before the treatment. Although the GER and MI increased significantly, no significant differences in the RI were observed after treatment with Rikkunshito.

CONCLUSION:

These observations suggested that Rikkunshito may be beneficial for the treatment of FD patients with impaired AR and gastric motility. These results also suggested that Rikkunshito has a therapeutic potential for FD and GERD.

• Authors: Hiroaki Kusunoki, Ken Haruma, Jiro Hata, Manabu Ishii, Tomoari Kamada, Naohito Yamashita, Keisuke Honda, Kazuhiko Inoue, Hiroshi Imamura, Noriaki Manabe, Akiko Shiotani, Tsukasa Tsunoda
• Journal: Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) (Intern Med) Vol. 49 Issue 20 Pg. 2195-202 ( 2010) ISSN: 1349-7235 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 20962437 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• liu-jun-zi-tang

Topics

• Abdominal Pain (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, etiology)
• Adult
• Aged
• Cardia (diagnostic imaging, drug effects, physiopathology)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Dyspepsia (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Female
• Gastric Emptying (drug effects)
• Gastroesophageal Reflux (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Gastrointestinal Motility (drug effects)
• Gastroparesis (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Male
• Medicine, Kampo
• Middle Aged
• Organ Size (drug effects)
• Phytotherapy
• Postprandial Period
• Reflex, Abnormal (drug effects)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color