Yokukansan (TJ-54) for treatment of very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis: an open-label study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Although schizophrenia affects all age groups, late or very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis has not been well studied, and various treatment issues remain unresolved. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of yokukansan (TJ-54), Japanese herbal medicine, monotherapy in a diagnostically homogenous group of elderly patients without cognitive impairment suffering from very-late-onset schizophrenia.

METHODS:

Forty patients of mean age 73.1±4.8 years, fulfilling both the recent consensus criteria for very late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis and the DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia, were assessed by the brief psychiatric rating scale, the clinical global impression scale-severity, and positive and negative syndrome scale at baseline and after 4 weeks administration of TJ-54 (2.5-7.5 g/day). In addition, abnormal movements were evaluated with the Simpson-Angus scale, Barnes Akathisia scale, and abnormal involuntary movement scale.

RESULTS:

A highly significant (p<0.001) improvement on all measures of psychotic symptomatology was observed in all patients. TJ-54 was very well tolerated by the patients, and no clinically significant adverse effects were observed. Scores on all abnormal movement scales did not differ significantly prior to and after TJ-54 treatment.

CONCLUSION:

Preliminary results indicate that TJ-54 appears to be an efficacious and safe herbal medicine for treatment of very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis.

• Authors: Tsuyoshi Miyaoka, Rei Wake, Motohide Furuya, Kristian Liaury, Masa Ieda, Kazunori Kawakami, Keiko Tsuchie, Michiyo Fukushima, Kotomi Ishihara, Tomoko Araki, Sadayuki Hashioka, Jun Horiguchi
• Journal: Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (Phytomedicine) Vol. 20 Issue 7 Pg. 654-8 (May 15 2013) ISSN: 1618-095X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 23453830 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antipsychotic Agents
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Plant Preparations
• Yi-Gan San

Topics

• Age of Onset
• Aged
• Antipsychotic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Japan
• Male
• Plant Preparations (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Psychotic Disorders (drug therapy, psychology)
• Schizophrenia (drug therapy, epidemiology, etiology)
• Treatment Outcome