The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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    Archive for the 'Kampo' Category

    Controlling fever with maoto suppositories

    Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

    The Kampo medicine called maoto consists of ephedra, apricot kernel (Prunus armeniaca, Rosaceae), cinnamon, and licorice.

    Researchers from Shimane University Hospital, in Japan formulated a suppository of maoto and use it to lower fever in infants and children. (more…)

    Yokukansan to treat dementia

    Friday, March 5th, 2010

    Yokukansan, a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo) used to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, was studied by researchers from the University of Tsukuba, in Ibaraki, Japan. (more…)

    Rikkunshito to treat delayed gastric emptying

    Sunday, February 7th, 2010

    Rikkunshito is a popular Japanese traditional medicine that’s used in Japan to treat various gastrointestinal disorders.

    Researchers from Osaka Medical Center, in Japan studied the effects of rikkunshito on delayed gastric emptying in handicapped patients. (more…)

    Does byakkokaninjinto interact with antibiotics?

    Sunday, June 7th, 2009

     Researchers from Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, in Japan studied the potential for the Kampo medicine, byakkokaninjinto (aka BN), to alter the metabolism of 2 antibiotics (ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and tetracycline). (more…)

    Herbal alternative to control intestinal spasm

    Monday, December 8th, 2008

    Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is used to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile ducts, including gallstones, inflammatory strictures (scars), leaks (from trauma and surgery), and cancer.

    Researchers from Chiba University in Japan used shakuyaku-kanzo-to (TJ-68) to suppress spasms of the small intestine during ERCP procedures. (more…)

    Treating sweaty palms (and feet) with Kampo medicine

    Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

    Palmoplantar hidrosis (aka hyperhydrosis) is excessive sweating from the palms and soles, which can be an embarrassing and disabling condition.

    In this article, Dr. Fumino Ninomiya from Japan reports that a Kampo medicine, Shigyaku-san (Sini san, TJ-35: Tsumura & Co.), was associated with improvement of palmoplantar hidrosis. (more…)

    Survival in cancer patients receiving Kampo therapy

    Sunday, May 25th, 2008

    Researchers from The University of Tokushima in Japan initially used Kampo to reduce the side effects and improve the quality of life of patients with uterine cervical cancer being treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. (more…)

    Kampo medicine to treat atopic dermatitis

    Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

    Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) is an herbal medicine that contains a mixture of 10 medicinal plants (listed below). It’s produced by Tsumura Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, which specializes in selling Kampo medicine — the adaptation of traditional Chinese medicine to Japanese culture.

    In this study, the use of topical medicines (steroids and/or tacrolimus [Protopic]) decreased when patients with atopic dermatitis took Hochu-ekki-to. (more…)

    The effect of kihito extract granules in people with Alzheimer’s disease

    Monday, October 15th, 2007

    The most prominent neurochemical change in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is a deficiency of choline acetyltransferase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of acetylcholine.

    Polygalae radix is thought to be a useful component of kami-untan-to because it increases the activity of choline acetyltransferase. This study evaluated this Japanese herbal (kampo) medicine in people with Alzheimer’s disease. (more…)