A Case of Dry Eye and Eye Strain Successfully Treated with Shimbuto, Kihito, and Electrothermo-Acupuncture / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We treated dry eyes and eyestrains successfully with electrothermo-acupuncture and Kampo medicine. The case was a 41-year-old woman who was treated with a few eye drops. She came to our hospital to receive Kampo medicine because her photophobia and eye pain got worse. After taking shimbuto, her complaint got better with improving physical fatigue. Electrothermo-acupuncture was effective for photophobia and eye pain promptly and remarkably. After we added kihito to her, she did not need to use eye drops with improving bloody urine and sleeplessness. Photophobia and eye-ache are thought to be related to the trigeminal nerve system. In this case, we consider that the point of application of electrothermo-acupuncture is the trigeminal nerve system. At the same time, “rikan” and “hikyo” might be involved in this case with the general malaise of eye.

<b>Seven Cases of Insomnia Successfully Treated with H</b><b>ochuekkito</b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We present seven cases of insomnia successfully treated with hochuekkito. Two patients showed improvement of their insomnia after taking hochuekkito before going to bed, and three patients showed improvement after taking hochuekkito twice per day. The other two patients could sleep better after adding hochuekkito to other Kampo formulations. All these patients were light sleepers, and became easily tired, excessive sleepy after meals, and had daytime sleepiness. However, they had no gastrointestinal symptoms, such as appetite loss. Five of the seven patients reported waking up feeling better after taking hochuekkito. Two other Kampo formulations, sansoninto and kihito, were also given to patients with deficient constitution, who complained of insomnia. Sansoninto and kihito are formulae that compensate for qui and blood deficiency. Kihito contains more herbs with beneficial effects on “spleen and stomach”, and “heart” functions more than sansoninto, and therefore, kihito may be preferred for patients with a more deficient constitution. The reason why our patients were able to sleep more deeply and wake up smoothly with hochuekkito may be that they exhibited remarkable qui deficiency, showing general fatigue, excessive sleepiness after meals, and daytime sleepiness, but without the symptoms of blood deficiency, such as palpitations or uneasiness, being easily frightened or forgetful, or showing anemia or bleeding.

Classical Sources of the Kampo Formulae Kihi-to and Kami-kihi-to / 日本東洋医学雑誌

A study of the classical references to the Kampo formulas Kihi-to and Kamikihi-to was conducted. The common constituents for Kihi-to today are Ginseng Radix, Atractylodis Rhizoma, Hoelen, Longanae Arillus, Zizyphi Spinosi Semen, Astragali Radix, Polygalae Radix, Angelicae Radix, Saussureae Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Zizyphi Fructus. The Kihi-to noted in the ‘Saiseiho’ (‘Ji Sheng Fang) did not contain Angelicae Radix and Polygalae Radix, and the Kihi-to in the ‘Gyokukibigi’ (‘Yu Ji Wei Yi’) adds Angelicae Radix to the formula found in the ‘Saiseiho, ’ The ‘Sesshi-ian’ (‘Xue Shi Yi An’) also adds Polygalae Radix. In the ‘Sesshi-ian’ there are three formulas given for Kamikihi-to: one with Bupleuri Radix and Gardeniae Fructus, one containing Bupleuri Radix, Moutan Radicis Cortex and Gardeniae Fructus, and one with Moutan Radicis Cortex and Gardeniae Fructus. Although all three variations can be found in the formula guidelines in circulation during the Edo period in Japan, at present, the formula containing Bupleuri Radix and Gardeniae Fructus is the most prevalent. This is most likely due to the influence of the ‘Futsugo-yakushitsu-hokan’ and ‘Futsugo-yakushitsu-hokan-kuketsu’.<br>In summary, the classical texts which included Kihi-to and Kamikihi-to were found to be the ‘Saiseiho’, ‘Gyokukibigi’, and the ‘Sesshi-ian’