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Other common
name(s): Japanese herbal therapy
Scientific/medical
name(s): none
Description
Kampo is the name for a traditional Japanese herbal medicine
system that uses more than 210 different herbal preparations in fixed
combinations. Kampo is a Japanese name for Chinese herbal medicine,
although the Japanese form is now quite different from its Chinese
origins. Kampo herbal mixtures made in Japan are standardized to ensure
quality and consistency.
Overview
Despite the popularity of kampo among Japanese physicians and
patients, available scientific evidence does not support claims that
Japanese herbal preparations are effective in preventing or treating
cancer in humans. At least one kampo compound shows promise against
pancreatic cancer in an animal study, but human testing is needed.
There is some evidence that certain kampo compounds might be helpful
for other diseases, and a small study suggested that a kampo extract
called TJ14 might help reduce diarrhea from irinotecan chemotherapy.
How is it promoted for use?
Proponents claim that the kampo preparations Juzen-taiho-to
and Hochu-ekki-to boost the anticancer activities of a type of white
blood cell called natural killer cells. The remedy Sho-saiko is claimed
to enhance the function of macrophages, a type of white blood cell that
attacks cancer cells. Proponents also say that some kampo remedies are
more effective than conventional methods for treating chronic
prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland). Practitioners of
kampo claim that these herbal formulas can be used to treat many other
conditions such as constipation, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome,
allergies, arthritis, and hypertension.
What does it involve?
Kampo practitioners may prescribe one or more herbal mixtures.
The formula selected depends on the patient's particular complaint and
condition. Unlike Western medicine, kampo does not give names to
diseases, but describes the patient as deviating in some way from a
healthy balance. A patient's illness is diagnosed based on a concept
called sho, which involves the practitioner visually observing the
patient, listening to the sounds made by his or her body, smelling and
touching the patient, and questioning the patient. Signs and symptoms
are then interpreted according to the ancient theories of the 8 disease
states (2 of which are yin
and yo,
called yin
and yang
in Chinese medicine) and 3 substances (such as qi, the life energy of
the unified body and spirit). The interpretation of the patients'
symptoms depends a great deal on the intuition, experience, and
observation skills of the practitioner. The kampo preparation is chosen
based on the diagnosis, and it is intended to help the patient return
to a balanced state. The patient may have to take part in several
sessions or visits with the practitioner, in which changes may be made
in the herb prescriptions as the patient's symptoms change. Western
diagnoses such as lung cancer or high blood pressure are not considered
as part of this process.
What is the history behind it?
Kampo evolved from traditional Chinese herbal medicine and
dates back more than 1,500 years. Kampo changed in different ways from
Chinese herbal medicine over the years, however, becoming simpler and
more practical than its Chinese counterpart.
When Western medicine was introduced in Japan between 1868 and
1912, the popularity of kampo declined. By 1883, Japanese law had
decreed that no kampo physicians could be officially licensed as
medical doctors. Interest in kampo began to be revived in 1928 and was
further bolstered when people saw harmful side effects of Western drugs
such as thalidomide, which caused severe birth defects. By 1976, the
Japanese government had approved 147 types of kampo herbal extracts to
be covered by national health insurance. In 1988, the Japanese herbal
medicine industry began to regulate the production of kampo
preparations to ensure quality and consistency. In 1993, the Ministry
of Education in Japan approved the establishment of the Department of
Japanese Oriental (Kampo) Medicine at Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical
University, which grants university degrees in kampo.
Today about three-fourths of physicians in Japan prescribe
kampo medications, and kampo is practiced alongside Western medicine.
There are more than 210 prescription and over-the-counter kampo drugs
officially approved by the Japanese government, some of which are
covered by Japanese health insurance.
What is the evidence?
Very little scientific research has been done on kampo as a
cancer therapy, and available evidence does not support claims that
Japanese herbal preparations cure cancer or slow its growth in humans.
In one animal study conducted in Japan, researchers concluded that the
kampo preparations Juzen-taiho-to and Shimotsu-to significantly reduced
the spread of colon cancer cells to the liver and of melanoma cells to
the lungs. A 2006 laboratory study tested about 500 compounds used in
kampo to determine what effect they might have on cancer cells in a
test tube. The cancer cells were kept in a nutrient solution to mimic
the conditions in which they are able to grow in the body. The
researchers identified a chemical called arctigenin in the kampo herb Arctium lappa that
slowed the growth of pancreatic tumor cells. They also tested it in
mice and found that it slowed cancer growth there as well. Other
researchers have found additional substances in kampo herbs that show
promise based on studies of cancer cells in laboratory dishes or
animals. However, no studies have convincingly shown that kampo
remedies stop or slow the spread of cancer in humans.
One small study from 2003 looked at the effect of kampo on
diarrhea resulting from a type of chemotherapy called irinotecan.
Patients taking a kampo medicine called TJ14 had less severe diarrhea
than the control group.
Most studies of kampo have been done in Japan, with mixed
results. Because many of these studies did not always use rigorous
scientific methods, the results must be considered preliminary. One
2005 study compared hormone replacement therapy with
gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan, a kampo medicine, to determine whether it helped
hot flashes in women after menopause. Blood flow measurements under the
jaw found that both treatments significantly reduced blood flow to the
face. Another study by the same researchers suggested that another
kampo remedy, xiong-gui-taio-xue-yin, helped reduce symptoms of
depression and nervousness in women after childbirth. Because this
study did not use a placebo, the effect of expectation, sometimes
called the placebo effect, may have played a role in the results.
Another Japanese study tested a remedy called
toki-shakuyaku-san against iron supplements for women with mild to
moderate anemia. While the women in both groups reported improved
symptoms, only the women who received iron had improved blood counts.
Most of the studies looking at kampo are preliminary and have
not used strict scientific methods. Carefully controlled randomized
clinical trials are needed to test claims that kampo is effective
against cancer and other diseases, or that it improves general health
and well-being. The compounds that have shown promise in laboratory and
animal studies need further study to determine whether they work for
humans and whether they can be used without too many ill effects.
Are there any possible problems or
complications?
These
substances may have not been thoroughly tested to find out how they
interact with medicines, foods, herbs, or supplements. Even though some
reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full
studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of
these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions
below should be considered incomplete.
Little is known about kampo's safety, since no controlled
research has been done to learn about possible side effects. Allergic
reactions to the herbs used in kampo have been reported. Some kampo
products contain ephedrine, which has been banned in the United States
because of its ability to cause heart attacks, strokes, and sudden
death. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use kampo.
Kampo preparations produced outside Japan may differ from the
Japanese products in content and preparation. The effectiveness of some
herbs used in kampo can be affected by grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
In addition, the potential interactions between kampo herbs and other
drugs and herbs should be considered. Some of these combinations may be
dangerous. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or
supplements you are taking. Relying on this type of treatment alone and
avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have
serious health consequences.
Additional Resources
More information from your American Cancer
Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be found on
our Web site (www.cancer.org)
or ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Akase T, Akase T, Onodera S, Jobo T, Matsushita R, Kaneko M,
Tashiro S. A comparative study of the usefulness of toki-shakuyaku-san
and an oral iron preparation in the treatment of hypochromic anemia in
cases of uterine myoma [Abstract]. Yakugaku Zasshi. 2003;123:817-824.
Awale S, Lu J, Kalauni SK, Kurashima Y, Tezuka Y, Kadota S,
Esumi H. Identification of arctigenin as an antitumor agent having the
ability to eliminate the tolerance of cancer cells to nutrient
starvation. Cancer Res.
2006;66:1751-1757.
Efferth T, Miyachi H, Bartsch H. Pharmacogenomics of a
traditional Japanese herbal medicine (Kampo) for cancer therapy. Cancer Genomics Proteomics.
2007;4:81-91.
Ikegami F, Fujii Y, Satoh T. Toxicological considerations of
Kampo medicines in clinical use. Toxicology.
2004;198:221-228.
Mori K, Kondo T, Kamiyama Y, Kano Y, Tominaga K. Preventive
effect of Kampo medicine (Hangeshashin-to) against irinotecan-induced
diarrhea in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol.
2006;51:403-406. Epub 2003 Apr 9.
Onishi Y, Yamaura T, Tauchi K, Sakamoto T, Tsukada K, Nunome
S, Komatsu Y, Saiki I. Expression of the anti-metastatic effect induced
by Juzen-taiho-to is based on the content of Shimotsu-to constituents. Biol Pharm Bull.
1998;21:761-765.
Ross C. New life for old medicine. Lancet.
1993;342(8869):485-486.
Erratum in: Lancet.
1993;342(8873):752.
Terasawa K. Evidence-based reconstruction of kampo medicine:
part I—is kampo CAM? Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.
2004;1:11-16. http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/1/11.
Accessed August 14, 2008.
Terasawa K. Evidence-based reconstruction of kampo medicine:
part II—the concept of sho. Evid Based Complement Alternat
Med. 2004;1:119-123.
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/2/119. Accessed
August 14, 2008.
Terasawa K. Evidence-based reconstruction of kampo medicine:
part III—how should kampo be evaluated? Evid Based Complement
Alternat Med. 2004;1:219-222.
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/3/219. Accessed
August 14, 2008.
Ushiroyama T, Ikeda A, Sakuma K, Ueki M. Comparing the effects
of estrogen and an herbal medicine on peripheral blood flow in
post-menopausal women with hot flashes: hormone replacement therapy and
gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan, a Kampo medicine [Abstract]. Am J Chin Med.
2005;33:259-267.
Yafune A, Cyong JC. Population pharmacokinetic analysis of
ephedrine in Kampo prescriptions: a study in healthy volunteers and
clinical use of the pharmacokinetic results [Abstract]. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res.
2001;21:95-102.
Note: This information may not cover
all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or
interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be
relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Last Medical Review: 11/01/2008
Last Revised: 11/01/2008
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