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Review
. 2022 Jun;11(2):100839.
doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2022.100839. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

Kampo medicines for supportive care of patients with cancer: A brief review

Yoshiharu Motoo  1 , Silke Cameron  2
Affiliations
Review

Kampo medicines for supportive care of patients with cancer: A brief review

Yoshiharu Motoo et al. Integr Med Res. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Kampo medicines, which are standardized traditional Japanese herbal medicines, have been tried to support patients with cancer.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials on the use of Kampo medicines for cancer supportive care and the descriptions of Kampo medicines in clinical practice guidelines were reviewed.

Results: Kampo medicines potentially ameliorate refractory symptoms in cancer patients. For example, hochuekkito, juzentaihoto, and ninjin'yoeito seem to be efficacious for fatigue/general malaise. Potential use of rikkunshito for anorexia/cancer cachexia and goshajinkigan for peripheral neuropathy is proposed from small numbers of randomized controlled trials in addition to basic research. The number of clinical practice guidelines which contain descriptions of Kampo medicines is increasing in general, but only a few in the area of cancer supportive care.

Conclusion: Kampo medicines potentially play some roles in preventing or ameliorating side effects of anticancer agents. Supportive care with Kampo medicines for patients with cancer might lead to physical, mental, and nutritional improvement.

Keywords: Anorexia; Cachexia; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Kampo; Supportive care.

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Conflict of interest statement

YM received honoraria from Tsumura & Co. The authors declare that this review was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. YM is an editorial board member of the journal but the editorial board membership had no bearing on the editorial process or decision.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig. 1
Historical aspects of cachexia in Japan.
Fig 2
Fig. 2
The top ten herbs (with asterisks; overlapped in two or three formulae) in three major “hozai”s and the seven herbs among them contained in rikkunshito (underlined).
Fig 3
Fig. 3
Regulation of ghrelin excretion and receptor expression by rikkunshito.
Fig 4
Fig. 4
What happens when cachexia sets-in?.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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