title: [Effects of Bakumondo-to (Mai-Men-Dong-Tang) on cough sensitivity to capsaicin in asthmatic patients with cough hypersensitivity].
abstract: Some patients with bronchial asthma have increased cough sensitivity. In such patients coughing may be an inducer of wheeze. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Bakumondo-to on the cough sensitivity and respiratory tract inflammation in asthmatic patients with increased cough sensitivity. In addition influences of intensity of respiratory tract inflammation, gender, type of asthma, and disease period on the effect of Bakumondo-to on the cough sensitivity were examined. Twenty-one bronchial asthmatics whose cough thresholds to capsaicin were less than 3.9 microM were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cough thresholds to capsaicin (concentration of inhaled capsaicin solution causing 5 or more coughs) was measured before and after 2 months or more treatment with Bakumondo-to (9 g/day, TJ-29). Number of eosinophils in peripheral blood, sputum eosinophil ratio, and ECP level in the serum were also measured before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bakumondo-to significantly increased the cough threshold. Although respiratory tract inflammation was not significantly improved, number of eosinophils in peripheral blood, sputum eosinophil ratio and ECP level in the serum were remarkably decreased more than the half. And Bakumondo-to was more effective in asthmatic subjects with severe airway inflammation. Furthermore, a greater effect of it was observed in women. A greater effect was also observed in patients having a disease duration of less than 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that Bakumondo-to may be an effective therapeutic preparation for coughing in asthmatic patients with cough hypersensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine. w-naoto@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002211:Capsaicin; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C083181:bakumondo-to; D002211:Capsaicin