Effects of three Kampo formulae: Tokishakuyakusan (TJ-23), Kamishoyosan (TJ-24), and Keishibukuryogan (TJ-25) on Japanese peri- and postmenopausal women with sleep disturbances.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of Kampo, a traditional Japanese adaptation of Chinese herbal medicine, on peri- and postmenopausal women with sleep disturbances.


METHODS
Among the records of 1,523 peri- and postmenopausal women who are enrolled in the Health and Nutrition Education Program at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Menopause Clinic, during 1995-2009, about 151 women suffering from moderate to severe sleep disturbances were retrospectively analyzed. These women had received only health/nutrition education (control; n = 77) or received treatment with one of the three major Kampo formulae: Tokishakuyakusan (TJ-23; n = 42), Kamishoyosan (TJ-24; n = 16), or Keishibukuryogan (TJ-25; n = 16) according to their "Sho" or symptom patterns. Subjective sleep parameters, menopausal symptoms, health-related quality of life, body composition, blood pressure, and pulse rate were compared before and after the intervention.


RESULTS
The TJ-25 group had significantly higher body weight, body mass index, body fat, lean body mass, resting energy expenditure, and relatively high blood pressure and heart rate at baseline than the other groups. After ~5-month follow up, TJ-23 reduced the sleep disruption frequency, increased lean body mass, and decreased diastolic pressure. TJ-24 alleviated subjective sleep disturbances; improved difficulties in initiating sleep, disrupted sleep, and non-restorative sleep; and relieved headache/dizziness. TJ-25 improved subjective sleep disturbances, alleviated perspiration, and reduced systolic/diastolic pressure and heart rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Each of the Kampo formulae effectively alleviated sleep disturbances in Japanese peri- and postmenopausal women. Middle-aged female patients having sleeping disorder could successfully be treated using Kampo medicines.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima 1-5-45, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan. teragyne@tmd.ac.jp
Masakazu
M
Terauchi
Shiro
S
Hiramitsu
Mihoko
M
Akiyoshi
Yoko
Y
Owa
Kiyoko
K
Kato
Satoshi
S
Obayashi
Eisuke
E
Matsushima
Toshiro
T
Kubota
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020835:Medicine, Kampo; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C103354:kamisyoyo san; C054593:keishibukuryogan; C413220:toki-shakuyaku-san