Kampo, A Japanese Traditional Medicinal System for Psychiatric Conditions: A Narrative Review.

Pharmacopsychiatry. 2018 Jun 25. doi: 10.1055/a-0637-9760. [Epub ahead of print] Tatsumi L1, Suzuki T1,2, Yamada K3, Mimura M1,4, Uchida H1,5. Author information 1 Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. 2 Department of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan. 3 Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, Sendai, Japan. 4 Center for Kampo Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. 5 Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. Abstract INTRODUCTION: Kampo is a Japanese traditional medicinal system and is represented by unity of mind and body. It is originally based upon Chinese traditional medicine but has uniquely developed in Japan. METHODS: A narrative review on the use of Kampo for psychiatric conditions is provided. RESULTS: Kampo formula is a combination of several crude ingredients; most derive from natural plants and some from animals and minerals. These Kampo formulae are widely prescribed in almost all medical disciplines, including psychiatry, in Japan; they have been used for various psychiatric disorders such as dementia, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Kampo is a versatile traditional medicine with a variety of positive effects on mental states with relatively benign side effect profiles. Kampo formulae can be adjunctively combined with or substituted for the Western psychotropic drugs, which will provide more treatment options to patients with psychiatric conditions. DISCUSSION: This review summarizes the current knowledge on Kampo for psychiatric conditions, highlighting a paucity of data and a need for further good-quality evidence on these medications. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York