New possibility of traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine as treatment for behavioral and psychiatric symptoms in dementia.

Abstract

Yokukansan, one of the Kampo prescriptions, is composed of seven herbaceous plants and was developed in China in the 16th century as a cure for restlessness and agitation in children. Yokukansan has also become a popular drug combination in Japan, especially for the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Recent studies have shown that yokukansan might also be quite effective against BPSD occurring in association with other types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease, Parkinson's disease with dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia. Researchers have intensively investigated yokukansan, focusing on the pharmacological mechanisms against glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. This traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine holds potential promise for improving BPSD in elderly patients suffering from dementia.

• Authors: Fan-Chin Kung, Ryouhei Ishii, Hsing-Cheng Liu, Masatoshi Takeda
• Journal: Clinical interventions in aging (Clin Interv Aging) Vol. 7 Pg. 393-6 ( 2012) ISSN: 1178-1998 [Electronic] New Zealand
• PMID: 23055705 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Yi-Gan San

Topics

• Behavioral Symptoms (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Dementia (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Japan
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional (methods)
• Medicine, East Asian Traditional (methods)
• Mental Disorders (drug therapy, epidemiology)