In an earlier placebo-controlled study, we demonstrated that a
kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine called
Choto-san (
Diao-Teng-San in Chinese) was effective in treating
vascular dementia. To evaluate its efficacy using more objective criteria, we carried out a multi-center, double-blind study of
Choto-san extract (7.5 g/day) and a placebo, each given three times a day for 12 weeks to patients suffering from this condition. The study enrolled and analyzed 139 patients, 50 males and 89 females, with a mean age of 76.6 years.
Choto-san was statistically superior to the placebo in global improvement rating, utility rating, global improvement rating of subjective symptoms, global improvement rating of psychiatric symptoms and global improvement rating of disturbance in
daily living activities. Such items as spontaneity of conversation, lack of facial expression, decline in simple mathematical ability, global intellectual ability, nocturnal
delirium, sleep disturbance,
hallucination or delusion, and putting on and taking off clothes were significantly improved at one or more evaluation points in those taking
Choto-san compared to those taking the placebo. Furthermore, the change in revised version of Hasegawa's
dementia scale from the beginning point in
Choto-san group was tended to be higher than that in placebo group with no statistical significance. These results suggest that
Choto-san is effective in the treatment of
vascular dementia.