Effects of Daikenchuto and thermal therapy for the treatment of constipation in poststroke patients

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23590867
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine (including Psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAYAMA Shin 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80579954)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IWASAKI Koh 国立病院機構西多賀病院, 漢方医学センター, センター長 (90396432) ; SEKI Takashi 東北大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 講師 (90372292) ; KIKUCHI Akiko 東北大学, 病院, 医員 (00400325)
• Research Collaborator: TOBITA Muneshige 国立病院機構, 米沢病院, 院長 ; ISHIDA Syuichi 石巻港湾病院, 院長 ; OIKAWA Takashi 国立病院機構, 八戸病院, 院長 ; AONUMA Takanori , 涌谷町・町民医療福祉センター, センター長 ; KATAYOSE Dai 宮城利府掖済会病院, 副院長 ; SHINKAWA Mitsutoshi 光が丘スペルマン病院, 医長 ; NUMATA Takehiro 東北大学, 病院, 医員 ; KANEKO Soichiro 東北大学, 病院, 技術補佐員
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 漢方 / 東洋医学 / 脳血管障害後遺症 / 便秘 / 大建中湯 / 漢方薬

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Poststroke patients with functional constipation were recruited in a study on the effects of the traditional Japanese medicine Daikenchuto (DKT). Thirty-four patients (mean age: 78 years) were randomly assigned to 2 groups; all patients received conventional therapy for constipation, and patients in the DKT group received 15g/day of DKT for 4 weeks. Constipation scoring system (CSS) points and the gas volume score (GVS) were recorded before and after a 4-week observation period. The total score on the CSS improved significantly in the DKT group compared to the control (p < 0.01). The GVS was also significantly reduced in the DKT group compared to the control (p = 0.03). DKT in addition to conventional therapy is effective in treating functional constipation in poststroke patients.
Abdominal thermal stimulation (40 ℃, 15 minutes) tended to increase the superior mesenteric artery blood flow in poststroke patients (mean age: 79 years) with functional constipation (p = 0.065).

Free Research Field

東洋医学（漢方）