The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a traditional Japanese medicine Goshajinkigan (TJ-107) and Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38) on warm sense threshold, cold sense threshold and the peripheral blood flow. 31 healthy volunteers (control group: 9people, TJ-107 group: 12 people, TJ-38group:10 people) were examined. Drugs administered 2.5 g a dose. Analysis was before and after 1 hour dosage. The warm and cold sense threshold in the thenar of the non-handedness site of these subjects was measured using a thermostimulator (Intercross-200, Intercross Co., Tokyo, Japan). The peripheral blood flow in the finger of the non-handedness site of these subjects was measured using a full-field laser perfusion imager (FLPI, Moor Instruments Ltd., England). Control: The vehicle had no significant effect on the warm sense threshold, cold sense threshold and the peripheral blood flow. TJ-107: The warm sense threshold and cold sense threshold were significantly decreased, and the reaction latency of cold sense was significantly shortening. The peripheral blood flow was significantly increased second and third finger at 115.6%, 119.3%, respectively. TJ-38: The cold sense threshold and the reaction latency of cold sense were significantly increased. The peripheral blood flow was significantly increased second and third finger with 114.3%, 112.8%, respectively. These results suggest that TJ-107 and TJ-38 have effects on the changed warm sense threshold, cold sense threshold and increased peripheral blood flow.
In the recently, as a method for objectively evaluating has been reported a novel method of assessing thermal sensation that involves heat flux measurement, for allodynia and hyperesthesia of patients with neuropathic pain and the warm and cool susceptibility [
Goshajinkigan (TJ-107) and tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38), a traditional Japanese medicine referred to as a “kampo medicine” has been approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan. TJ- 107 has approved it as a remedy for leg pain, low back pain, numbness, blurred vision in old patients, pruritus, dysuria, frequent urination and edema. TJ-107 is generally applied for kidney-related disorders along with ageing [
In the present study, we evaluated for the effects of TJ-107 and TJ-38 on the on warm and cold sense threshold and the peripheral blood flow.
The subjects were 31 healthy volunteers obtained consent by a purpose of this study. In the control group, 9 people (3 males, 6 females, age; 35.6 ± 8.2 years old), TJ-107 group assumed 12 people (6 males, 6 females, age: 38.1 ± 11.3 years old), TJ-38 group assumed 10 people (5 males, 5 females, age: 37.1 ± 12.5 years old). All subjects provided informed consent for participation.
Goshajinkigan (TJ-107) and Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38) were manufactured and provided by Tsumura & Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan). TJ-107 was composed of ten dried medicinal herbs, 5 g of Rehmanniae radix (Rehmannia glutinosa Liboschitz); 3 g each of Achyranthis radix (Achyranthes bidentage Blume), Corni fructus (Cornus of fi cinalis Sieb. et Zucc), Dioscoreae rhizoma (Dioscorea batatas Decaisne), Plantaginis semen (Plantago asiatica), Alismatis rhizoma (Alisma orientale Juzep), Hoelen (Poria cocos Wolf), and Moutan cortex (Paeonia suf fruticosa Andrews); and 1 g each of Cinnamomi cortex (Cinnamomum cassia Blume) and Aconiti tuber (Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux).
Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38) was composed of nine dried medical herbs, 5 g of zizyphi fructus (Zizyphus jujuba Miller var. inermis Rehder): 3 g each of Cinnamomi Cortex (Cinnamomum cassia Blume), Paeoniae Radix (Paeonia lactiflora Pallas), Angelica Radix (Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa) and Akebiae Caulis (Akebia quinata Decaisne): 2 g each of Glycyrrhizae Radix (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer), Evodiac Fructus (Evodia rutaecarpa Bentham) and Asiasari Radix (Asiasarum sieboldi Maekawa): and 1 g of Zingiberis Rhizoma ( Zingiber officinale ROSCE).
Drugs were orally administered 2.5 g a dose with water. The control group was administered only water.
The warm and cold sense thresholds were measured on thenar of the non-handedness side, using a thermal stimulator that was controlled by prove of Peltier element and a push-button switch (Intercross-200, Intercross Co., Tokyo, Japan) (
The peripheral blood flow measured the blood flow of the finger (the second, three or four fingers) of the non-handedness side using a full-field laser perfusion imager (Moor FLPI, Moor Instruments, Essex, UK) [
All the data are presented as means ± SD. The data were analyzed by the Wilcoxon test. P values of <0.05 were defined as statistically significant.
The control group did not change in the warm and cold sense thresholds, skin temperature and reaction latency (
TJ-107 group was significantly decreased the warm and cold sense thresholds, the warm sense varied from 647.9 ± 398.0 W/m2 to 444.3 ± 283.5 W/m2, the cool sense varied from 846.5 ± 339.7 W/m2 to 595.3 ± 282.8 W/m2 (
TJ-38 group was significantly increased a cold sense thresholds from 633.9 ± 246.2 W/m2 to 753.3 ± 397.2 W/m2, the warm sense threshold was increased from 537.2 ± 282.2 W/m2 to702.4 ± 627.5 W/m2 (
TJ-38 was significantly prolonged reaction latency of cold sense from 23.7 ± 9.1 sec. to 27.9 ± 10.1 sec., the reaction latency of warm sense prolonged from 19.3 ± 10.4 sec. to 21.2 ± 12.6 sec. (
The control group did not change in the peripheral blood flow (
TJ-107 group was significantly increased the peripheral blood flow of second and third finger at 115.6%, 119.3%, respectively (
TJ-38 group was significantly increased the peripheral blood flow of second and third finger at 114.3%, 112.8%, respectively (
The results of the present study demonstrate that TJ-107 and TJ-38 has effects on the changed warm sense threshold, cold sense threshold and increased peripheral blood flow. Physiologically, warm sensation is transmitted by small unmyelinated fibers (C-fiber) and cold sensation is transmitted by small myelinated fiber (Aδ) and C-fiber [
TJ-107 is a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo) which is Rehmanniae radix, Achyranthis radix, Corni fructus, Dioscoreae rhizoma, Plantaginis semen, Alismatis rhizoma, Hoelen, Moutan cortex, Cinnamomi cortex and Aconiti tuber. TJ-107 has been widely used to treat symptoms like leg pain, low back pain, numbness, peripheral neuropathy, dropsy and cold sensation. Recently, efficacy for the symptom on the neuropathy、increased of blood flow as a result of increased nitric oxide (NO) production, platelet aggregation inhibitory effect and produced a concentration dependent vasodilatation in rat aorta [
TJ-38 is a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo) which is zizyphi fructus, Cinnamomi Cortex, Paeoniae Radix, Angelica Radix, Akebiae Caulis, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Evodiac Fructus, Asiasari Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma. TJ-38 has been widely used to treat symptoms such as low back pain, chilblains, headaches, lower abdominal pains with feeling of coldness and Raynaud's symptom. The results of the present study shown that TJ-38 was significantly increased a cold sense thresholds, significantly prolonged reaction latency and significantly increased peripheral blood flow.
Feeling of cold or a chilly sensation is called “Hie-sho” in Japanese, meaning cold syndrome. Patients with chilly sensation predominantly experience a sensation of being cold in the extremities when healthy people do not. The factors responsible for chilly sensation are assumed to be poor peripheral blood flow and impaired metabolism. Peripheral blood circulation is influenced by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system through the stimulation on α-adrenoceptors of vascular smooth muscle cells of the small artery. Therefore, the activity of sympathetic neurons may be important for chilly sensation [
In this study, we evaluated for the effects of a traditional Japanese medicine (kampo) on the on warm and cold sense threshold using thermostimulator. The thermal threshold measurement has many advantages. It is not affected by the skin temperature of the subjects. It enables the accurate evaluation of thermal sensation in a short period of time and separate measurement of warm and cold sense threshold. The latter was impossible with conventional methods that used temperature itself as an index [
In conclusion, the present results suggest that TJ-107 and TJ-38 has effects on the warm and cold sensation.