Herbal medicines could benefit patients suffering from gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders that cannot be treated using conventional drug therapy. In a study published in Neurogastroenterology and Motility, researchers reviewed data on Japanese herbal medicines and found them to be effective in reducing the symptoms of GI disorders such as functional dyspepsia, constipation, and postoperative ileus.

"Japanese herbal medicines have been used in East Asia for thousands of years," says lead researcher Hidekazu Suzuki, Associate Professor at the Keio University School of Medicine. "Our review of the world medical literature reveals that herbal medicines serve a valuable role in the management of patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders."

Many of the drugs used to treat GI motility disorders are ineffective or cause unwanted side effects and, in some cases, this has led to drugs being withdrawn from the market. Herbal medicine is an attractive alternative.

The researchers reviewed data from studies looking at the effect of several different Japanese herbal medicines including the use of Rikkunshi-to, Dai-Kenchu-to, and other herbal medicines. Rikkunshi-to, which is prepared from eight crude herbs, was effective in reducing discomfort caused by functional dyspepsia. Dai-Kenchu-to, a mixture of ginseng, ginger, and zanthoxylum fruit, was beneficial for constipation in children and patients suffering from post-operative ileus - disruption of normal bowel movements following an operation. Another herbal medicine, hangeshashin-to, reduced the severity and frequency of diarrhoea caused by anti-cancer drugs.

In Japan, herbal medicine is manufactured in standardised form with regards to quality and quantity of ingredients. The researchers say the health benefits of standardised formulations of herbal medicines require more rigorous examination, particularly in the Western world. "There is a mandate to provide accurate data regarding the effectiveness of non-traditional therapy, not only to our patients but also to healthcare providers who face the dilemma of recommending or opposing management strategies that incorporate herbal medicine," says Suzuki.

Full citation: Suzuki, H., Inadomi, J.M. and Hibi, T.; Japanese Herbal Medicine in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders; Neurogastroenterology and Motility (2009); DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2009.01290.x

Neurogastroenterology & Motility is the official Journal of the European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, the American Neurogastroenterology & Motility Society and the Functional Brain-Gut Research Group. Edited by Jan Tack, Keith Sharkey and Joseph Szurszewski, it has an ISI Journal Citation Reports® Ranking: 2007 of 14/50 (Gastroenterology & Hepatology) and 68/211 (Neurosciences), and an Impact Factor of 3.364. The field of gastrointestinal motility has undergone phenomenal growth and change in the past three decades since it emerged as a distinct speciality. Neurogastroenterology & Motility provides a forum where current issues and advances relating to the motor function of the GI tract can be presented and discussed. It is of interest to both clinicians and researchers. For further information please visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118498177/home

Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley's Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal.

Source
Wiley-Blackwell