Kampō (or Kanpō, 漢方) medicine is the Japanese study and adaptation of Traditional Chinese medicine. Today in Japan, Kampo is integrated into the national health care system. In 1967, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved 4 kampo medicines for reimbursement under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program. In 1976, 82 kampo medicines were approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Currently, 148 kampo medicines are approved for reimbursement. [1]
Rather than modifying formulas as in Traditional Chinese medicine, the Japanese kampo tradition uses fixed combinations of herbs in standardized proportions according to the classical literature of Chinese medicine. Kampo medicines are produced by various manufacturers. However, each medicine is composed of exactly the same ingredients under the Ministry's standardization methodology. The medicines are therefore prepared under strict manufacturing conditions that rival pharmaceutical companies.
Extensive modern scientific research in Japan has validated the effectiveness of kampo medicines. In October, 2000 a nationwide study was carried out that reported that 72% of registered physicians prescribe kampo medicines [2]. The two leading companies making kampo medicines are Tsumura (ツムラ) and Kracie (クラシエ) the former name Kanebō (カネボウ) [3]. The following are the kampo medicines produced by Tsumura.
Many kampo medicines were borrowed from China. The Chinese name for the formula the kampo medicine is based on is listed below. However, the formula usually doesn't completely match the original Chinese formula. Often the proportions of the herbs were changed slightly. Also some Chinese species of herbs were replaced with herbs found in Japan.
Herbs Used in Kampo Medicines
The 14th edition of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) (日本薬局方 Nihon yakkyokuhō) lists 165 herbal ingredients that are used in kampo medicines. [4] Tsumura (ツムラ) is the leading maker of kampo medicine [5]. They make 128 of the 148 kampo medicines. The most common herb in kampo medicine is Glycyrrhizae Radix (Chinese liquorice root). It is in 94 of the 128 Tsumura formulas. Other common herbs are Zingiberis Rhizoma (ginger) (51 of 128 formulas) and Paeoniae Radix (Chinese peony root) (44 of 128 formulas).