Effects of Japanese herbal medicine, Juzen-taiho-to, in otitis-prone children--a preliminary study.

CONCLUSION

Juzen-taiho-to (JTT, TJ-48), a Japanese herbal medicine that improves immune function, was found to be effective in otitis-prone in children.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of JTT against intractable and recurrent infections in immature immune systems, we administered JTT to otitis-prone infants and investigated clinical changes before and during JTT administration.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

Twenty-four otitis-prone infants were administered JTT at 0.10-0.14 g/kg/day twice a day for 3 months. We compared clinical course, such as frequency of acute otitis media (AOM), duration of fever and antibiotics administration, and hospital visits for the periods before and during JTT administration.

RESULTS

Medication compliance rate was 87.5%, and administration of JTT led to remission in 95.2% patients. No apparent side effects were observed. The frequency of AOM decreased significantly (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p=0.000) with JTT. The duration of fever (p=0.000) and administration of antibiotics (p=0.001), as well as the number of hospital visits (p=0.001) and emergent hospital visits (p=0.000) showed significant decreases after JTT administration. After the end of the JTT period, 14 of 21 (66.7%) patients started to take it again, as they experienced purulent otitis media and/or other infections after discontinuation. The frequency of AOM increased significantly after stopping JTT (p=0.004) and decreased again with JTT resumption (p=0.005).