Effectiveness of kampo medicine (sai-boku-to) in treatment of patients with glossodynia.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a Kampo medicine (Sai-boku-to) for treatment of patients with glossodynia.

STUDY

DESIGN

Sai-boku-to or an antianxiety drug (diazepam) with vitamin B complex was administered orally for 3 months to each of 200 patients with glossodynia. Clinical examination evaluated the following subjective symptoms: pain, burning sensation, and discomfort. Effectiveness was evaluated as follows: "markedly effective," all 3 symptoms disappeared; "effective," pain improved; "ineffective," no improvement in pain.

RESULTS

The effective rates were 70% after 1 month, 85% after 2 months, and 92% after 3 months of administration of Sai-boku-to (the Kampo group) and 74% after 1 month, 71% after 2 months, and 69% after 3 months of administration of the antianxiety drug with vitamin B complex (the control group). No significant side effect was noted in the Kampo group, but sleepiness was recorded in 33 cases in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that Sai-boku-to may be a clinically useful medicine for the long-term treatment of patients with glossodynia.