[Pharmacological properties of Gyokuheifusan, a traditional Kampo medicinal formula]

Gyokuheifusan (GHS, Jade Windscreen Powder in English, Yupingfengsan in Chinese) is an herbal formula in traditional Kampo medicine which consolidates superficial resistance to protect against invasion by external pathogens. This review describes the immunopharmacologic properties of GHS as a holistic Kampo medicine, which can affect human homeostasis and constitution of human beings. Oral treatment with GHS has preventive and curative effects in allergic rhinitis induced by Japanese cedar pollen in guinea pigs. Since these effects do not occur with authentic antiallergic agents, GHS appears to have holistic effects on allergic rhinitis. In another study, the effects of GHS on murine antibody production against ovalbumin (OVA) were evaluated. When mice were sensitized intraperitoneally to OVA, the concentration of OVA-specific immunoglobulins in the sera significantly increased with GHS treatment. When they were sensitized intranasally to OVA, GHS significantly reduced the concentration of OVA-specific antibodies in the sera. It was suggested that GHS stimulates immune responses when the antigen had already invaded the body, and that GHS might consolidate the resistance of nasal mucosa to protect from OVA invasion, and then OVA-specific antibodies in sera might be suppressed. These results suggest that traditional medicines have own characteristics different from those of modern medicines, and that original pharmacologic experiments are important to evaluate traditional medicines scientifically.