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Herbal Medicines pp 207–224Cite as

Inchinkoto and Jaundice

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Part of the book series: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology ((MIPT))

Abstract

Patients suffering from cholestasis and jaundice are frequently encountered in daily clinical practice. Cholestasis is a pathological condition characterized by impaired bile formation and secretion in livers. The accompanying oxidative stress may damage hepatocytes and thereby result in severe jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia), leading to liver fibrosis. Kampo formulation inchinkoto (IKCT) has been recognized as a “magic bullet” for the treatment of jaundice. Although the potent hepatoprotective and choleretic actions and main active ingredients of IKCT have long been known, the recent advances in research of bile formation and hepatic transporters have opened a road to the understanding of the action mechanism. In this chapter, the molecular mechanism of the clinically useful actions induced by ICKT is described in detail.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Medical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan

    Junichi Shoda & Kosuke Okada

  2. Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Eiji Warabi

  3. Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., Tsumura Research Laboratories, Ibaraki, Japan

    Masahiro Yamamoto

Authors
  1. Junichi Shoda
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  2. Eiji Warabi
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  3. Kosuke Okada
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  4. Masahiro Yamamoto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junichi Shoda .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatic Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Grad School of Medical & Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan

    Aiko Inui

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© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Shoda, J., Warabi, E., Okada, K., Yamamoto, M. (2016). Inchinkoto and Jaundice. In: Inui, A. (eds) Herbal Medicines. Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-4002-8_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-4002-8_13

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-4000-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-4002-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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