A Case of Cyclic Neutropenia Satisfactorily Treated with Kampo Medicine

Abstract

A 44-year-old male with cyclic neutropenia who had suffered from repeated general fatigue and severe abdominal pain over twenty-six years was admitted to our hospital. Various active treatments such as steroid, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and immunosuppressive regimen had been attempted, but a lasting cure could not obtained. In addition, the cycle of neutropenia had gradually been disturbed and abdominal pain occurred even at the period of normal neutrocyte. The patient fell into severe asthenia and cold syndrome judging from Japanese traditional Kampo medicine. Tsumyaku-shigyaku-to and Dai-kenchu-to combined with Busi-koubei-to were administered alternately, and then abdominal pain was reduced, accompanied by improvement of his cold and strengthening of his constitution. Furthermore, several Kampo formulas such as modifications of Chu-kenchu-to were administered on the basis of abdominal symptom and the cycle of neutropenia was regularized. This suggests that the genus Kenchu-to may be an effective treatment for cyclic neutropenia.