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indication patterns determined trying to increase the local by kampo examinations. production of herbal plants. Between 2008 and 2018, “But raising herbal plants Modern science Odaguchi and his colleagues is difficult and takes time,” examined kampo prognoses Odaguchi explains. Roughly takes a look against clinical data in 567 100 plants are involved and elderly people. Their hypothesis the proportion of active at traditional is that specific kampo ingredients in each plant can classifications are linked to be affected by the soil in herbal medicine some diseases and physical which they are grown, the conditions. For example, water supply, the weather, Japanese researchers are looking to they suspect a kampo finding and other factors. standardize CENTURIES-OLD KAMPO known as shofuku-fujin may To address this, the HEALTH CHECKS, while developing a be associated with lower than researchers analysed the domestic supply of imported herbal products. average life-span. These data chemical constituents of 46 are now being analysed. herbal plants and created Odaguchi’s team is also mapping models to visualize seeking to standardize the their quality. Fifteen are conduct of kampo examinations, already produced in Japan, including tongue, abdomen and but researchers found the rest pulse checks. These checks will could also be locally grown. Kitasato University’s Hiroshi Medicine Research Center. form the basis of a ‘kampo dock’ For example, Tetradium Odaguchi and his team are His team joined Hokkaido (health checkup) system in ruticarpum was imported investigating ‘kampo’, a University’s food health-based development, for use by doctors from China until recently. But traditional medicine regime Center of Innovation as a and practitioners. local farmers now grow and developed in Japan that aims satellite project in 2015. distribute the plant after it to address health issues at a Kampo training has been LOCAL HERBS was identified in the wild in pre-symptomatic stage, dubbed integrated into the core Some 80% of the herbal northwest Japan. mibyo in Japanese. curriculum of Japanese plants used in kampo are “It’s important to medical students since 2001. imported from China, from standardize kampo’s diagnostic In collaboration with five where Japan’s practice was logic by integrating empirical other universities, Kitasato first borrowed. Importation expertise and clinical data,” researchers are working to poses a constant concern for argues Odaguchi, who is standardize and validate 33 supply of these plants. director general of the Oriental of the most common health- Odaguchi’s group is also www.kitasato-u.ac.jp/toui-ken/english

A kampo doctor makes full use of the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch to make a diagnosis. Gardenia fruit is used not only in herbal medicine, but also in food as a natural pigment.

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