Many tourists travel to Japan, and one of the places they love to go to is drugstore. It can be said that there are everything you need in your life. Many people buy skin care products at it, and will also buy a few packs of Japanese medicine, also called “Kampo medicine” by the way! In Japan, Kampo pharmacies are as common as fruit shops and convenience stores, and it is more convenient to see traditional Chinese medicical doctor than in China.
In Japan, 89% of Japanese doctors will prescribe Kampo medicines, and prescription Kampo medicines are increasing at a rate of 15% every year. At present, more than 80% of the 60,000 pharmacies in Japan handle Kampo medicines. Kampo medicines can basically be found in prominent locations in pharmacies and drugstores. Japanese people also believe Kampo medicines. Nearly 80% of Japanese believe that Kampo medicine is very effective in treating chronic diseases, and 60% believe that Kampo medicines can promote health and longevity.
Kampo, a method of using Chinese herbal medicine to treat diseases, is called by countries outside of China, but is called Chinese medicine in China. Japanese Kampo medicine and Chinese medicine belong to the same root and origin, and Kampo medicine was introduced to Japan during the Qin and Han Dynasties of China. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan introduced the Western medical system in an all-round way, and fundamentally rejected Kampo medicine, leading to its almost extinction. Since the 1970s, there have been more and more intractable diseases, mainly senile diseases, Western medicine is helpless in this regard, and Kampo medicine is gradually emerging at this time. In 1976, Japan established the Kampo medicine medical insurance application system, which approved the use of 210 ancient Kampo medicines in Chinese “Treatise On Febrile Caused by Cold” to produce Kampo medicines, and the Kampo medicine industry developed rapidly. Through the efforts of the Kampo community in Japan, Kampo medicine has begun to embark on the road of revival. The most commendable thing about Kampo medicine in Japan is that when some people yell that Herbs needs to be tested with modern technology, the Kampo community in Japan which has world-class instruments and equipment, considers: What disease does Kampo medicine treat, it cannot be answered by laboratories or research institutes. It must be understood in clinical application. Therefore, Japan only conducts general pharmacodynamic experiments on the curative effects of Kampo medicine, and basically does not conduct or rarely conduct experimental research on other modern scientific and technological means. In Japan, many housewives and elderly people often watch TV Kampo lectures and participate in various Kampo workshops to learn the use of herbs to treat common diseases.
The advantages of Japanese Kampo medicine are:
1. The medicinal materials are of high quality and effective.
2. High technological level and good purification technology.
3. The granules are made according to the ancient original prescription, without addition or subtraction. Existing prescription is relatively easy to use, but the disadvantage is that it is too rigid, which is also a shortcoming of Japanese Kampo.
The disadvantages of Japanese Kampo medicine are:
1. As mentioned above, existing prescription’s application is too rigid, simple diseases are okay, and complex diseases are completely unmanageable.
2. Japanese herbs is usually not processed, which many people don’t know. In the pharmacy, only Radix Glycyrrhizae and Radix Rehmanniae Preparata have processed products, but others don’t have, including Monkshood Daughter Root are all raw. However, the Monkshood Daughter Root in the granular square is processed. The preparation of decoction herbs has the effect of “reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency”, so in fact, the toxic and side effects of Japanese Kampo preparations are a little higher.
At present, Kampo medicine in Japan occupies most of the market share of herbal medicines in the world. This achievement should be attributed to the high quality of the medicine, and the efficacy and safety recognized and trusted by the world; in addition, the medicine’s exquisite appearance, convenience, and good taste are also the advantages of Japanese Kampo medicine in the international market competition. These are very worthy of learning and reference.
