ABSTRACT
Introduction Sho-saiko-to, a Kampo prescription, which is widely used for treatment of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and acute inflammation, consists of seven medicinal crude drugs, Bupleuri radix, Pinelliae tuber, Scutellariae radix, Ginseng radix, Zingiberis rhizoma, Zizyphi fructus and Glycyrrhizae radix. In general, the study of crude drugs of Kampo prescriptions has been performed extensively, as compared with Kampo prescriptions. That is why the necessity of the study of Kampo prescriptions as a combined medicine has not been widely noticed. Pharmacological activities of Sho-saiko-to as a Kampo prescription have been investigated as noted in another chapter. In order to better understand Kampo prescriptions, although the pharmacological and biological activities of Kampo prescriptions are not necessarily explained by those of each crude drug, it is necessary for us to learn the biological activities of each crude drug. In this chapter, important activities so far reported on each crude drug are mentioned.
