Abstract
Frailty and sarcopenia have recently gained considerable attention in terms of preventive care in Japan, which has an ever-increasing aging population. Sarcopenia is defined as atrophy of skeletal muscles caused by the age-related decrease in growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor and sex hormones. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reports that frailty can lead to impairment of both mental and physical functioning. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and dementia may underlie frailty. It is important to prevent progression of frailty and extend the healthy lifespan. In herbal medicine practice, including Japanese Kampo medicine, “Mibyo,” a presymptomatic state, has long been recognized and may be applicable to frailty. Kampo medicines may include several medicinal plants and are thought to have the potential to improve symptoms of frailty, such as loss of appetite and body weight, fatigue, and sarcopenia, as well as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Ninjin'yoeito (Ren Shen Yang Ying Tang) is the most powerful Kampo medicine and has been widely applied to palliative care of cancer patients. This review includes recent anti-aging studies and describes the effects and mechanisms of Ninjin'yoeito (Ren Shen Yang Ying Tang) when used for frailty or to extend a healthy life expectancy.
Highlights
In Japan, society is aging at an unprecedented rate, substantially changing the social system and disease distribution
Ninjin’yoeito is expected to reduce physical and psychological vulnerability related to feeding, immunity, emotion, and cognition, which are oftendisturbed in frailty patients (Figure 2B)
Kampo medicines are composed of a wide variety of crude drugs with pleiotropic effects on the psychosomatic syndrome of frailty, and Ninjin’yoeito is expected to form the basis of these medicines
Summary
In Japan, society is aging at an unprecedented rate, substantially changing the social system and disease distribution. Ninjin’yoeito is used to prevent toxicity (such as impaired hematopoiesis) associated with anticancer drugs or radiotherapy, and can improve appetite, fatigue, general health status, and even survival. Ninjin’yoeito improves cognitive function and depression in patients with Alzheimer’s disease when added to treatment with donepezil [18].
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