Clinical Research
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 7, 2006; 12(5): 760-764
Published online Feb 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i5.760
Objective assessment of the antispasmodic effect of Shakuyaku-kanzo-to (TJ-68), a Chinese herbal medicine, on the colonic wall by direct spraying during colonoscopy
Masato Ai, Taketo Yamaguchi, Takeo Odaka, Kanae Mitsuhashi, Tadayuki Shishido, Jun Yan, Ayaka Seza, Hiromitsu Saisho
Masato Ai, Taketo Yamaguchi, Takeo Odaka, Kanae Mitsuhashi, Tadayuki Shishido, Jun Yan, Ayaka Seza, Hiromitsu Saisho, Department of Medicine and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
Co-first-author: Masato Ai
Co-correspondent: Taketo Yamaguchi
Correspondence to: Taketo Yamaguchi, MD, Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. yama.take@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Telephone: +81-43-226-2083 Fax: +81-43-226-2088
Received: July 14, 2005
Revised: August 9, 2005
Accepted: August 26, 2005
Published online: February 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To objectively evaluate the effect of TJ-68 on colonic spasms during colonoscopy.

METHODS: One hundred and one patients subjected to screening colonoscopy were randomly assigned to two groups: TJ-68 in 51 subjects and saline as the control in 50. The endoscope was inserted into the sigmoid colon, then a spastic region was identified and the tip of the colonoscope was positioned at a distance of about 10 mm from the spastic region. The endoscopic view was recorded before and after direct spraying of the TJ-68 solution or warm saline. The intraluminal area of the spastic region was serially measured using a computer image analyzer and expressed as pixel counts. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated from the pixel curve. Statistical significance was assessed by Wilcoxon’s test and Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS: The mean AUC of the spastic region before and after TJ-68 spraying was 29 128 and 121 943 pixels, respectively, while with saline, it was 31 635 pixels and 48 617 pixels, respectively. Thus, the AUC significantly increased after TJ-68 spraying compared with the spraying of saline (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: Direct spraying of TJ-68 on the colonic mucosa suppressed colonic spasm and it may be useful during colonoscopy when anticholinergic agents are contraindicated.

Keywords: Colonoscopy; Antispasmodic effect; Objective assessment