Association of short-chain fatty acid-producing gut microbiota and dietary habits with maternal depression in a subclinical population.

The prevalence of postpartum mental illness is steadily increasing, a tendency that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies show that maternal depression is no longer confined to the perinatal period, and this necessitates long-term assessment and support for maternal mental health. It is critical to identify the factors that are related to depression among mothers, and this requires the development of integrated mental and physical health care encompassing both psychological aspects and intestinal microbiota, physical conditions, and dietary habits.

The validity of a new resilience scale: the Japan Resilience Scale (J-RS) for mothers with a focus on cultural aspects.

Background: Resilience has been recognized as a potential outcome for preserving mental health and preventing postpartum depression. Social connection and emotional regulation have been identified as possible factors in resilience from social and cultural perspectives. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a scale that is adapted to the Japanese cultural milieu.

Temperament in Early Childhood Is Associated With Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity.

Temperament is a key predictor of human mental health and cognitive and emotional development. Although human fear behavior is reportedly associated with gut microbiome in infancy, infant gut microbiota changes dramatically during the first 5 years, when the diversity and composition of gut microbiome are established. This period is crucial for the development of the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in emotion regulation.

Intestinal microbiome and maternal mental health: preventing parental stress and enhancing resilience in mothers.

The number of mothers suffering from mental illness is increasing steadily, particularly under conditions of the coronavirus pandemic. The identification of factors that contribute to resilience in mothers is urgently needed to decrease the risks of poor physical and psychological health. We focused on the risk of parenting stress and psychological resilience in healthy mothers with no psychiatric and physical disorders and conducted two studies to examine the relationships between intestinal microbiota, physical condition, and psychological state.

Ketogenic effects of medium chain triglycerides containing formula and its correlation to breath acetone in healthy volunteers: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, single dose-response study.

The efficacy of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, such as ketogenic diets, for cancer patients is of research interest. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in a case study in which medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or MCT-containing formula (ketogenic formula) was used as a supplement to increase blood ketone bodies. However, little is known about the amounts needed to induce ketogenic effects and about the usefulness of monitoring of breath acetone.

Altered Gut Microbiota Composition Is Associated with Difficulty in Explicit Emotion Regulation in Young Children.

Executive function (EF) consists of explicit emotion regulation (EER) and cognitive control (CC). Childhood EER in particular predicts mental and physical health in adulthood. Identifying factors affecting EER development has implications for lifelong physical and mental health.

Long-Term Effects of a Ketogenic Diet for Cancer.

A ketogenic diet has been proposed as a potential supportive therapy for cancer patients, although its long-term influence on survival rates remain controversial. In our previous report, we presented promising results for 37 of 55 patients with advanced cancer enrolled between 2013 and 2018 who remained on a ketogenic diet for at least 3 months. We followed all 55 patients until March 2023 and analyzed the data up to March 2022.

A multidimensional physical scale is a useful screening test for mild depression associated with childcare in Japanese child-rearing women.

Introduction: Maternal depression is one of the important problems of postpartum women. For its early detection and appropriate treatment, it is necessary to identify women at high risk for depression quickly and easily.

Materials And Methods: A simple screening scale for depression from physical aspects, the multidimensional physical scale (MDPS), which is a 17-item, self-report, three-step scale (0, 1, 2) according to the theory of Kampo medicine, was developed.

Effects of Rikkunshi-To, a Japanese kampo medicine, on donepezil-induced gastrointestinal side effects in mice.

Donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and anorexia, which may affect adherence to continuous therapy. Since Rikkunshi-To, a Japanese herbal medicine, activates the ghrelin signaling pathway and promotes gastrointestinal function, it is administered to prevent gastrointestinal symptoms. We herein investigated whether donepezil-induced gastrointestinal side effects in mice are ameliorated by Rikkunshi-To and if its therapeutic efficacy is mediated by ghrelin.

The Japan Frailty Scale is a promising screening test for frailty and pre-frailty in Japanese elderly people.

Frailty is one of the most important problems in a super-aged society. It is necessary to identify frailty quickly and easily at the bedside. We developed a simple patient-reported frailty screening scale, the Japan Frailty Scale (JFS), based on the aging concept of Kampo medicine.

Clinical Importance of Body Composition in Improving Bone Mineral Density of Femoral Neck After Denosumab Therapy in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis or Collagen Diseases.

Background/aim: To investigate factors associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD) of the neck of femur in rheumatoid arthritis or collagen diseases receiving denosumab, focusing on body composition calculated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (n=90, 78 females).

Patients And Methods: We defined Δfemur as BMD (12 months minus baseline), using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry after denosumab therapy. Factors associated with Δfemur were retrospectively investigated.

Ketogenic Effects of Multiple Doses of a Medium Chain Triglycerides Enriched Ketogenic Formula in Healthy Men under the Ketogenic Diet: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Ketogenic diets, which are carbohydrate-restricted high-fat diets, may have therapeutic effects on various diseases, including cancer. However, ketogenic diets are often not standardized and, therefore, results are difficult to interpret. We previously investigated the usefulness of ketogenic diets in cancer therapy, where ketogenic formulas (KF) were used as supplements to enhance blood ketone bodies; however, the amount of KF was determined empirically with reference to blood ketone bodies levels.

Suppressive effects of processed aconite root on dexamethasone-induced muscle ring finger protein-1 expression and its active ingredients.

Processed aconite root (PA), the tuberous root of Aconitum carmichaelii prepared by autoclaving, is a crude drug used in Japanese traditional Kampo medicine and traditional Chinese medicine for the symptoms of kidney deficiency, that is related to the muscle atrophy in modern medicine. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of PA on muscle atrophy and to find its active ingredients using dexamethasone-induced muscle ring finger protein-1 (MuRF1) mRNA expression in murine myoblast C2C12 cells. Dexamethasone-induced MuRF1 expression was significantly suppressed by methanol-soluble part of boiling water extract of PA in a concentration-dependent manner with its IC value of 1.

Gosha-jinki-Gan (GJG) shows anti-aging effects through suppression of TNF-α production by Chikusetsusaponin V.

Frailty develops due to multiple factors, such as sarcopenia, chronic pain, and dementia. Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine used for age-related symptoms. We have reported that GJG improved sarcopenia, chronic pain, and central nervous system function through suppression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production.

Go-sha-jinki-Gan Alleviates Inflammation in Neurological Disorders via p38-TNF Signaling in the Central Nervous System.

Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine. In clinical practice, GJG is effective against neuropathic pain and hypersensitivity induced by chemotherapy or diabetes. In our previous study using a chronic constriction injury mouse model, we showed that GJG inhibited microglia activation by suppressing the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in the peripheral nervous system.

Goshajinkigan, a Traditional Japanese Medicine, Suppresses Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Nav1.4 Currents in C2C12 Cells.

Goshajinkigan (GJG) is a traditional Japanese Kampo medicine used clinically to treat muscle pain in Japan. However, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Since voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav) 1.

[Aging-related frailty and sarcopenia. Kampo medicine for frailty and sarcopenia.].

In Japan, which is entering a super-aged society, the prevention of long-term care and bedridden caused by frailty and sarcopenia have been recognized as an urgent need. The pathology of frailty and sarcopenia includes broad problems of senility. A traditional herbal medicine is known to improve symptoms across the organs, many herbal medicines administered by examining the balance of mind and body are effective for frailty and sarcopenia.

Enhancement of ghrelin-signaling system by Rikkunshi-To attenuates teriparatide-induced pica in rats.

Teriparatide is clinically used for the treatment of osteoporosis; however, nausea is often observed in patients. Its insufficient control affects the ability to continue teriparatide therapy. Rikkunshi-To (RKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, improves the gastrointestinal function via activation of the ghrelin-signaling system.

Assessment of the effects of switching oral bisphosphonates to denosumab or daily teriparatide in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of this observational, non-randomized study was to clarify the unknown effects of switching oral bisphosphonates (BPs) to denosumab (DMAb) or daily teriparatide (TPTD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The characteristics of the 194 female patients included in the study were 183 postmenopausal, age 65.9 years, lumbar spine (LS) T score -1.

Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG) ameliorates allodynia in chronic constriction injury-model mice via suppression of TNF-α expression in the spinal cord.

Background: Alternative medicine is noted for its clinical effect and minimal invasiveness in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Go-sha-jinki-Gan, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has been used for meralgia and numbness in elderly patients. However, the exact mechanism of GJG is unclear.

Effects of a traditional herbal medicine on peripheral blood flow in women experiencing peripheral coldness: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In Japan, a traditional herbal medicine, Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38), is often used for the treatment of peripheral coldness, which is a common complaint among Japanese women. However, the effects of this herbal medicine have yet to be examined in a randomized controlled trial. In the current study, the effect of TJ-38 on the peripheral blood flow in women experiencing peripheral coldness was investigated using a parallel-group randomized controlled trial.

Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, protects against sarcopenia in senescence-accelerated mice.

Sarcopenia is characterized by age-associated skeletal muscle atrophy and reduced muscle strength; currently, no pharmaceutical treatment is available. Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine that is used to alleviate various age-related symptoms, especially motor disorders. Here, we investigated the effect of GJG on aging-associated skeletal muscle atrophy by using senescence-accelerated mice (SAMP8).