What is Hainosankyuto?
Hainosankyuto is a herbal mix used in Kampo, the old herbal medicine of Japan. It is taken by mouth, most often as a dry powder stirred into hot water. Japan's health ministry (MHLW) lists it among the 148 Kampo formulas that national health insurance pays for.
It is used for sores that fill with pus. That means boils, small skin abscesses (pockets of pus), sore swollen gums, and gum or tooth abscesses. Kampo doctors pick it when a sore is red, tender and starting to come to a head.
Proof in people is thin. We found no good human trial that tests it against a dummy treatment. Long use in Kampo is not the same as proof that it works, so read the safety part below before you try it.
One point matters most for safety. The mix holds licorice root, which can raise blood pressure and drop potassium in the blood.
How does Hainosankyuto work?
No one has shown how it works in the body. The Kampo idea is simple: help the body clear pus and calm red, swollen skin or gums.
Lab work hints at a few actions. Some parts of the mix slow the growth of mouth germs in a dish. Others lower signs of swelling in cells and in mice.
Lab and animal work does not prove the same thing happens in people. For now, treat the way it works as unknown.
What forms does Hainosankyuto come in?
Most people take it as granules, a dry powder in a sachet. Japanese makers such as Tsumura and Kracie sell it this way.
You may also find tablets or a fine loose powder. A few Kampo doctors still cook the raw herbs into a tea, called a decoction.
Strength is not the same in every brand. Follow the pack or your doctor, not a dose you read on a forum.
Where it comes from:
The mix comes from two older formulas, Hainosan and Hainoto. Both appear in the Jin Gui Yao Lue, a Chinese medical book from about 200 CE.
Japanese doctors later joined the two into one. The joined form took the name Hainosankyuto and became a normal choice in Kampo for boils and gum trouble.
It sits on the MHLW list of 148 Kampo formulas covered by Japan's health insurance, so Japanese doctors can and do prescribe it today.
Who should avoid Hainosankyuto?
- Do not use if you have aldosteronism, a hormone problem that raises blood pressure and lowers potassium.
- Do not use if you have low potassium in the blood (hypokalaemia), or if a blood test has shown it recently.
- Do not use if you have myopathy, meaning muscle damage or unexplained muscle weakness, from any cause.
- Do not use if you take another product that contains licorice root (kanzo), including another Kampo formula, unless a doctor has added up the total dose for you.
- Do not use if you take digoxin, a water pill (diuretic), steroid tablets, or a drug that can upset heart rhythm, unless your doctor agrees and checks your potassium.
- Do not use if you have high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney disease, unless your doctor has said it is safe for you.
- Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, unless a doctor who knows Kampo has approved it.
- Do not give it to a child without a doctor's advice and a child-sized dose.
- Do not use if you have had a rash, swelling or any allergic reaction to licorice, peony, ginger or any of the six herbs.
- Never use it on its own for a spreading infection, red streaks on the skin, a fever, or a swollen face or jaw. That needs a doctor or dentist now.
- Never use it in place of an antibiotic your doctor has prescribed.
When should you see a doctor?
See a doctor or dentist the same day if a sore is spreading, if red streaks run out from it, if your face or jaw swells, or if you get a fever or chills.
Stop taking it and get medical advice if you notice puffy ankles or face, muscle weakness or cramps, a blood pressure reading higher than usual, or a heartbeat that feels fast or uneven.
Get urgent care if you have yellow skin or eyes, dark urine and deep tiredness, which can mean liver trouble. Do the same for a new dry cough with fever and breathlessness, which can mean lung swelling.
If the sore has not improved after about a week, stop and have it looked at.
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