Ryokankyomishingeninto
Quick Facts
- What it is: A seven-herb Kampo formula, counted as a single drug, used for a cough with thin, watery mucus in people who feel weak and cold.
- Main uses: Cough with thin, watery mucus, Lingering cough after a cold, Clear, runny nose
- Best for: A wet, watery cough in someone who feels cold and tired, Short courses under a doctor's eye
- Active ingredients: Glycyrrhizin (from licorice root), Gingerols (from dried ginger), Schisandra lignans, Amygdalin (from apricot kernel), Asarum volatile oils, Poria polysaccharides (large sugar molecules)
- Forms: Dried extract granules, Boiled herb tea (decoction), Tablets or capsules
- Time to effect: A few days for some people; judge it at two weeks.
- Side effects: Mostly from licorice: swelling, higher blood pressure, low potassium and muscle weakness.
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What is Ryokankyomishingeninto?
Ryokankyomishingeninto is a Kampo herbal formula from Japan. In Kampo it counts as a single drug, even though it blends seven herbs. It is also called Poria, Licorice, Ginger, Schisandra, Asarum, Pinellia and Apricot Kernel Decoction (herbs boiled in water).
It is used for a cough that brings up thin, watery mucus. It suits people who feel weak, tired or cold, and it is often given to older adults. Kampo doctors also pick it for a clear runny nose with the same picture.
Human trial evidence is thin. We found no trial that tests this formula against a dummy pill. Its standing rests on long use in Kampo, and long use is not proof that a remedy works.
How does Ryokankyomishingeninto work?
No one has shown how it works in the body. Kampo theory says it warms the chest and moves out 'cold, thin fluid'. Watery mucus is read as a sign of that fluid.
Lab and animal work hints at a few actions. Licorice may soothe the airway, ginger may warm the gut, and apricot kernel has long been used to quiet a cough. None of this has been tested in people for this formula.
What forms does Ryokankyomishingeninto come in?
Most often it comes as granules: a water extract that has been dried into a powder. Each dose comes in its own sachet.
A Kampo pharmacy can also boil the raw herbs into a tea for you. Tablets and capsules exist but are less common. Strength differs by brand, so read the label.
Where it comes from:
The recipe comes from the Jingui Yaolue, a Chinese medical classic about 1,800 years old. Japanese Kampo doctors kept it in use, and it is now a listed Kampo medicine in Japan. It has never been a big seller; it is a narrow, targeted choice.
Who should avoid Ryokankyomishingeninto?
- Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding; apricot kernel and asarum are not treated as safe in pregnancy
- Do not use if you have low potassium (a low level of a salt your heart needs)
- Do not use if you have high blood pressure that is not under control
- Do not use if you have heart failure or any heart rhythm problem
- Do not use if you have kidney disease or are on dialysis (a machine that cleans the blood)
- Do not use if you have aldosteronism (a hormone problem that makes the body hold salt) or myopathy (damaged, weak muscles)
- Do not use if you take digoxin, a water pill (diuretic) or steroid tablets, unless your doctor checks your potassium first
- Do not use if you already take another licorice product or another Kampo formula that holds licorice
- Do not use if you plan to give it to a baby or young child without a doctor's advice, because apricot kernel can release cyanide, a poison
- Do not use if you cannot be sure of the source; some Asarum plants carry compounds linked to kidney damage and cancer, so buy only a licensed Kampo product
When should you see a doctor?
See a doctor if your cough lasts more than two weeks, gets worse, or wakes you at night. Get help the same day if you cough up blood, run a fever, feel short of breath, or have chest pain. Stop the formula and get checked if your face or ankles swell, your muscles cramp or feel weak, your heart flutters, or your blood pressure climbs.
Evidence grades and traditional-use labels are explained in our methodology. Nothing here is medical advice.
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