Integrative Medicine

Shi Quan Da Bu Tang

Health Care Professional Information

Common Name

Juzen-taiho-to, SQT, TJ-48

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Clinical Summary

Shi quan da bu tang is a Chinese herbal formula consisting of ten different herbs. Also known as Juzen-taiho-to in Japan, it is used in traditional medicine to alleviate symptoms of fatigue, anemia, loss of appetite, dry or scaly skin, night sweating, dryness of mouth, and for cancer treatment. Supporters believe that the beneficial effects of shi quan da bu tang are due to interactions between its components. Studies done in mice suggest that it has antitumor and antimetastatic effects (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (12), and protects against Alzheimer's disease (13).

Shi quan da bu tang exhibits radioprotective effects in mice exposed to radiation (7) and protects against myelosuppression induced by anticancer drugs (17).
Researchers in Japan administered Shi quan da bu tang to patients with advanced lung cancer for one year and observed an increase in survival time (8). It also alleviated hematotoxicity in patients with breast carcinoma receiving chemotherapy (18). Improvement in anemia has been reported in some studies (14) (15) (16).

No adverse effects have been reported with use of Shi quan da bu tang. However, some components are known to cause interactions with other drugs.

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Purported Uses
  • Appetite
  • Cancer treatment
  • Dry Skin
  • Dryness of mouth
  • Fatigue
  • Night Sweating
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Constituents
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Mechanism of Action

Studies performed in mice suggest that shi quan da bu tang has antitumor and antimetastatic effects (2) (3) (4) (6). These effects are mediated by stimulation of macrophages and natural killer cells. It also exhibits radioprotective effect in mice evidenced by an increase in spleen colony forming unit in mice exposed to radiation (7). In vitro studies using human bone marrow cells indicate that shi quan da bu tang can stimulate hemopoiesis (9).

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Contraindications

Breast cancer patients should use this product with caution as dong quai and ginseng may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells (11).

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Herb-Drug Interactions

Tamoxifen: Dong quai has estrogenic activity and may antagonize the effects of tamoxifen used to treat breast cancer.
Immunosuppressants: Astragalus may antagonize the effects of immunosuppressants such as tacrolimus and cyclosporine.

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Dosage (Inside MSKCC Only)
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References
  1. Zee-Cheng RK. Shi-quan-da-bu-tang (ten significant tonic decoction), SQT. A potent Chinese biological response modifier in cancer immunotherapy, potentiation and detoxification of anticancer drugs. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 1992; 14(9):725-36.
  2. Niwa K, et al. Preventive effects of Juzen-taiho-to on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and estradiol-17beta-induced endometrial carcinogenesis in mice. Carcinogenesis 2001; 22(4):587-91.
  3. Saiki I. A Kampo medicine “Juzen-taiho-to”—prevention of malignant progression and metastasis of tumor cells and the mechanism of action. Biol Pharm Bull 2000; 23(6):677-88.
  4. Tagami K, et al. Preventive effect of Juzen-taiho-to on endometrial carcinogenesis in mice is based on Shimotsu-to constituent. Biol Pharm Bull 2004; 27(2):156-61.
  5. Dai Y, et al. T-cell-immunity-based inhibitory effects of orally administered herbal medicine juzen-taiho-to on the growth of primarily developed melanocytic tumors in RET-transgenic mice. J Invest Dermatol 2001; 117(3):694-701.
  6. Ohnishi Y, et al. Oral administration of a Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine Juzen-taiho-to inhibits liver metastasis of colon 26-L5 carcinoma cells. Jpn J Cancer Res 1998; 89(2):206-13.
  7. Ohnishi Y, et al. Effects of juzen-taiho-toh (TJ-48), a traditional Oriental medicine, on hematopoietic recovery from radiation injury in mice. Exp Hematol 1990; 18(1):18-22.
  8. Satoh H, et al. Japanese herbal medicine in patients with advanced lung cancer: prolongation of survival. J Altern Complement Med 2002; 8(2):107-8.
  9. Hisha H, et al. Treatment of Shwachman syndrome by Japanese herbal medicine (Juzen-taiho-to): stimulatory effects of its fatty acids on hemopoiesis in patients. Stem Cells 2002; 20(4):311-19.
  10. Honso Professional Catalog 2002. Honso USA Inc.
  11. Amato P, et al. Estrogenic activity of herbs commonly used as remedies for menopausal symptoms. Menopause 2002 Mar-Apr;9(2):145-50.
  12. Kamiyama H, Takano S, Ishikawa E, Tsuboi K, Matsumura A. Anti-angiogenic and immunomodulatory effect of the herbal medicine “Juzen-taiho-to” on malignant glioma. Biol Pharm Bull. 2005 Nov;28(11):2111-6.
  13. Hara H, Kataoka S, Anan M, et al. The therapeutic effects of the herbal medicine, Juzen-taiho-to, on amyloid-beta burden in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2010;20(2):427-39.
  14. Sho Y, Fujisaki K, Sakashita H, et al. Orally administered Kampo medicine, Juzen-taiho-to, ameliorates anemia during interferon plus ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Gastroenterol. 2004 Dec;39(12):1202-4.
  15. Nakamoto H, Mimura T, Honda N. Orally administrated Juzen-taiho-to/TJ-48 ameliorates erythropoietin (rHuEPO)-resistant anemia in patients on hemodialysis. Hemodial Int. 2008 Oct;12 Suppl 2:S9-S14.
  16. Kishida Y, Nishii T, Inoue T, et al. Juzentaihoto (TJ-48), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, influences hemoglobin recovery during preoperative autologous blood donation and after hip surgery. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Dec;47(12):716-21.
  17. Ogawa K, Omatsu T, Matsumoto C, et al. Protective effect of the Japanese traditional medicine juzentaihoto on myelosuppression induced by the anticancer drug TS-1 and identification of a potential biomarker of this effect. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Aug 9;12:118.
  18. Huang SM, Chien LY, Tai CJ, Chiou JF, Chen CS, Tai CJ.Effectiveness of 3-Week Intervention of Shi Quan Da Bu Tang for Alleviating Hematotoxicity Among Patients With Breast Carcinoma Receiving Chemotherapy. Integr Cancer Ther. 2012 Jul 16. [Epub ahead of print]
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Consumer Information

How It Works

Bottom Line: Current evidence is insufficient to support use of Shi quan da bu tang for cancer in humans.

Shi quan da bu tang is an herbal formula comprised of Panax ginseng (Ginseng), Angelica sinensis (Dong quai), Paeonia lactiflora (Peony), Atractylodes macrocephala (Atractylodes), Poria cocos (Hoelen), Cinnamomum cassia (Cinnamon), Astragalus membranaceus (Astragulus), Liqusticum wallichii (Cnidium), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice), and Rehmannia glutinosa (Rehmannia).
It is used in traditional medicine to treat fatigue, anemia, loss of appetite, dry or scaly skin, night sweating, dryness of mouth, and cancer. Laboratory studies suggest that shi quan da bu tang can help prevent cancer and metastases.

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Purported Uses
  • Cancer treatment
    Studies in mice suggest that shi quan da bu tang has anticancer and antimetastatic effects.
    A small study of cancer patients showed that it improves survival.
  • Fatigue
    This formula is traditionally used for fatigue. However, scientific evidence is lacking.
  • Appetite
    There are no clinical data to support this use.
  • Dry skin
    No studies have been conducted to investigate this use.
  • Dryness of mouth
    This use is not backed by clinical data.
  • Night sweating
    There are no scientific evidence to support this use.
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Do Not Take If
  • You have hypersensitivity to any of the components.
  • You have breast cancer patients (Dong quai and Ginseng present in shi quan da bu tang may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells).
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Last updated: November 27, 2012
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