Shi Quan Da Bu Tang

Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More
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Shi Quan Da Bu Tang

Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More
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Shi Quan Da Bu Tang

Common Names

  • Juzen-taiho-to
  • SQT
  • TJ-48
  • Sipjeondaebo-tang

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For Patients & Caregivers

Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you’re taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.

What is it?

Current evidence is insufficient to support use of Shi Quan Da Bu Tang for cancer treatment.



Shi Quan Da Bu Tang is an herbal formula that consists 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 Asian medicine to treat fatigue, anemia, appetite loss, dry or scaly skin, night sweats, dry mouth, and cancer. Breast cancer patients should consult with their physicians before using this formula because dong quai and ginseng may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.

What are the potential uses and benefits?
  • Appetite loss

    Evidence is lacking to support this claim.
  • Anemia

    Preliminary data show that the formula helps improve anemia.
  • Cancer treatment

    Small studies of cancer patients suggest it may help improve survival and decrease chemotherapy-associated side effects, but more studies are needed.
  • Dry skin

    Evidence is lacking to support this claim.
  • Dry mouth

    Evidence is lacking to support this claim.
  • Fatigue

    This formula is traditionally used for fatigue. One preliminary trial suggests benefit in cancer patients, but results from another trial in patients with chronic fatigue were mixed.
  • Night sweats

    Evidence is lacking to support this claim.
What else do I need to know?

Do Not Take if:

  • You have hypersensitivity to any of the components in the formula.
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For Healthcare Professionals

Clinical Summary

Shi Quan Da Bu Tang is an herbal formula that consists of 10 herbs: Panax ginseng (Ginseng), Angelica sinensis (Dong quai), Paeonia lactiflora (Peony), Atractylodes macrocephala (Atractylodes), Poria cocos (Hoelen), Cinnamomum cassia (Cinnamon), Astragalus membranaceus (Astragalus), Liqusticum wallichii (Cnidium), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice), and Rehmannia glutinosa (Rehmannia) (1). Also known as Juzen-taiho-to in Japan, it is used in traditional medicine to alleviate fatigue, anemia, appetite loss, dry or scaly skin, night sweats, and dry mouth, and to treat cancer. Supporters believe the formula’s beneficial effects are due to interactions between its components.

Preclinical studies suggest that Shi Quan Da Bu Tang may protect against Alzheimer’s disease (13) and may prevent muscle atrophy by lowering oxidative stress (19). It also exhibits antitumor and antimetastatic properties (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (12), as well as radio- (7) and myeloprotective effects (17).

Preliminary clinical data indicate it helps improve anemia (14) (15) (16) and is effective in preventing recurrent acute otitis media in children (20). Data on whether it can improve symptoms in adults with chronic fatigue are mixed (26).

In oncology settings, the formula has been reported to exert immunomodulatory effects in pancreatic cancer patients (21), increase survival time in patients with lung cancer (8) (27), and alleviate hematotoxicity in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy (18). Additional trials are underway to determine effectiveness against cancer-related fatigue (22) and anorexia (23) as well as cold hypersensitivity in hands and feet (24). Preliminary results from one trial suggest improvements in cancer-related fatigue and quality of life (28).

Breast cancer patients should consult their physicians before using this formula because dong quai and ginseng may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells (11).

Purported Uses and Benefits
  • Appetite loss
  • Anemia
  • Cancer
  • Dry skin
  • Dry mouth
  • Fatigue
  • Night sweats
Mechanism of Action

Studies using murine models suggest that Shi Quan Da Bu Tang has antitumor and antimetastatic effects (2) (3) (4) (6) that are mediated by stimulation of macrophages and natural killer cells. Other preclinical studies demonstrated radioprotective effects as evidenced by an increase in spleen colony forming units in mice exposed to radiation (7) along with stimulating hemopoiesis in vitro (9).

Adjuvant treatment may improve progression-free survival in patients with postoperative recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer by preventing nutritional disorders (27).

Contraindications
  • Hypersensitivity to any of the components in the formula.
Herb-Drug Interactions
  • S-1(Tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil): In a murine model, repeated doses of Shi Quan Da Bu Tang inhibited absorption of gimeracil, an inhibitor of 5-FU metabolism, leading to increased elimination and reduced plasma levels of 5-FU. Clinical relevance is not known (25).
Dosage (OneMSK Only)
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. 2013 Mar;12(2):136-44.
  19. Ishida T, Iizuka M, Ou Y, et al. Juzentaihoto hot water extract alleviates muscle atrophy and improves motor function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic oxidative stress mice. J Nat Med. 2019 Jan;73(1):202-209.
  20. Ito M, Maruyama Y, Kitamura K, et al. Randomized controlled trial of juzen-taiho-to in children with recurrent acute otitis media. Auris Nasus Larynx. 2017 Aug;44(4):390-397.
  21. Ikemoto T, Shimada M, Iwahashi S, et al. Changes of immunological parameters with administration of Japanese Kampo medicine (Juzen-Taihoto/TJ-48) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Int J Clin Oncol. 2014 Feb;19(1):81-6.
  22. Cheon C, Kang S, Ko Y, Kim M, Jang BH, Shin YC, Ko SG. Sipjeondaebo-tang in patients with breast cancer with fatigue: a protocol for a pilot, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. BMJ Open. 2018 Jul 6;8(7):e021242.
  23. Ko Y, Sun SH, Han IS, et al. The efficacy and safety of Sipjeondaebo-tang in Korean patients with cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet: a protocol for a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial.Trials. 2019 Apr 15;20(1):217.
  24. Cheon C, Park S, Park YL, et al. Sipjeondaebo-tang in patients with cancer with anorexia: a protocol for a pilot, randomised, controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2016 May 12;6(5):e011212.
  25. Kim TH, Shin S, Shin JC, et al. Effect of Sipjeondaebo-Tang on the Pharmacokinetics of S-1, an Anticancer Agent, in Rats Evaluated by Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling. Molecules. 2017 Sep 7;22(9). pii: E1488.
  26. Shin S, Park SJ, Hwang M. Effectiveness a herbal medicine (Sipjeondaebo-tang) on adults with chronic fatigue syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Integr Med Res. Jun 2021;10(2):100664.
  27. Kawai H, Saito Y. Combination of Juzentaihoto and chemotherapy improves the prognosis of patients with postoperative recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer. Mol Clin Oncol. Sep 2020;13(3):13.
  28. Lee JY, Kim EH, Yoon JH, et al. Traditional Herbal Medicine, Sipjeondaebo-Tang, for Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Preliminary Study. Integr Cancer Ther. Jan-Dec 2021;20:15347354211040830.
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