Dietary herb extract rikkunshi-to ameliorates gastroparesis in Parkinson's disease: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE

To perform an open trial on the effects of the extract of the dietary herb Rikkunshi-to (RKT) on gastroparesis in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, using objective parameters given by the (13)C-sodium acetate expiration breath test (gastric emptying study).

METHODS

Twenty patients with PD were enrolled into this study. Eleven patients were male and 9 were female, with the following characteristics (mean ± SD): age, 69.4 ± 8.17 years; disease duration, 4.34 ± 4.03 years; modified Hoehn and Yahr stage, 2.37 ± 0.98, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part 3 motor score, 16.6 ± 7.37. Fourteen patients came to the clinic due to constipation; 16 patients were taking 288 ± 72 mg/day levodopa/carbidopa, 2 were taking dopamine agonists, and the others were not treated yet. All patients underwent the breath test. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test.

RESULTS

RKT was well tolerated by all patients and none experienced abdominal pain or other adverse effects, except for its bitter taste. RKT significantly reduced the peak time of the (13)C-dose-excess curve (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In this pilot trial, we found a significant shortening of the gastric emptying time after administration of the dietary herb extract RKT in PD patients. Further studies examining both gastric emptying and delayed-on in PD are warranted. .