Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with a Kampo-formula, San'o-shashin-to: A case report

The following describes a 76-year-old male with obstructive sleep apnea syn drome successfully treated with a Kampo-formula, San'o-shashin-to (Formula medicamentorum tres ad dispellendi cordis). Polysomnography, performed befo re and after administration of San'o-shashin-to, revealed that the apnea in dex decreased from 11.1 events/hour to 4.1 events/hour, and that the: apnea plus hypopnea index decreased from 18.4 events/hour to 10.7 events/hour. T he patient was normo-weight (body mass index: 20.4 kg/m(2)), and events of sleep apnea and hypopnea were mostly noted during a non-rapid eye movement sleep. It is possible that San'o-shashin-to has some alleviating effects on the upper airway resistence during sleep.