The Toho (Anti Emetic Remedy) Today: What Traditional Chinese/Japanese Medicine Tells Us Today

Tetano M

Published on: 2024-10-23

Abstract

Toho (emetic remedy) is one of the three distinctive remedies in the traditional Chinese/Japanese medicine as well as kanpo (perspiratory remedy) and kaho (purgative remedy). It is a treatment based on a medical philosophy of taking evacuant to eliminate toxin out of the human body to recover his/her physical condition. We can see its source in the Huangdi-Neijing-Suwen and the Shanghanlun in ancient China, then subsequently in the Jin dynasty (1115-1234), Zhuang-zihe (1156-1228) described it evidently in his Ruwen-shiqin.  

In the Edo era (1603-1868) Japan, it was one of the distinctive medical remedies in the traditional Japanese medicine those days, so-called “Kanpo”. It is over 200years ago that this remedy was adopted in the clinical practice. However, it is not a past memoir. We have much to learn from this classical remedy. Accordingly, I will clarify Nakagami, Kinkei and his disciple Kitamura, Ryotaku’s emetic remedy depicted in their medical works to designate its significance in this modern world.  

In these works, Nakagami described his clinical practice and his philosophy of medicine including emetic remedy Toho so wide open. On the other hand, Kitamura particularly described his implement of this remedy especially on those patients suffered from psychiatric diseases or neuroses. We can find some medical reason why he could get such prosperous result especially in such field of clinical phase, I would refer to it in the main part.

Therefore, we can view Nakagami’s works as a preliminary framework to Kitamura’s Toho. Then, especially Kitamura’s clinical practice and his medical philosophy of this remedy conveys us beneficial insight today. Accordingly, I would take Nakagami’s works first, then take Kitamura’s Tohoron (theory of emetic remedy) to perceive the intrinsic essence so that we may adopt its insight to our medicine today.