芍藥甘草湯降低精神病藥物引起的椎體外症候群

Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to Treatment for Effective Relief of the Extrapyramidal Symptoms Caused by Antipsychotics

錐體外症候群是服用第一代抗精神病藥物時很容易出現的副作用，常見的症狀包含有肌肉會不受控制的收縮，出現眼皮跳動、表情扭曲、舌頭不自主的捲曲、講話不清楚、頸部肌肉收縮導致頭歪向一邊等等，在思覺失調症與失智症患者身上常見。臨床研究發現，經過芍藥甘草湯兩週的治療後，椎體外症候群可以得到明顯得緩解，特別是肌張力障礙引起的四肢也會不由自主的跳動或坐立難安等現象。

Extra-Pyramidal Symptoms (EPS) are the usual side effects induced by the first generation of antipsychotics, usually taken by early psychosis and dementia patients. The common symptoms include continuous spasms and muscle contractions, eyelid myokymia, distorting face, tongue tremor, unclear speaking, torticollis etc. Clinical study revealed that EPS (especially tremor induced by dystonia) could be effectively relieved after two weeks of Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to treatment.