Educational information, not medical advice — ask your doctor or midwife.
Keishikakkonto is a Japanese Kampo herbal formula. People take it at the first sign of a cold, with chills, a stiff neck and tight shoulders. It is a ministry-approved Kampo medicine in Japan, made by firms such as Tsumura.
The name means Cinnamon Twig Decoction plus Pueraria. It is the older keishito recipe with kakkon (kudzu root) added. Unlike the better-known kakkonto, this version contains no ephedra (ma huang).
Here is the evidence in one line. The traditional standing is strong, but human trial data on this exact formula is very thin. Long use by many people is not the same as proof that a medicine works.
One safety point is not in doubt. The formula contains licorice root, about 2 g a day, and licorice can upset your salt and potassium balance.
The honest answer is that its effects in people have not been well studied.
In Kampo theory, the formula warms the body surface and loosens a tight neck. It is matched to a person who sweats a little and feels chilled.
In laboratory studies, kudzu root and cinnamon bark show anti-inflammatory activity in cells. Whether that helps a person with a cold is not established.
One effect is well shown in people, and it is a risk, not a benefit. Glycyrrhizin from licorice blocks 11beta-HSD2 (an enzyme that shields the kidney from cortisol). This can cause pseudoaldosteronism (a salt and water imbalance caused by licorice), with low potassium, swelling and higher blood pressure.
Most people take it as extract granules in single-dose sachets. Tablets and capsules are also sold.
Traditional practice uses a decoction, where the raw herbs are simmered in water. Granules are the common form in Japanese pharmacies today.
Check the label for the licorice (kanzo) amount. You need that number if you take any other Kampo formula.
The recipe comes from the Shang Han Lun, a Chinese medical text from about 200 CE. It was carried into Japan and became part of Kampo practice.
Kampo doctors have used it for centuries for early colds with neck and shoulder stiffness. It is now an approved prescription medicine under Japanese rules.
Stop the formula and see a doctor if your ankles, face or hands swell. Do the same for new muscle weakness, cramps, or a rise in your blood pressure.
See a doctor if your fever lasts more than three days, or climbs above 39C. Also go if you get a bad cough, chest pain or breathlessness.
Get help the same day for a fast or uneven heartbeat, yellow skin or eyes, or dark urine. Get emergency help for a stiff neck with high fever, confusion or a rash that does not fade when pressed.
Evidence grades and traditional-use labels are explained in our methodology. Nothing here is medical advice.
Reviewed by the HealisticMD editorial team How we grade evidence →
The published evidence for Keishikakkonto is weak or absent. That usually means no controlled trial has tested it, not that a trial found it ineffective — the two are different, and we grade only what has been published.
What it is typically used for, usual dose, cautions, and the study behind it where real trial data exists.
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