Effects of Yi-Gan-san on the psychiatric behavior of children and adolescents with Tourette's Syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, controlled preliminary study
Huang CH, Liao WL, Lee DY, Chou IC, Wang MY, Hsieh CL · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2022 May
DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115098
Objective
To investigate the effects of oral Yi-Gan-san administration on psychiatric behavior and tic severity in children and adolescents with Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome.
Conclusions
Oral administration of Yi-Gan-san reduced the intensity of phonic tics after one week compared with placebo, suggesting a short-term effect, and four-week treatment compliance was acceptable in children and adolescents with Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome.
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Insights
Yi-Gan-san briefly reduced vocal tic intensity in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome, but showed no sustained benefit over four weeks.
This double-blind, randomized controlled preliminary study assigned children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome to receive either Yi-Gan-san or a placebo containing mostly starch for four weeks. Researchers assessed changes in overall tic severity and individual tic characteristics using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale at baseline and during treatment.
Compared with placebo, Yi-Gan-san reduced the intensity of vocal tics after one week of treatment. This difference was not maintained at later assessments, and no broader sustained improvements in tic severity were reported. The treatment was considered acceptable for participants to take over the four-week period.
