‘Hachi’ or Rehmannia-Eight Formula Supports Sleep through a Trifecta of Benefits
Hachi’ helps reduce nighttime bladder urgency for deeper sleep
Autonomic nervous system calming effect
Helps improve parasympathetic tone which reduces over-activation of sympathetic excitation
Improves insulin resistance (another known sleep disturbance factor)
Clinically improved BPH (prostate enlargement symptoms) in 70%
Hachimijiogan (or ‘Hachi’ for short) is an ancient herbal formula long known for its potent and reliable benefits for major health issues like diabetes. Hachimijiogan (also known as Eight-Ingredient Rehmannia Formula) is a popular Japanese Kampo formula that originated in China and is used traditionally for several other conditions related to aging, such as fatigue, blurred vision, and frequent urination which can keep you up at night. By not only addressing urinary frequency at night, but also insulin resistance and nervous/irritability issues,
Hachi fortuitously helps with a trifecta of three separate factors acutely linked to poor sleep. Hachimijiogan is the Japanese, or Kampo, name for the formula, while Ba Wei Di Huang Wan is its original Chinese name. The formula was first recorded in the classic Chinese medical text Jin Gui Yao Lue in the second century AD.
Insulin resistance occurs in vast numbers of our population with 40% now considered obese and 60%-70% overweight. As insulin resistance causes dramatic swings in blood sugar with both highs and lows, this has a negative impact on sleep because it causes wakefulness from the release of the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. In oral glucose tolerance tests, Hachi significantly improved the insulin response at 30 min and reduced the plasma glucose level at 60 min after glucose (Hirotani, 2010). Insulin resistance also leads to a pro-inflammatory state that decreases serotonin synthesis which is needed for having a relaxed state of mind and being able to easily fall asleep. Serotonin production is also needed for nighttime melatonin synthesis, another prerequisite of deep, sound sleep with brain rejuvenating REM
stages.
The two halves of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) generally work in opposite directions: the sympathetic nervous system acts as an “accelerator,” preparing the body for “fight or flight,” while the parasympathetic nervous system acts as a “brake,” inducing a “rest and digest” state. Numerous studies show Hachi helps shift the autonomic nervous system to a cholinergic or parasympathetic function which can help relieve brain over-activity and is related to anxiety in some people (Hirokawa, 1996, et. al.). This shift is critical for promoting a relaxed, calm mind and improving sleep.
Researchers also noted that the formula activates a protein related to memory formation, and helps with reducing depression and anxiety. Depression-like behaviors were significantly prevented by reducing neuroinflammatory pathways. For nighttime bladder overactivity a study of 60 subjects showed that Hachi could reduce nighttime urination by almost 25% in those who were unresponsive to regular medications for overactive bladder. Men who have a prostate issue known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) which can also cause excess bladder urgency when trying to sleep were also tremendously improved by Hachi. 67% had improved subjective symptoms and 47% had improved urine flow. An improvement in overall clinical efficacy was observed in 70% (Yachiku, 1985).
Draco has manufactured Hachi as Ba Wei Di Huang Wan 8:1 concentrated extract for many years
now,
Cosmetic Corner:
Are dust mites causing red, itchy skin? Rehammnia to the rescue!
Rehmannia glutinosa is a traditional herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory properties, especially for skin conditions. Dust is all around us, but few people realize they are full of living organisms known as dust mites, little biting insects! Most people are not affected by this but some of us can develop allergic reactions known as atopic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin disease associated with enhanced T-helper 2 responses, elevated serum IgE levels to allergens, and white blood cell infiltration. A study found that mite allergen (Dermatophagoides farinae) skin treated with Rehmannia extract had reduced dermatitis scores, ear thicknesses, and serum histamine levels to help some of us relieve this condition (Sung, 2011).