eastern medicine

September 27, 2006 12:45 PM

Calling all Japanese-speakers! Help me identify some medicaments.

Allright sinophones, a Japanese guest of a friend left behind some choice medicines, no longer needing them. However, we are unable to identify any of them. We would like to use the items to ease our pounding headaches and soothe minor scrapes and burns, if possible.

Here is a numbered photo of the objects in question.

posted by baklavabaklava to writing & language (14 comments total)

The prefix "sino-" refers to China, not Japan.
posted by cerebus19 at 1:01 PM on September 27, 2006

Yeah, I realized that about a moment too late. But thanks.
posted by baklavabaklava at 1:04 PM on September 27, 2006

3 - throat drops
5 - pills to sooth your stomach
4 - cough drops
6 - antiseptic plasters
7 - bufferin (like aspirin)

I can't see the writing on the rest. I am useless.
posted by dydecker at 1:20 PM on September 27, 2006

paging misozaki-san!
posted by dydecker at 1:24 PM on September 27, 2006

2 - Athlete's foot spray
posted by dydecker at 1:40 PM on September 27, 2006

1. "Nodo Nuru" -- looks like a spray for sore throat, maybe like Cloraseptic?
   
2. "Score??? Dash???" -- Does something in/for 24 hours, but I can't tell what
   
3. "New Lulu A" -- Sore throat, runny nose and fever. Looks like it contains vitamins and probably aspirin or acetaminophen
   
4. "Tonin Cough Suppressant" -- cough drops
   
5. "Sakuron Pills" -- Upset stomach, heartburn, maybe hangover remedy
   
6. "Mohrus Tape" -- Not sure, but maybe plasters to soothe irritated skin (anti-rash?)
   
7. "Bufferin" -- Aspirin? The tabs look a little large, but maybe 6 and 7 are different pictures / resolutions?
   

posted by spacewrench at 1:42 PM on September 27, 2006

Number 2 is called "Scorba Dash"; it's for athlete's foot, itchy crotch, etc. Number 6 is "Mohrus Tape", as spacewrench said, but it's a cooling pad for things like osteoarthritis and tennis elbow. Number 7 is "Bufferin."
posted by armage at 5:21 PM on September 27, 2006

Sorry, I take that back -- I don't know if those Mohrus Tape things cool or not. I'm picturing something like "Icy Hot" pads like you can find in other countries.
posted by armage at 5:24 PM on September 27, 2006

I'm popping two bufferins right now!

(just aspirin painkiller)
posted by lundman at 5:47 PM on September 27, 2006

Looks like all the answers have been given!

Re 6: It says on this page that Mohrus Tape doesn't contain water so it isn't cold. But yes, you can use it on your sore back and tennis elbow!

Note: It contains ketoprophen (wiki) and should be kept out of sunlight when in use. Also, it says on the backside of the package that you should take care to keep the area shaded from the sun at least 4 weeks after you take it off.

Hiya, dydecker-san! Coming back here anytime soon?
posted by misozaki at 6:23 PM on September 27, 2006

Thankyou, all. I'll be spoiled for choice at my next stomach upset or rash. Can you believe someone would give up these top remedies?
By the way, what do we call Japanese speakers in English? Is it nippophones?
posted by baklavabaklava at 6:33 PM on September 27, 2006

Um, is it such a great idea to be using these anony-medicines when you can't read the directions and have little idea how much or how often you're supposed to apply them? I know these particular medicines are probably pretty harmless, but it seems like a pretty dodgy thing to do in general.

What makes you think that these Japanese medicines are so special, anyway?
posted by chrismear at 10:54 PM on September 27, 2006

I sort of thought baklavabaklava was just being facetious. But chrismear is right, if you or whoever is going to brave these medicines have particular allergies, maybe it's not such a good idea to use them. They aren't special at all really - just your run-of-the-mill drugstore remedies.

But if you dare...

I use Sakuron (No. 5) from time to time when I have an upset stomach, in fact I had some lying around right now and the dosage is 1 pack, 3 times a day in between meals (when there isn't any food in your stomach) for adults (people over 15 years old), for what it's worth. It also says to not use it if you're breastfeeding.

No. 3, the Sankyo Shin Ruru-A (Karyu) cold medicine includes acetaminophen. The dosage is 1 pack 3 times a day, preferably within 30 minutes of a meal for an adult.

Here's the Sato page for the cough lozenges No. 4. It says to chew or melt 1 pill 3 times a day preferably within 30 minutes of a meal.

No. 1 it seems there's no set dosage, but it says on this page that if you're allergic to Iodine (povidone iodine) don't use it.

The athlete's foot one I'm not going to bother checking... just use it on your feet and not in your eyes and you should be fine. : )

All of these medicines state that you should stop using them if something feels wrong, and to see a physician immediately. So... be careful!

All of the links are in Japanese... these companies are all pretty major pharmaceutical corporations in Japan, and I'm amazed that they don't have English information available about their products!
posted by misozaki at 12:15 AM on September 28, 2006

Yes, I was being facetious to a degree. I mean, if there's aspirin, I'll certainly take it, and I'm not too worried about the side effects of cough drops. I don't have any allergies and everything appeared to be over-the-counter. So I don't see any harm in stashing away athlete's foot spray or aspirin in the medicine cabinet, even if I can't read the labels- I've picked up plenty of medicine in foreign lands where I can't read the language and managed o.k.. Once I even dared to take a bite of a co-worker's pizza.
Thank-you all again (by the way, I believe the guest left these behind with the intention someone would use them-- he wasn't leaving prescription pharmaceuticals.)
posted by baklavabaklava at 2:11 PM on September 28, 2006