Cabagin Kowa Alpha Plus: Types, Price, Dosage & Old vs New
Tokyo Mate
Cabagin is a stomach medicine brand from Kowa (KOWA). The Cabagin Kowa α Plus sold in Japan today comes in two forms, tablets and granules, and it's an over-the-counter medicine for stomach discomfort, bloating and indigestion. Below are each product's effects, how to take it, the prices on Kowa's official online store, and how it differs from the older Cabagin Kowa α.
About the Cabagin Brand
Cabagin started in 1960, when the Japanese pharmaceutical company Kowa (KOWA) released its first product, Cabagin Kowa Tablets (キャベジンコーワ錠). The name comes from the English "cabbage in", as in "found in cabbage".
Cabagin's signature ingredient, MMSC (methylmethionine sulfonium chloride), is a stomach-lining protection and repair ingredient found in cabbage juice. It used to be called "vitamin U".
The Cabagin Kowa α Plus sold in Japan today comes in two forms: tablets released in October 2024 and granules released in April 2026. Both have the same active ingredients, amounts and effects, but the dosage form and additives differ.
⚠️ Production of the earlier Cabagin Kowa α tablets and granules has ended in Japan. The current α Plus products have 「αプラス」 printed on the box.
Cabagin Types and Prices
Two Cabagin products are on sale in Japan right now: Cabagin Kowa α Plus tablets and granules.
※ Prices below are the tax-included prices on Kowa's official online store as of October 2026.
① Cabagin Kowa α Plus tablets (キャベジンコーワαプラス)
| Class | Class 2 OTC drug |
| Form | Tablet (two layers: outer layer and core) |
| Sizes | 18, 100, 200 and 300 tablets |
| Official price | 18 tablets 658 yen 100 tablets 1,188 yen 200 tablets 1,958 yen 300 tablets 2,398 yen |
| Effects | Relief of stomach discomfort, stomach pain, heartburn, indigestion, and nausea from overeating or drinking |
| Dosage | 15 and over: 2 tablets, 3 times a day 8 to 14: 1 tablet, 3 times a day Under 8: do not take |
| When to take | 3 times a day after each meal, with water or warm water |
| Where to buy | Pharmacies and drugstores in Japan |
| Ingredients | Per adult daily dose (6 tablets) Stomach-lining repair: MMSC (methylmethionine sulfonium chloride) 150mg Antacids: sodium bicarbonate 600mg, magnesium hydroxide 210mg, precipitated calcium carbonate 1,340mg, scopolia extract 3x powder 90mg Stomachic herbs: perilla dry extract 20mg, magnolia bark dry extract 15mg, swertia herb powder 30mg Digestive enzymes: biodiastase 2000 24mg, lipase AP12 15mg |
② Cabagin Kowa α Plus granules (キャベジンコーワαプラス顆粒)
| Class | Class 2 OTC drug |
| Form | Perilla-flavored granules (single-dose packets) |
| Sizes | 12, 28 and 56 packets |
| Official price | 12 packets 768 yen 28 packets 1,518 yen 56 packets 2,398 yen |
| Effects | Relief of stomach discomfort, stomach pain, heartburn, indigestion, and nausea from overeating or drinking |
| Dosage | 15 and over: 1 packet (1.3g), 3 times a day 11 to 14: 2/3 packet, 3 times a day 8 to 10: 1/2 packet, 3 times a day Under 8: do not take |
| When to take | 3 times a day after each meal, with water or warm water |
| Where to buy | Pharmacies and drugstores in Japan |
| Ingredients | Per adult daily dose (3 packets, 3.9g) Stomach-lining repair: MMSC (methylmethionine sulfonium chloride) 150mg Antacids: sodium bicarbonate 600mg, magnesium hydroxide 210mg, precipitated calcium carbonate 1,340mg, scopolia extract 3x powder 90mg Stomachic herbs: perilla dry extract 20mg, magnolia bark dry extract 15mg, swertia herb powder 30mg Digestive enzymes: biodiastase 2000 24mg, lipase AP12 15mg |
✅ Old Cabagin Kowa α vs current α Plus
Both contain the stomach-lining repair ingredient MMSC, but α Plus adds magnolia bark, a stomachic herb. The antacid also changed from magnesium carbonate to magnesium hydroxide, and the amounts of sodium bicarbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate and others differ.
Cabagin Kowa α Plus is sold in Japan at pharmacies, drugstores and other stores licensed to sell medicines.
Convenience-Store Cabagin: Cabagin Kowa Ichoujou
Cabagin Kowa Ichoujou (キャベジンコーワ胃腸錠), sold at Japanese convenience stores, is a designated quasi-drug for stomach discomfort and nausea from overeating or drinking. It's a different product from the Cabagin Kowa α Plus sold at drugstores.
| Class | Designated quasi-drug |
| Form | Tablet |
| Size | 4 tablets |
| Official price | Open price (set by each store) |
| Effects | For stomach discomfort or nausea from overeating or drinking |
| Dosage | 15 and over: 2 tablets, 3 times a day Under 15: do not take |
| When to take | 3 times a day, after meals or between meals |
| Where to buy | Convenience stores, supermarkets and similar shops in Japan |
| Ingredients | Per adult daily dose (6 tablets) Stomach-lining repair: MMSC (methylmethionine sulfonium chloride) 60mg, aldioxa 300mg Stomachic herbs: ginger powder 180mg, swertia herb powder 10mg, perilla dry extract 15mg, hop dry extract 12.6mg Digestive ingredient: ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) 45mg |
✅ Convenience-store Cabagin vs drugstore Cabagin
The convenience-store Cabagin Kowa Ichoujou is a designated quasi-drug, while Cabagin Kowa α Plus is a Class 2 OTC drug.
Ichoujou contains MMSC, aldioxa, four stomachic herbs and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). α Plus combines MMSC with antacids, stomachic herbs and digestive enzymes.
You can buy α Plus at pharmacies and drugstores licensed to sell medicines, while Ichoujou is also sold at ordinary convenience stores.
Cabagin Cautions, Side Effects and Storage
Don't take gastrointestinal antispasmodics while you're taking Cabagin Kowa α Plus.
Don't take it while breastfeeding, or avoid breastfeeding if you do take it. The ingredients can pass into breast milk and speed up the baby's pulse, and milk production may drop.
✅ Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you:
- are being treated by a doctor
- are pregnant or may be pregnant
- are elderly
- have had an allergic reaction to a medicine
- have difficulty urinating
- have been diagnosed with kidney disease, heart disease, glaucoma or a thyroid disorder
✅ Side effects and when to stop
If you get a rash, redness or itching after taking it, stop right away and talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
Also stop and get advice if dry mouth continues or gets worse, or if your symptoms don't improve after about two weeks. Bring the package or the leaflet with you when you ask.
✅ How to store Cabagin
Keep both the tablets and the granules in a cool place away from direct sunlight, heat and humidity, and don't move them into another container.
- Tablets: Don't handle them with wet hands, and throw away any tablets that get wet. Remove the filler from the bottle after opening, and take the tablets within 6 months of opening.
- Granules: If you split a packet, fold the opening of the packet to store the rest and take it within 2 days.
Keep both out of reach of children, and don't take any product past the expiry date printed on the package.
Cabagin vs Ota-isan
Cabagin Kowa α Plus and Ota-isan S are both Class 2 OTC stomach medicines, but their main ingredients and features differ.
Cabagin α Plus combines the stomach-lining repair ingredient MMSC with antacids, stomachic herbs and digestive enzymes. It's for stomach discomfort, stomach pain, heartburn, indigestion and nausea from overeating or drinking.
Ota-isan S is a powdered all-round stomach medicine that combines seven stomachic herbs with antacids and digestive enzymes. It's for overeating, drinking too much, heartburn, excess stomach acid and indigestion.
The difference between Ota-isan S and Ota-isan A, plus official prices and dosage for each type, is in the post below.
👉 Ota-isan Japanese Stomach Medicine: Powder vs Tablet
FAQ: Dosage, Instructions and Tax-Free
Q. Can I take Cabagin every day?
A. Yes. According to Kowa's official guidance, you can take Cabagin Kowa α Plus every day if it works for you. Take it 3 times a day after each meal, and if your symptoms don't improve after about two weeks, stop and talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
Q. Can I take Cabagin before meals?
A. No. Cabagin Kowa α Plus tablets and granules are taken after meals. For a medicine taken before meals, Kowa has a separate product, Shin Cabe 2 Kowa (新キャベ2コーワ).
Q. Is there an English leaflet for Cabagin?
A. Yes. Kowa's official website has English leaflets for Cabagin Kowa α Plus tablets and granules. They are translations of the Japanese package insert. If the box doesn't contain a separate leaflet, check the directions and cautions printed on the box.
➡️ Cabagin tablets: English leaflet
➡️ Cabagin granules: English leaflet
Q. Is Cabagin tax-free in Japan?
A. Yes. Cabagin is a tax-free eligible medicine. As of October 2026, eligible travelers get tax-free when they spend 5,000 yen or more (excluding tax) at the same tax-free store in one day.
From November 1, 2026, you'll pay the tax-included price, have customs confirm the goods are leaving when you depart, and then get the consumption tax refunded.
The new tax-free procedure and how the refund works are covered in the post below.
👉 Japan Tax-Free Change Nov 2026: How the New Refund Works
Cabagin is Kowa's stomach medicine brand, named after cabbage. Cabagin Kowa α Plus comes as tablets and granules and is sold at Japanese drugstores. Its formula differs from the older α, so check the product name before you buy, and read Kowa's official English leaflet for the effects and dosage.
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