Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry (동의신경정신과학회지)

The Korean Society of Oriental Neuropsychiatry (대한한방신경정신과학회)
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Suggestions for Potentially Useful Herbal Medicines for Treating Insomnia in COVID-19 Era: A Mini-Review

  • Suh, Hyo-Weon (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong) ;
  • Kwon, Chan-Young (Department of Oriental Neuropsychiatry, Dong-Eui University College of Korean Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Jong Woo (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong)
  • Received : 2021.05.21
  • Accepted : 2021.06.25
  • Published : 2021.06.30
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Abstract

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. Mental sequelae occurring in patients with COVID-19 and the general population are important concerns. In Korea, herbal medicine is used nationwide to respond to this pandemic. It can be prescribed by COVID-19 telemedicine center of Korean medicine (KM). Among some herbal medicines, Gamiguibi-tang is the only herbal medicine prescribed for individuals with mental health, especially for those with insomnia. In this mini-review, the objective of this study was to summarize the evidence of some promising herbal medicines available for treating primary insomnia based on existing clinical and preclinical studies. Methods: A research team was formed for KM clinical practice guidelines for insomnia (version 1.0). Team members were provided with a list of references of relevant herbal medicines for insomnia. To gather evidence from clinical studies with appropriate sample sizes, among the list of references, randomized controlled trials for primary insomnia that included 50 subjects or more per arm and used herbal medicine were included in the final analysis. Moreover, pre-clinical studies examining the mechanism of action of each herbal medicine and studies on herb-drug interactions, were searched and summarized. Results: Four herbal medicines (Ondam-tang, Sanjoin-tang, Guibi-tang, and Hyeolbuchugeo-tang) were reviewed based on existing clinical and preclinical studies. Based on findings of existing studies, some suggestions of herbal medicines for insomnia in the COVID-19 era in Korea were suggested. Conclusions: Data of this study could be used to prepare a future revision of the manual of COVID-19 telemedicine center of KM.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (Grant Number: HF20C0079). The authors are grateful for the support of the COVID-19 telemedicine center of Korean medicine, the Association of Korean Medicine, and the research team for the Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines for insomnia (version 1.0).

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