• 대한약침학회지
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.7-8
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• 2003

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.65-84
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• 2001

We recently demonstrated that bee venom (BV) injection into acupoint (i.e. Zusanli) produced more potent anti-inflammatory and antinociciptive effect in Freunds adjuvant induced rheumatoid arthritis (RA) model as compared with that of non-acupoint injection(i.e back). However, the precise components underlying BV-induced antinociceptive and/or anti-inflammatory effects have not been fully understood. Therefore, we further investigated the anti-arthritic effect of BV after extracting the whole BV according to solubility (water soluble: BVA, ethylacetate soluble: BVE). Subcutaneous BVA treatment (0.9 mg/kg/day) into Zusanli acupoint was found to dramatically inhibit paw edema and radiological change (i.e. new bone proliferation and soft tissue swelling) caused by Freunds adjuvant injection. In addition, the increase of serum interleukin-6 by RA induction was normalized by the BVA treatment as similar with that of non-arthritic animals. On the other hand, BVA therapy significantly reduced arthritis induced nociceptive behaviors (i.e., nociceptive score for mechanical hyperalgesia and thermal hyperalgesia). Furthermore, BVA treatment significantly suppressed adjuvant induced Fos expression in the lumbar spinal cord at 3 weeks post-adjuvant injection. However, BVE treatment (0.05 mg/kg/day) has not any anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effect on RA. Based on the present results, we demonstrated that BVA might be a effective fraction in whole BV for long-term treatment of RA-induced pain and inflammation. However, it is clear necessary that further fraction study about BVA was required for elucidating an effective component of BVA.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.189-199
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• 2019

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA), the laser acupuncture (LA) and the combination therapy (LA+EA) in a collagenase-induced osteoarthritis rat model. Methods : Osteoarthritis rat model was induced by injection of collagenase into left lower articular cavity (50 μl to knee and 10 μl to ankle). In order to assess the anti-osteoarthritic effects of EA, the 650 nm LA and 650 nm LA+EA, the histopathological findings and plantar withdrawal responses were analyzed. Results : All of the treatment methods used in this study were effective in reducing pain. All treatment groups were effective in decreasing inflammatory cytokines of TNF-a and IL-6; the 650 nm LA and 650 nm LA+EA groups significantly reduced IL-1β. Conclusions : 650 nm LA and EA inhibit the production of collagenase-induced inflammatory mediators of osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.122-134
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• 2001

The effects of Cervus elaphus and Cervus elaphus aquapuncuture on body weight, protein efficiency ratio, body length, serum growth hormone and intellectual development were studied for thirty-four days. The results were summarized as follows. 1. Body weight significantly increased in Cervus elaphus aquapuncture oral administration group compared to GH groups. 2. Protein efficiency ratio had no significant difference within all groups. 3. Body length significantly increased in Cervus elaphus aquapuncture group compared to GH injection group on 3rd day, tail length significantly increased in Cervus elaphus aquapuncture group and Cervus elaphus aquapuncture oral administration group compared to GH injection group but, body length has no significant difference within all groups. 4. Serum GH significantly increased in Cervus elaphus aquapuncture oral administration group compared to that of GH injection group. 5. As results of observing memory acquisition using Morris water maze system, there was no significant difference within all groups. 6. As results of observing retention using Morris water maze system, staying times significantly increased in Cervus elaphus aquapuncture oral administration group compared to that of GH injection group at Ist trial and 3rd trial. 7. As results of observing staining intensity of NADPH-d-positive neurons in tissue of hippocampal part, significant increasing of staining intensity were observed in septum and VDB of hippocampus in Cervus elaphus aquapuncture oral administration group compared to that of GH injection group. According to the above results, it is concluded that Cervus elaphus oral administration and Cervus elaphus aquapuncture on acupoint G39 showed effects on growth and intellectual development of animals.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.95-108
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• 2005

Objective : In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) applied to several acupoints and non-acupoint in CFA-induced knee arthritis was examined. Methods : A common source of persistent pain in humans is arthritis. Arthritis was induced by injection of CFA $125\;{\mu}l$ into knee joint cavity under enflurane anesthesia. The rat subsequently showed swelling of the ankle and a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for the next several days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. EA was applied to either of $LR_2,\;LI_4$, or non-acupoint on the contralateral forelimb for 30 min under gaseous anesthesia. After the termination of EA, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 4 h. Results : EA applied to $LR_2$ point produced a significant improvement of stepping force of the affected foot lasting for at least 2 h. However, neigher $LI_4$ point nor non-point produced any significant increase of weight bearing force. The improvement of stepping pressure was interpreted as an analgesic effect. The analgesic effect was specific to the acupuncture point since the analgesic effect on CFA-induced knee arthritic pain model could not be mimicked by EA applied to a point, $LI_4$ or non-acupoint. In addition, both NO production and iNOS protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by EA applied to $LR_2$ point. Conclusion : These data suggest that EA produces a potent analgesic effect in the rat model of CFA-induced knee arthritis. This analgesic effect is produced by applying EA to an acupoint at opposite side from the painful area in a stimulus point-specific way.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.57-74
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• 2005

Objective : Frutus gardeniae, seed of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis is one of the crude drugs used for the treatment of inflammatory condition in oriental medicine. Methodes : The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect and anti-inflammatory effect of Frutus gardeniae extract (FGE) on a rat model of ankle sprain pain, and the relations between FGE-induced effect and endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord. As a chronic pain model, ankle sprain pain model was used to test the effect of FCE injection applied to acupuncture point. After the induction of ankle sprain, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. FGE dissolved in normal saline was injected several acupoints. Results : After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 8 hours. FGE produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the ankle sprain lasting at least 4 hours. FGE produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, FGE injection showed inhibitory effect on the paw edema induced by ankle sprain. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by ankle sprain were suppressed by FGE. FGE on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the ankle sprain than either FGE or EA did. The present study suggest that FGE produces a potent analgesic effect on the ankle sprain pain model of the rat and that FGE-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.324-329
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• 2006

Neuropathic pain syndromes resulted from peripheral nerve injury appear to be resistant to conventional analgesics like opioids. However, it has been demonstrated that acupuncture including aqua-acupuncture may be effective in managing neuropathic pain. The present study was conducted to determine if bee venom injection into acupoint ihibits neuropathic pain, which is difficult to be treated by usual analgesics. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neuropathic surgery. Two weeks after nerve injury, mechanical and cold allodynia were tested in order to evaluate the antiallodynic effects of bee venom injection into an acupoint. Intraperitoneal injection of morphine inhibited mechanical allodynia dose-dependently. Bee venom injected into Zusanli acupoint significantly inhibited mechanical and cold allodynia. These results suggest that bee venom-acupuncture as well as morphine is very effective to inhibit mechanical allodynia.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.117-127
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• 2005

Objective : This study was undertaken to determine if Plantaginis Semen herbal acupuncture(PSA) has a protective effect on glycerol-induced acute renal failure in rats. Methods : Rats were dehydrated for 24hr and then injected with 4 ml/kg of 50% glycerol in each hindlimb muscle. In experiments for PSA effect, rats were received 0.1 ml of PSA extraction in both sides of corresponding $Sh\grave{e}nsh\bar{u}(BL_{23})$ of human body for 3 days after injection of glycerol. The experimental group were divided into the normal group, the control group, the sample 1,2,3 group. Results : Glycerol injection decreased glomerular filtration rate and increased urine volume, serum creatinine, BUN level and fractional excretion of $Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-$. These results show that glycerol injection bring about acute renal failure. PSA significantly increased glomerular filtration rate and significantly decreased serum creatinine, BUN level and fractional excretion of $Na^+,\;and\;Cl^-$ as compared with control group. Conclusion : These results suggest that PSA can be used in prevention and treatment for acute renal failure. However, the precise mechanisms of PSA protection remain to be determined.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.55-71
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• 2006

Objectives : The present study was investigated the effect and pathway of heterotopic electroacupuncture (EA) on pain induced by formalin in rats. Methods : Acupoints in the right forepaws, $HT_7$ and $PC_7$, were stimulated with 3 mA, 2 ms, and 10 Hz before subcutaneously formalin injection (5%, $50{\mu}l$) to the left hind paw. Moreover, it was investigated whether the dorsolateral funiculus (DLF), as known to the descending inhibition, mediates analgesia of the heterotopic EA, and an administration of naltrexone blocks the effect of EA. Results : In the immunohistochemistry of cFos-like protein (cFL), there were inhibitory effects of EA on the increased expression of cFL in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn neurons following formalin injection. Especially, EA inhibited the expression of cFL on the superficial laminae than that on the deep laminae at 1 hr after, but that on the deep laminae than that on the superficial laminae at 2 hr after. Also, EA suppressed the increased expression of nitric oxide (NO) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the lumbosacral spinal cord after formalin injection, but not Sham-EA. Suppressed expressions of cFL, NO and nNOS in the spinal cord were eliminated after transection of the ipsilateral DLF at $T_{10}{\sim}T_{11}$ levels. However, pretreatment of naltrexone could not prevent the suppressive expressions of cFL, NO and nNOS at the spinal cord. Conclusions : These results suggest that the analgesia of heterotopic EA may be modulated through the DLF constituting the descending inhibition.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.31-47
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• 2010

Objectives: To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory rat model. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups; LPS control (n=6), LPS+cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture at CV4 (n=6), LPS+cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture at CV17 (n=6), and LPS+cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture at Ex-HN1 (n=6). Pharmacopuncture (0.1 ml) was given every two days for 4 weeks followed by inflammation induction by peritoneal LPS injection (5 mg/kg). Blood, liver tissue, and peritoneal lavage fluid were taken and proinflammatory cytokines and other related factors were analysed. Results: Compared with the control group, CV4 and Ex-HN1 pharmacopuncture groups significantly attenuated plasma IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, and TNF-$\alpha$ increase at 2h and 5h after LPS injection (P<0.05). A significant difference from control group emerged at 5 h for plasma IL10 (P<0.05). For liver cytokines analyzed at 5 h after LPS injection, only CV4 pharmacopuncture group showed significant difference in TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-10 (P<0.05). Blood CD4/CD8 ratio and the phagocytic activities of polymorphonuclear neutrophils were not different from those of control group in all pharmacopuncture groups (P>0.05). CV4 pharmacopuncture significantly attenuated increase of plasma ${NO_3}^-/{NO_2}^-$, Intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1), and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) compared with the control group (P<0.05). Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, $PGE_2$, and CINC-1 level of CV4 pharmacopuncture group was significantly different from those from the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture at CV4 may have a potent anti-inflammatory effect in an LPS-induced inflammatory rat model.