• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

Objectives: Although electro-acupuncture is being utilized to reduce weight in Korea, its usefulness in obesity management has not been fully evaluated yet. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of Electro-acupuncture on thigh circumference. Methods: 12 healthy volunteers participated in this study. We measured the circumference of both thighs, and treated the thicker one with transcutaneous electro-acupuncture at 8 acupoints, 10 times in total. The electrical parameters were : 1st step frequency set was at 15Hz and the treatment proceeded for 50 minutes, 2nd step at 50Hz for 10 minutes and at 3rd step the acupunctures were removed and electrodes were attached on the lower limb at 166Hz for 15 minutes. In order to evaluate the effect of the treatment, total body weight, percentage of body fat and thigh circumference were measured 4 times. Before the treatment, after 5th and 10th treatment and 1 month after completion of the whole treating procedure. Statistical significance(P<0.05) was determined using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. We did not control diet, exercise and lifestyle of the volunteers. Results: No significant change was shown in body weight after 10 times of treatment. Yet the thigh circumference of effect group significantly decreased after 5th treatment and 10th treatment. The circumference of control group that was not treated by electro-acupuncture significantly decreased too. At first, difference between the two thighs in circumference was obvious, but no difference was left after 10 times of treatments on the thicker thigh. Percentage of body fat was significantly decreased. 1 month after having completed the treatment, there was no significant difference of body weight, thigh circumferences and percentage of body fat. Conclusion: These results suggest that electro-acupuncture effectively regulates regional fat, body fat percentage and body shape.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.52-68
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the weight loss effects of auricular acupuncture in obese patients. Methods: Six databases (Research Information Sharing Service [RISS], Korean studies Information Service System [KISS], Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS], PubMed, The Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) were searched up to May 20, 2020. Eight eligible randomized controlled trials were included the present study. The quality of included studies was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool and a meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager software. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model and a subgroup analysis was performed to detect the sources of heterogeneity, identify the selection of acupuncture methods and explore its contributions to the weight loss effects. Results: Among 8 trials, 5 trials used auricular acupuncture and 2 trials used auricular acupressure, 1 trial used both types of intervention. Most commonly selected acupoints were Shenmen (TF4) and stomach (CO4). Treatment duration was six to twelve weeks, and total treatment session was six to twelve. Compared to the control groups, auricular acupuncture significantly decreased body weight, body mass index (BMI), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) and ghrelin. For the selection of acupuncture methods, both methods performed similarly in most outcome except waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BFP), and triglycerides (TG). Conclusions: We found that auricular acupuncture can be effective for weight loss and controlling appetite. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to heterogeneity. So further vigorous and well-designed studies should be conducted to strengthen the evidence of the use of auricular acupuncture for obesity.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.31-47
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• 2008

Objectives : The objective of this study is to apply the contents of "WaHyul(訛穴 : The errors of acupoint locations"of "ChimGuKyungHumBang" to modern acupoint locations. Methods : The text of "WaHyul" was closely examined and analyzed. "WHO standard acupuncture point locations in the western pacific region" was reviewed based on its contents. Results : According to the analysis, the correct 少商(LU11) was mentioned as a spot appropriately distanced from the corner of the nail root under the skin. This is the most accurate and reasonable synthesis of other related texts. Furthermore, the necessity of defining the locations of all the well points was also emphasized and their locations were mentioned that could be located by the same method. There is no further discussion of other acupoints apart from descriptions of their locations from other texts. Some parts that were pointed out as common errors included not only commonly made mistakes, but errors made in acupuncture texts as were true for 神門(HT7) and 肩井(GB21). The standards of 少商(LU11), 合谷(LI4) and 足三里(ST36) presented in the WHO Standardization are not only similar to what 「WaHyul」 indicated as errors in acupoint locations, but also deviate other acupuncture texts; appropriate corrections must be made. The standard of 肩井(GB21) presents a new acupoint locating method never mentioned before in received classic acupuncture texts and so a rediscussion is in need. Other standards, such as the 絶骨(GB39), had some points of controversy, yet somewhat incomplete while HT7 did not go beyond the bounds of "WaHyul". Conclusions : "WaHyul" can be used to revise WHO standards, and has practical value in modern acupoint locating.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.73-88
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• 2008

Objective : The aim of this research was to investigate the effect on five element constitutional acupuncture(Sa-am acupuncture) at 4 acupoints by needle manipulation to sedate Six Fu-Organ on hyperlipidemia induced by high fat diet in rats. Method : We recorded data of weight gain, food intake, food efficiency, weight of liver, heart, spleen, lung, kidney, levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, AST, ALT in serum of rats fed high fat diet for 5 weeks. Spraque Dawley rats were divided into eight groups(normal; normal diet and non-acupuncture group, control; non-acupuncture group, Acu-LI; acupuncture at $SI_5{\cdot}LI_5{\cdot}BL_{66}{\cdot}LI_2$ group, Acu-ST; acupuncture at $GB_{41}{\cdot}ST_{43}{\cdot}LI_1{\cdot}ST_{45}$, Acu-SI; acupuncture at $BL_{66}{\cdot}SI_2{\cdot}ST_{36}{\cdot}SI_8$, Acu-BL; acupuncture therapy at $ST_{36}{\cdot}BL_{40}{\cdot}GB_{41}{\cdot}BL_{65}$, Acu-TE; acupuncture at $BL_{66}{\cdot}TE_2{\cdot}ST_{36}{\cdot}TE_{10}$, Acu-GB; acupuncture at $LI_1{\cdot}GB_{44}{\cdot}SI_5{\cdot}GB_{38}$. After needles inserted, it was rotated clockwise and anticlockwise 12 times on rats fed high fat diet. Results : The body weight was decreased in Acu-SI, Acu-TE, Acu-GB group, /the food intake was decreased in Acu-TE, / the food efficiency was decreased in Acu-SI, /serum triglyceride was decreased in Acu-LI, Acu-ST, Acu-BL, Acu-GB, /serum total cholesterol was decreased in Acu-LI, Acu-BL, serum ALP was decreased in Acu-LI, Acu-ST, Acu-BL, Acu-TE, Acu-GB. While the relative weight of heart was increased in Acu-LI, Acu-SI, the relative weight of kidney was increased in Acu-SI, Acu-GB. Conclusion : These results suggest that five element constitutional acupuncture(Sa-am acupuncture) may be having an therapeutic influence on hyperlipidemia induced by high fat diet. Further researches of acupuncture manipulation are needed in the future based on our study.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Oriental Medical Informatics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.82-129
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• 2011

"Beijijiufa" is a medical book republished by Sun Ju Qing in 1245. He compiled this book having added "Qizhumajiufa" and "Zhugejingyanbeijiyaofang" to the contents of "Beijijiufa" authored by Wen Ren Qi Nian. In "Beijijiufa" the author described treatment methods making use of moxibustion methods in connection with 22 cases of acute diseases. The author had collected the moxibustion methods used to treat acute diseases, which had been practiced by the medical practitioners of many generations, and quoted total 13 medical men's practices. In the book, the greatest parts of details were quoted especially from the writings of Sun Si Miao and Ge Hong, and this shows that the medical philosophies of both Sun Si Miao and Ge Hong were reflected onto "Beijijiufa". He had differed on his moxibustion practice: the size of moxa wool, the number of moxibustion treatment, and method of moxibustion for male and female were differed from one another according to the disease. As to the area of moxibustion, he chose the body parts around under four limbs and joints, and mostly used extraordinary acupoints rather than twelve main meridians. In his descriptions of finding meridian points, he did not describe it by its specific name of the reaction point, but explained the location of moxibustion points in detail through pictures. "Qizhumajiufa" is related to moxibustion method and prescriptions to treat surgical diseases, like skin boils or furuncle on the back, etc. He easily explained the method to find the meridian points for moxibustion treatment by using particular way through diagrams and pictures. Eight prescriptions he used were the collections among the historical practices of medical practitioners of many generations for skin boils which showed excellent therapeutic actions. In "Zhugejingyanbeijiyaofang", there are prescribed for 36 disease, also is the records of treatment methods for medical emergency which would be encountered easily in everyday life. As to therapeutic remedies, varied treatment methods, including the treatment by means of pasting and attaching medicinal substance to the spot, the treatment by means of mixing medicinal substance with alcoholic beverage, cleansing method, smoke inhalation remedy etc. were introduced. In "Beijijiufa" moxibustion was regarded as a top priority for treatment of acute disease, and the author strived to present remedies to the readers as easily as possible through 19 pictures. Regarding prescriptions, the author introduced diverse treatment methods with respect to various disease symptoms, and described the method to treat disease symptoms making use of medicinal ingredients which can easily be found in daily life. Likewise, "Beijijiufa" compiled by Sun Ju Qing was intended for clinical practice, and was indeed a medical book having been utilized for treatment of acute diseases in those days.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2015

Objectives: The stomach is a sensitive digestive organ that is susceptible to exogenous pathogens from the diet. In response to such pathogens, the stomach induces oxidative stress, which might be related to the development of both gastric organic disorders such as gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancer, and functional disorders such as functional dyspepsia. This study was accomplished to investigate the effect of Ganoderma lucidum pharmacopuncture (GLP) on chronic gastric ulcers in rats. Methods: The rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 animals each: the normal, the control, the normal saline (NP) and the GLP groups. In this study, the modified ethanol gastritis model was used. The rats were administrated 56% ethanol orally every other day. The dose of ethanol was 8 g/kg body weight. The normal group received the same amount of normal saline instead of ethanol. The NP and the GLP groups were treated with injection of saline and GLP respectively. The control group received no treatment. Two local acupoints CV12 (中脘) and ST36 (足三里) were used. All laboratory rats underwent treatment for 15 days. On last day, the rats were sacrificed and their stomachs were immediately excised. Results: Ulcers of the gastric mucosa appeared as elongated bands of hemorrhagic lesions parallel to the long axis of the stomach. In the NP and GLP groups, the injuries to the gastric mucosal injuries were not as severe as they were in the control group. Wound healings of the chronic gastric ulcers was promoted by using GLP and significant alterations of the indices in the gastric mucosa were observed. Such protection was demonstrated by gross appearance, histology and immunehistochemistry staining for Bcl-2-associated X (BAX), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-${\beta}1$). Conclusion: These results suggest that GLP at CV12 and ST36 can provide significant protection to the gastric mucosa against an ethanol induced chronic gastric ulcer.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.432-436
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• 2007

Therapeutic effect by injection-AP with antibiotics plus conventional treatment was investigated to establish a new treatment method for canine demodicosis. Three patients diagnosed into canine demodicosis were used in the present study. Injection-AP with enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg, twice a week) was made into the acupoints such as Fei Shu(BL13), Wei Zhong (BL40), Da Zhui (GV14), Zu San Li (ST36), He Gu (LI04), Qu Chi (LI11) and Sang Yin jiao(SP06) for 5 weeks. Further, they were additionally received with conventional treatments including injection of ivermectin (0.5 mg/kg, twice a week, SC) and 0.05% amitraz rinse (twice a week) for 5 weeks. The clinical symptoms (pruritus, excoriation, erythema and alopecia) were much improved by injection-AP therapy plus conventional treatment, compared by those of pre-treatment. Case 1 became to normal after 4 weeks, Case 2 became to mild after 5 weeks and Case 3 became to normal after 5 weeks. Total WBC revealed decreasing tendency with treatment in all cases, however, N/L ratios didn't show regular pattern of change with treatment. Notable changes were not histopathogically found in skin lesions of Case 1 and Case 3 except Case 2 with mild change after 5 weeks treatment, compared by those of pre-treatment, respectively. In conclusion, the present patients were cases with canine demodicosis which revealed favorable therapeutic response by injection-AP with antibiotics plus conventional treatment.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-42
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• 2017

Objectives The goal of this review was to investigate clinical, experimental and literature studies of Korean medicine on atopic dermatitis (AD) of Korean children in Korean medicine literature, seeking for the better research methods for more effective treatments. Methods Electronic investigations were practiced on AKOP (The Association of Korean Oriental Pediatrics, http://www.akop.or.kr) to collect theses which were published by J Pediatr Korean Med. The key word 'Atopy' was used for searching to ensure that every related thesis was collected. The publication date was limited from 1996 to 2016. The selected literatures were assessed mainly according to distributions of study type, publication year, scale, treatment and its efficacy. Results 55 papers were selected from 59 studies. In these collected 55 related theses, there were 29 experimental studies (52.73%), 18 clinical studies (32.73%), 8 review studies (14.55%). In the 29 experimental studies, there were 20 studies (68.97%) using NC/Nga mouse as subjects. The mite antigen was used to trigger AD by 8 studies (27.59%). The studies have been utilizing DNCB and DNFB instead of mite antigen since 2011. All the experimental studies showed that the Korean medicine was effective in AD. In total 18 clinical studies, 3 studies (16.67%) were case reports, only 1 thesis (5.56%) was conducted by case control study and the rest were case series studies. 7 studies (38.89%) of 18 studies diagnosed AD according to Hanifin and Rajka's diagnostic criteria (1980), only 1 study (5.56%) according to the Korean standard and the rest 10 studies (55.56%) didn't mention diagnostic criteria. 12 clinical studies (66.67%) showed efficacy in treating AD. There were 10 studies (55.56%) only employing internal treatments and 1 thesis (5.56%) didn't mention the exact prescription. Naesowhajungtang-kamibang, Saenghyeoryunbue-um were used 3 times (16.67%) as the internal medicine respectively. 5 theses (27.78%) were combined with acupuncture therapy. Hegu (LI4), Sanyinjiao (SP6) were used in 4 theses, and Taichong (LR3), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36) in 3 theses. The number of acupoints chosen from The Spleen meridian of Foot-Taiyin was the largest. There were 8 review theses. 2 were about the foreign oriental medicine, 3 were about the external medicine or external treatment methods, and 3 other studies were about severity scoring systems, the methodological study in the latest clinical study, overview for pattern and results of herbal medicine-derived AD clinical researches. Conclusions The experimental studies and clinical studies showed the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatments. However, this study still needs improving by conducting more comparative studies and using better research methods, in order to find more effective treatments to improve clinical efficacy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.15-25
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• 2009

Objective: This paper aimed to understand influences on EEG conducting acupuncture stimulation, by comparing the changes in the acupoints on the body before and after normal people are treated with acupuncture at PC9 and TE3, which are referred to as Wood points(木穴), and PC5 and TE1, which are referred to as the Metal points(金穴) among the five shu points of Yin pericardium Meridian and Yang Triple Energizer Meridian. Methods: The study was performed on 30 healthy female volunteers in their 20's. EEG was measured for 5 minutes before acupuncture stimulation was conducted on PC9, TE3, PC5 and TE1. During 20 minutes of acupuncture treatment, the same items were continuously measured to find out whether there were any changes in them, and they were measured for 5 minutes after removing the acupuncture needles in order to implement a comparative analysis. Results: Comparision of EEG data before and after the treatment at PC9 shows no significant differences in all wave. Compared with the pre-acupuncture period at TE3, $\delta-\theta$ wave decreased significantly (P<0.05) during the acupuncture stimulation periods. Compared with the pre-acupuncture period at PC5, $\delta-\theta$ wave and high $\alpha$ wave increased significantly (P<0.05) during the acupuncture stimulation periods. And Mid $\beta$ wave and high $\beta$ wave decreased significantly (P<0.05) during the acupuncture periods and the post acupuncture periods. Compared with the Pre-acupuncture period at TE1, $\delta-\theta$ wave, $\theta$ wave and high $\alpha$ wave increased significantly (P<0.05) during the acupuncture stimulation periods. And Low $\beta$ wave decreased significantly (P<0.05) during the acupuncture periods. Conclusion: When acupuncture stimulation was performed on PC9 and TE3, referred to as the "Wood points", brain waves were stabled, while when acupuncture was performed on PC5 and TE1, called the "Metal points", a brain was waked. From the findings of this study, we hypothesize that the wood properties, from which growing starts in all things, are related with fast waves of EEG, and the metal properties, which stabilize and converge in all things, are related with slow waves of EEG.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.2335-2342
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• 2007

Laser stimulation has been widely studied and used in clinic. However, electrical response by laser stimulation on meridians has not been investigated. In this study, we compared electric potential of laser and acupuncture stimulation on meridians. We measured electric potential variation at acupoints(Samgan(LI3) and Hapgok(LI4)) on Large Intestine Meridian. In laser stimulation results, average peak electric potential is very low($7.53{\pm}3.44{\mu}V$) for before and after stimulation. However, acupuncture stimulation was performed in ground connection condition and resulted in huge variation of average peak electric potential($2.65{\pm}1.53mV$). That is, the intensity and pattern of electric potential were dependent on the ground connection condition and individual. Also, the electric potential pattern was very similar to the pattern of electric charge and discharge of capacitor. The acupuncture stimulation using a insulating needle resulted in lower average peak electric potential variation($0.25{\pm}0.16mV$) than that of acupuncture stimulation. It might present little electrical response of acupuncture stimulation using insulating needles. In point of electrical response, the laser stimulation was determined to be no acupuncture effect at meridian. Acupuncture stimulation seems to be most effective method to induce electrical response at meridians. The procedure and effect of acupuncture might be considered as energy consensus phenomenon by transportation of bio-ion charge between a practitioner and patient.