• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

Introduction : Even though Acupuncture has been know for its effect for a long time, recently it is required to verifiy its effect. To solve this, clinical trial, based on EBM, has been the way to explain acupuncture's treatment effect. Methods: Last year we had a clinical trial based on acupuncture. From this experience we came to a conclusion mentioned below. Results : 1. To find out acupuncture's effect more certainly, it is needed that Korean medical method or treatment should be connected to diagnosis. 2. We had found out that sham and minimal acupuncture are the most appropriate way in single blinding. 3. It is required for the acupuncturist to practice the right real acupuncture point and sham's point in clinical trial. 4. The most important thing to maintain the subjects from dropping out is to always be concerned to the subjects and management them. Conclusion : The best way to advance clinical trial on acupuncture is to use single blinding system with sham acupuncture together in controlled groups and most of all also needs a standardized acupuncture point and depth.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2015

Background : Saam acupuncture were composed by applying the elemental concepts from the Five Phase theory - the relationships between the cycles such as Saeng(Sheng, 'nourishing' or 'creating') and Geuk(Ke, 'suppressing' or 'controlling') - onto the Five Phase points and 12 channels to compensate for the imbalance in each of the 12 main energy traits. Objective : The present study is aimed to find out the characteristics of Five Phase points pattern in Saam acupuncture. Methods : We analysed the characteristics of five elements of the Five Phase points in Korean medical texts such as Saamdoinchimguyogyeol, Dongeuibogam and Chimgugyeongheombang in mid Chosun Dynasty. Using non-negative factorization(NNMF) methods, we extracted the feature matrix of five elements of Five Phase points in each classic medical text. Results : In Saam acupuncture, two characteristics were most prominent: (1) "Self" component of Five elements, (2) "Mother" and "Grandmother" component of Five elements. Conclusions : Saam acupuncture used the combination of Five-Shu acupoint based on ZangFu pattern identification. Our findings suggest that grasping the characteristics of Five Phase points combinations can improve the understanding the selection of the relevant acupoints based on the ZangFu pattern identifications.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.89-96
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• 2007

Objectives : To observe the effect of acupuncture treatment in chronic shoulder pain patients. Methods : 36 voluntary patients were randomly assigned to an acupuncture treatment group(E Group, n=18) and a control group(C Group, n=18). The E Group patients received acupuncture treatment on $LI_{15}$, $TE_{14}$, $GB_{21}$ and Master Dong's acupuncture points, Shin-gwan and Gyun-joong, twice a week for four weeks. The C Group patients received no treatment. All patients in both groups were instructed to practise self exercise in their daily lives. Evaluations were made at baseline and after four weeks of study. The Constant Shoulder Assessment(CSA), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index(SPADI) and the patient's subjective pain was measured by Visual Analogue Scale(VAS). The obtained data was analyzed. Results : The E Group showed significant(p<0.05) improvement in CSA, SPADI and VAS after four weeks of treatment. The C Group showed significant(p<0.05) improvement in CSA, but the change of SPADI and VAS was insignificant(p>0.05). CSA and SPADI of E Group significantly(p<0.05) improved compared to the C Group, but the difference of VAS change in the two groups was insignificant(p>0.05). Conclusions : Four weeks of acupuncture treatment significantly improved CSA, SPADI and VAS. The improvement of CSA and SPADI was significant(p<0.05) compared to untreated patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.95-103
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was to investigate the regulatory effect of electro-acupuncture on Jogsamni ($ST_{36}$) in bradygastric condition or gastroparesis which is a neuropathic complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), assessed using 4-channel electrogastrography (EGG). Methods : It was a case series study. Each patient was given electro-acupuncture(EA) one point, Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) or Gyeonu($LI_{15}$) bilaterally for thirty minutes with 2Hz bipolar square wave frequency and moderate intensity of stimulation. With attaching electrodes around stomach region throughout pre-acupuncture, acupuncture, and post-acupuncture session, these parameters were produced; percent rate of bradygastria power compared to sum of power in all kind of gastric rhythm(% bradygastria), dominant frequency(DF) and dominant power(DP). Parameter was analysed per each channel's variable change from pre-acupuncture session by paired t-test. Results : There was statistically significant decrease in % bradygastria parameters on one of the $ST_{36}$ treated patients from pre-acupuncture session and to post-acupuncture session(P=0.015, P=0.008 respectively). A marginal significant decrease of DP was shown in the other $ST_{36}$ treated patient from pre-acupuncture session through post-acupuncture session(P=0.049). Combined data of two $ST_{36}$ Treated patients showed that there was significant decrease of %bradygastria from pre-acupuncture session to acupuncture session(P=0.020), and was decrease of DP from pre-acupuncture session to post- acupuncture session(P=0.020). Conclusions : EA at $ST_{36}$ resulted in statistically significant decrease in %bradygastria and DP for dysrhythmic condition in T2DM gastroparesis patients. Considering this limited results, further study will be needed to elucidate the effect of multiple-acupuncture on gastric myoelectrical activities.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.348-356
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• 2007

Radix Paeoniae rubra (PR) has been widely used for recovering acute inflammation with swelling and pain in Far East Asian countries. In order to investigate the anti-arthritic effect of PR herbacupuncture, several behavioral parameters such as body weight, knee circumference, squeaking threshold, and weight distribution ratio were investigated in an adjuvant-induced mono-arthritis rat model. We performed PR herb-acupuncture on Zusanli (ST36) of the right hind-leg once every second day for a total of 6 times from the second day of initiating arthritis with adjuvant injection, while the control group was treated with saline in the same way. In the experimental group, body weight significantly increased, knee circumference and squeaking threshold significantly decreased indicating the reduction of edema, and both the pain and inflammatory swelling of the hind paws measured by incapacitance meter decreased. Conclusively, PR herb-acupuncture has more promising effect in alleviating arthritic pain and inflammation than saline-acupuncture in rat model, hence further clinical study is required.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.149-157
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• 2004

Objective : The purpose of this study is to research whether Inyeong Chon spot pulse(人迎氣口脈) could be used on application of Ohaeng-acupuncture(五行鍼法). Methods : I research ${\ll}$Naegyeong${\gg}$(內經) and annotations were excerpted and record that notied the Inyeong Chon spot pulse(人迎氣口脈). Results : Comparison of Inyeong Chon spot pulse and Deficiency Excess syndrome of meridian system is useful to use Zheng Ge(正格) and Sheng Ge(勝格) of Ohaeng-acupuncture(五行鍼法) but in application of Han Ge(寒格) and Re Ge(熱格), Inyeong Chon spot pulse(人迎氣口脈) is not useful.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.77-88
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• 2009

Background : Qigong is an exercise therapy based on the principles of Traditional East Asian Medicine. The exercises combine the practice of motion and breathing, both guided by mental imagery. Beneficial effects of qigong have been reported on a variety of complaints in chronically ill patients and on gait imbalance in the elderly. Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects neurophysiological function, movement abilities, and quality of life. Objectives : We developed a qigong program based on the Traditional East Asian medical theory regarding the improvement of clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Methods and Results : Our qigong program consists of three parts. The first one includes movements which stimulate the meridians that run from the toes to the top of the head. The second one is composed of breathing and qigong movements that create harmony and balance with the circulation of Qi and blood on the Meridians. The third is a stage of finger pressure therapy and massage from Daoyin medical qigong to maintain meridian stability. Conclusions : These qigong program would help relieve the clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.65-73
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• 2004

Objective: This study was designed to compared the effect of general acupuncture on degenerative arthritis of knee joint with 8 constitution acupuncture by Visual Analogue Scale(VAS). Methods: VAS was used for this research, with the pain indicator of 10 and 0 which represents a pain of first visit and a status of no pain respectively. Two groups, consisting of 40 patients, was randomly allocated for this research. SPSS(Statistic Program for Social Science) 10.0 for window was used for a statistical analysis. Independent T-test and Mann Whitney U test was performed to evaluate the improvement of each group by the treatment number and to compare that of two groups. Results: As a result of the comparison analysis between two groups after 20th treatment, the improvement of subjective symptoms in 8 constitution acupuncture group was shown more effective than that in general acupuncture group, while, After 10th treatment, there was no significant difference between two groups in VAS. Conclusion: It is suggested that the effect of 8 constitution acupuncture should be significantly different from that of general acupuncture on degenerative arthritis of knee joint. Further study is needed to confirm the effectiveness of 8 constitution acupuncture.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.281-291
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• 2019

Objectives : As acupuncture treatment has been widely practiced in many countries around the world, clinical trials of acupuncture treatments also have become popular. The objective of the study was to explore the trends of research investigating the effect of acupuncture treatment in clinical trials using a bibliometric approach, a quantitative analytical methods. Methods : Publications related to clinical trials using acupuncture from 2000 to 2019 were retrieved from the Web of Science database. Extracted articles were analyzed in terms of publication year, country, journal, research area, organizations and authors. Trends in research on acupuncture in clinical trials were visualized using the VOSviewer program. Results : A total of 3,166 articles of acupuncture clinical trials published from 2000 to 2019 were identified and analyzed. The country producing the most articles in this field was USA followed by China, England, South Korea, and Germany. A network analysis based on the co-occurrence of keywords showed following three clusters: clinical studies, pain management studies, and methodology studies. Conclusions : This study provided a macroscopic overview of research in acupuncture clinical trials. These findings provide an expansive strategy for researchers in this field to cooperate with other researchers or organizations.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.501-508
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• 2008

Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Clematidis Radix (CR)-distillates were investigated in three different pain animal models. Highly purified distillate of CR was injected to Zusanli (ST36) acupoint, called CR herb-acupuncture in the Korean traditional medicine. In tail flick latency test, the CR herb-acupuncture treatment did not show a significant effect of relieving acute phasic pain. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of CR herb-acupuncture, inflammatory pain was induced by subcutaneous injection of formalin to the plantar tissue or intra-articular injection of carrageenan to the tibio-tarsal joint in the rats. And the medicinal effect of CR herb-acupuncture was evaluated by analyzing pain behavior such as licking or biting behavior, or by measuring weight distribution ratio between two foot and ankle circumference. In the rat formalin test, the analgesic effect of CR herb-acupuncture was more pronounced in the late phase (for 20 min after the early phase) than in the early phase (for the first 10 min post formalin injection). It also significantly alleviated the carrageenan-induced monoarthritis, in terms of weight distribution ratio and ankle edema. These results revealed that CR herb-acupuncture was effective to treat the inflammatory pain and could be used as an analgesic treatment with an antiinflammatory effect.