• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.129-145
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• 2018

Objectives : This report describes 70prescriptions related to the use of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata mainly blended from Dongeuibogam. Methods : The following conclusions were drawn through investigations on the pre-scriptions that use Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata as a key component. Results : Prescriptions that Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata was taken as a monarch drug are utilized for 31 therapeutic purposes, for example, cold disease, stool disease, child disease. In particular, 17.3% of prescriptions appear in the chapter of cold. Prescriptions that utilize Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata as the main component are used in the treatment of cold, diarrhea and child disease, Bi syndrome due to pathogenic wind, cold and damp and they are also used for treating 55 different types of disease. Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata is used in pathogenic factors such as wind, cold and dampness and used in pathology related to the kidney and spleen and stomach system. The dosage of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata is 2pun(about 0.75g) to 5don(about 18.8g), however 1don(about 3.75g)~1don 5pun(about 5.63g) has been taken the most for clinical application. Conclusions : Gangbutang and Ijungtang are the most useful base prescriptions which use the Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata as the main ingredient.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.190-193
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• 2015

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a hypersensitivity lung disease due to bronchial colonization of Aspergillus fumigatus that occurs in susceptible patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. A 10-year-old girl was referred to the Department of Pediatric Pulmonology for persistent consolidations on chest radiography. Pulmonary consolidations were observed in the right upper and left lower lobes and were not resolved with a 4-week prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The patient had a history of atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis but no history of asthma. She had no fever but produced thick and greenish sputum. Her breathing sounds were clear. On laboratory testing, her total blood eosinophil count was $1,412/mm^3$ and total serum IgE level was 2,200 kU/L. Aspergillus was isolated in the sputum culture. The A. fumigatus-specific IgE level was 15.4 kU/L, and the Aspergillus antibody test was also positive. A chest computed tomography scan demonstrated bronchial wall thickening and consolidation without bronchiectasis. An antifungal agent was added but resulted in no improvement of pulmonary consolidations after 3 weeks. Pulmonary function test was normal. Methacholine provocation test was performed, revealing bronchial hyperreactivity ($PC_{20}=5.31mg/mL$). Although the patient had no history of asthma or bronchiectasis, ABPA-seropositivity was suspected. Oral prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day) combined with antifungal therapy was started. Pulmonary consolidations began decreasing after 1 week of treatment and completely resolved after 1 month. This is the first observed and treated case of seropositive ABPA in Korean children without previously documented asthma.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

Objective: Although prophylactic antiepileptic drug (AED) use in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a common practice, lack of uniform definitions and guidelines for seizures and AEDs rendered this prescription more habitual instead of evidence-based manner. We herein evaluated the incidence and predictive factors of seizure and complications about AED use. Methods: From July 1999 to June 2007, data of a total of 547 patients with aneurysmal SAH who underwent operative treatments were reviewed. For these, the incidence and risk factors of seizures and epilepsy were assessed, in addition to complications of AEDs. Results: Eighty-three patients (15.2%) had at least one seizure following SAH. Forty-three patients (79%) had onset seizures, 34 (6.2%) had perioperative seizures, and 17 (3.1%) had late epilepsy. Younger age (< 40 years), poor clinical grade, thick hemorrhage, acute hydrocephalus, and rebleeding were related to the occurrence of onset seizures. Cortical infarction and thick hemorrhage were independent risk factors for the occurrence of late epilepsy. Onset seizures were not predictive of late epilepsy. Moreover, adverse drug effects were identified in 128 patients (23.4%) with AEDs. Conclusion: Perioperative seizures are not significant predictors for late epilepsy. Instead, initial amount of SAH and surgery-induced cortical damage should be seriously considered as risk factors for late epilepsy. Because AEDs can not prevent early postoperative seizures (< 1 week) and potentially cause unexpected side effects, long-term use should be readjusted in high-risk patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.208-219
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• 2001

The pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia exhibits wide inter-individual variabilities in clinical efficacy and adverse effects. Recently, human genetic diversity has been known as one of the essential factors to the variation in human drug response. This suggests that drug therapy should be tailored to the genetic characteristics of the individual. Pharmacogenetics is the field of investigation that attempts to elucidate genetic basis of an individual's responses to pharmacotherapy, considering drug effects divided into two categories as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The emerging field of pharmacogenomics, which focuses on genetic determinants of drug response at the level of the entire human genome, is important for development and prescription of safer and more effective individually tailored drugs and will aid in understanding how genetics influence drug response. In schizophrenia, pharmacogenetic studies have shown the role of genetic variants of the cytochrome P450 enzymes such as CYP2D6, CYP2C19, and CYP2A1 in the metabolism of antipsychotic drugs. At the level of drug targets, variants of the dopamine $D_2$, $D_3$ and $D_4$, and 5-$HT_{2A}$ and 5-$HT_{2C}$ receptors have been examined. The pharmacogenetic studies in schizophrenia presently shows controversial findings which may be related to the multiple involvement of genes with relatively small effects and to the lack of standardized phenotypes. For further development in the pharmacogenomics of schizophrenia, there would be required the extensive outcome measures and definitions, and the powerful new tools of genomics, proteomics and so on.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.556-563
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• 2008

Peripheral nerve injuries are a commonly encountered clinical problem and often result in a chronic pain and severe functional deficits. The expression of c-Fos is sometimes used as a marker of increased neuronal activity. We have prepared the aqueous extract of amygdalin from Armeniacae semen for pain control. In the present study, we investigated the effects of amygdalin on the recovery rate of the locomotor function and on the expression of c-Fos in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) region following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Walking track analysis for the evaluation of functional recovery and immunohistochemistry for the c-Fos expression were used in this study. In the present results, characteristic gait change with dropping of the sciatic function index (SFI) was observed and c-Fos expression in the vlPAG was suppressed following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Amygdalin enhanced SFI value and restored c-Fos expression in the vlPAG to the control value. The present our study indicated that amygdalin activates neurons in the vlPAG, and it facilitates functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.962-968
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• 2006

Background : Liver cirrhosis is a disease of the liver in which normal cells are replaced by scar tissue. This condition results in the failure of the liver to perform many of its usual functions. Liver cirrhosis includes ascites, jaundice, portal hypertension, varices etc. Objectives : This study was to see if there is a decrease in ascites of liver cirrhosis to under acupuncture and herbal treatment to test their validity. Methods : Measuring the response to treatment of ascites by giving pyengwie-san hap wieryungtang gamibang and treating the patient with acupuncture, these clinical symptoms were observed: weight, abdominal circumference, abdominal SONO, chest X-ray, and lab findings. Results : Over 18 days the daily average loss of weight and abdominal circumference 0.43kg and 0.56cm, respectively. Lab findings of liver functions showed improvement. Conclusions : This report shows a role for acupuncture and herbal treatment for treating ascites in liver cirrhosis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.232-243
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• 1999

In the Oriental Medicine, the breathing problem is defined as one of the symptoms such as Cheon-Jeung, Hyo-Jeung and chronic respiratory organs disease. Its source is heard to be the functional reduction of descending of Lung and Kidney. The organs for breathing are known as Lung, Spleen and Kidney. In this research, some remarkable results are referred which were detected by measuring the variations of the breathing volume of 20 patients after taking Keumsuyukunjeon. Picrometer is used for the measurement of the volume. The investigation had been performed since from January 1 st to August 31th of 1998. The patients for the experiment were mainly composed of patients who had trouble in breathing due to the pneumonectasis, sthmas, pneumonias. The percent of men is 67% in sex distribution and the ratio of persons over 50's was 85%. After Keumsuyukunjeon was taken to the patients, the enhancement ratio of breathing volume was appeared as 7.7%. The analysis based on an age was that the patients of 40's show the highest volumetric advancement. The ratio of breathing volume was the aged patients whose lung or kidney is weak and it can be used as the prescription for supplement of body and lung. From the relations between the breathing volume before treatment and the enhancement ratio, the increase of the enhancement ratio and the better response to the medicine were shown to the more serious patients. The period of treatment was 27.5 days average. The enhancement ratio of smoker was 23. and that of non-smoker was 50. At the test of relation between the trouble rate in breathing and the enhancement ratio. Grade Ⅲ shows the highest enhancement value 50%. From the experimental results, It is found that Keumsuyukunjeon gives a noticeable benefit for the patients whose main symptom was breathing problem. Long-term treatments for the serious and aged patients will make much more efficient to the reduction of the symptoms.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.464-472
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• 2004

Aortic regurgitation occurs when there is a leakage of the valve backward into the left ventricle during diastole. Chronic aortic regurgitation may be present for decades before any symptoms occur. The left ventricle is able to compensate for the large volume of blood that flows backward by enlarging the cavity and increasing the thickness of the muscle. This mechanism allows the heart to pump out both the amount of blood required by the body and the blood that has gone backward into the left ventricle. One patient who had chest pain from exercise was treated. He was diagnosed with aortic regurgitation LVH by echocardiography. Signs showed him to be of Taeumin-type within Sasang Constitutional Medicine. He was prescribed Gamijoripewontang for 75 days, and improvement of clinical symptoms were observed. Results support prescription of Gamijoripewontang as an effective treatment for Taeumin-type patients suffering chest pain caused by aortic regurgitation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.88-99
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• 2017

Objectives : Saam acupuncture initiated by Saamdoin in $17^{th}$ century is one of the most widely adopted acupuncture techniques used by Korean medical doctors in clinic. Our study aimed to analyze the application of the Saam acupuncture method to pain diseases based on the literature data. Methods : Based on the contents described in "(Do Hae Kyo Kam) Saam's acupuncture method", the texts related to pain condition were analyzed. The frequency of prescription of Saam acupuncture method was analyzed, and then the relationships between each acupoint were visualized by network analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis for the quantitative aspect. Results and conclusions: In our study, Lung tonifying and Liver tonifying acupuncture were the most frequently used method for the treatment of pain disease. As the acupoints, BL66 and SI5 were used the most frequently. It was found that visceral pattern identification was considered as the most important factor in the selection of the Saam acupuncture method. Network analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis showed that each acupoint was closely related to other acupoints, and most of them were connected more closely according to the method of Saam acupuncture operation. The experiential prescriptions of Saam acupuncture were classified as an independent group. In the future, fundamental research on the principle of Saam acupuncture method is needed for the various diseases, and research for the clinical efficacy and the mechanism of Saam acupuncture method should be preceded.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.85-102
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• 2018

A drug interaction is a situation in which a substance affects the activity of a drug, synergistically or antagonistically, when both are administered together. It has been shown that orally taken ginsenosides are deglycosylated by intestinal bacteria to give ginsenosides metabolites, which has been considered to be genuine pharmacological constituents and to exhibit drug interactions. Animal experimental results demonstrated that ginsenoside metabolites play an important role in the inhibitory or inductive action of both CYPs (cytochrome p450) and P-gp (p-glycoprotein), thereby can be applied as metabolic modulator to drug interactions. Very few are known on the possibility of drug interaction if taken the recommended dose of ginseng, but it has been found to act as CYPs inductor and P-gp inhibitor in any clinical trial, suggesting the risk that side effects will occur. It has been recently reported that interactions might also exist between ginseng and drugs such as warfarin, phenelzine, imatinib and raltegravir. Moreover, medicinal plants are increasingly being taken in a manner more often associated with prescription medicines. Therefore, considering the extensive applications of ginseng for safety, the aim of this review is to present a comprehensive overview of ginseng and drug interactions based upon pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic evidences.