• Health Policy and Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.130-158
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• 1993

This study was written to discover the changes that may exist in the contents of medical services after introduction of health insurance system, and to identify the net-effect of health insurance system on medical services. Uncomplicated nornmal delivery and appendectomy patients were divided into 4 groups, the non-insured in pre-NHI periods(group A), the insured of health insurance for employees in pre-NHI periods(group B), the insured of regional health insurance for city residents in post-NHI periods(group C) and the insured of health insurance for employees in post-NHI periods(group D). The mehtod of matching was applied to control for major demographic differences among these 4 groups of each disease. In pre-NHI period, the medical services and the variation of medical services of the non-insured were compared with those of the insured. The difference between the change of medical services from group A to those of group C, and the change of medical services from group B to those group D is defined as the net-effect of health insurance. The results are as follows. First, in length of stay after delivery or operation, total length of stay, some laboratory examination, amount of several drugs used in appendectomy patients, frequency of sitz bath in delivery patients, there was net-effect of health insurance in increasing direction. Second, length of stay after delivery or operation, total length of stay, some laboratory examination, amount of several drugs used in appendectomy patients and frequency of sitz bath in delivery patients were significantly more in the insured than in the non-insured group in pre-NHI period. Third, the variation of medical services of post-NHI period was not less then those of pre-NHI period. Fourth, antenatal care on which the third party does not pay and the patient pays for all, was diffrerent by socioeconomic and educational level of patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 1976

The effect of positive inotropic agents on the contractile properties of myocardial muscle were studied in the cat papillary muscle preparation. For the purpose, the effects of ouabain $(1{\times}10^{-6}g/ml)$, norepinephrine (0.05r/m1) and Aconiti tuber butanol fraction (AF(5), $1{\times}10^{-4}$, $5{\times}10^{-4}$, $1{\times}10^{-3}$, $2{\times}10^{-3}g/ml$) on the contractile dynamics of the papillary muscle preparation isolated from right ventricle of cat were observed in terms of the characteristics of isometric twitch and the lengh-tension relation, the force-velocity relation and the load-extension relation of the series elastic component of contractile model of A.V. Hill. All the studied inotropic drugs similary increased the rate and the intensity of the developed isometric tension, while shortened the time from onset of contraction to peak tension and the total duration of contraction. In the afterloaded simultaneous isotonic and isometric contraction, they also similary increased the maximal velocity of shortening accompanied with the increasing the maximum developed force. In the load-extension relation all the drugs, however, had no appreciable influence on the properties of the series elastic component. Increasing the concentration, Aconiti tuber butanol fraction produced more pronounced effect on all the studied parameters of isometric and isotonic contraction of cat papillary muscle preparation. From the aspect of contractile dynamics, it seemed that the positive inotropic effect of ouabain, norepinephrine and Aconiti tuber butanol fraction are similary achieved through an influence on the behavior of the contractile component only.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.261-268
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• 2016

$Foxp3^+$ $CD25^+CD4^+$ regulatory T (Treg) cells are crucial for the maintenance of immunological self-tolerance and are abundant in tumors. Most of these cells are chemo-attracted to tumor tissues and suppress anti-tumor responses inside the tumor. Currently, several cancer immunotherapies targeting Treg cells are being clinically tested. Cisplatin is one of the most potent chemotherapy drugs widely used for cancer treatment. While cisplatin is a powerful drug for the treatment of multiple cancers, there are obstacles that limit its use, such as renal dysfunction and the development of cisplatin-resistant cancer cells after its use. To minimize these barriers, combinatorial therapies of cisplatin with other drugs have been developed and have proven to be more effective to treat cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the combination therapy using methyl gallate with cisplatin in EL4 murine lymphoma bearing C57BL/6 mice. The combinatorial therapy of methyl gallate and cisplatin showed stronger anti-cancer effects than methyl gallate or cisplatin as single treatments. In Treg cell-depleted mice, however, the effect of methyl gallate vanished. It was found that methyl gallate treatment inhibited Treg cell migration into the tumor regardless of cisplatin treatment. Additionally, in both the normal and cisplatin-treated tumor-bearing mice, there was no renal toxicity attributed to methyl gallate treatment. These findings suggest that methyl gallate treatment could be useful as an adjuvant method accompanied with cisplatin therapy.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.243-259
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• 1993

The bone resorbing activity of $PGE_2$ and elevated level of prostaglandins(PGs) and thromboxanes (TXs) in inflamed gingiva which are cyclooxygenase(C) metabolites have been well documented. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) have been known to suppress gingival inflammation and bone resorption through the specific inhibitory action on the C pathway thereby decrease of various C metabolites. Recent studies provide unequivocal results that gingival tissue metabolizes arachidonic acid(AA) mainly through lipoxygenase(L) pathway. And the results of our previous experiments suggest that indomethacin may have inhibitory action on L as well as C. Thus we started this study to show the influences of several C inhibitors on the L activity at therapeutic and toxic dosage. Periodontal tissue samples were obtained from patients with advanced periodontitis and incubated with $^{14}C-AA(0.2{\mu}Ci)$ and various enzyme inhibitors. The tissue lipid extracts were separated by means of thin layer chromatography(TLC) and analyzed by means of autoradiography and TLC analyzer. Our results showed that aspirin inhibited C more selectively than L, however at higher concentration it also decreased HETEs production significantly. Indomethacin showed dose-dependent inhibition of L as well as C and all of the L metabolites were decreased to the same degree by high concentration of indomethacin. AA-861, which is an experimental tool of selective L inhibitor, showed inhibition of HETEs production but no effect on the production of $TXB_2$, PGs and $LTB_4$. Various propionic acid derivatives NSAIDs(ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, naproxen) showed the same patterns of effect on AA metabolism each other that was profound inhibition of PGs production, to the less degree HETEs and $TXB_2$ production, and of no effect on the $LTB_4$ production.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 1972

Korean aconitum (Aconitum koreanum R. Raymond) as one of the botanical crude drugs which pertain to helleboraceae has been extensively applied in Chinese medicine during the past decades. It has been particularly used in immortal tonic among the folk remedies in China, however, its general uses comprehend diuresis, cardiotonic, analgesia, neuralgia, gout and, furthermore, even neoplastic effect. The components of aconitum have been acknowledged as aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, aconine and so on. The main ingredient, aconitine has the advantage of causing the atrial fibrillation, but, its pharmacological research has not been fully elucidated. Although there are many reports with regard to the pharmacological effects on the motility of several animal hearts, their conclusions have not been regretfully coincided yet. The authors hereby paid attention to this point of view and made experiment to examine the relationship between the alcohol extract of Korean aconitum and the motility of the isolated clam heart, making the use of several drugs related to the heart such as serotonin, acetylcholine, pilocarpine, physostigmine, barium chloride, procaine and quinidine. The cardiac movement of the isolated clam (Meretrix lusoria) heart in the standard sea water solution was recorded with the electric kymograph according to the Magnus method. The results of the experiment are as follows. 1. The motility of the isolated clam heart represents the tendency of gradual inhibition in proportion to the concentration of AK-A $10^{-4}$, $5{\times}10^{-4}$, and $10^{-3}$. 2. The cardiac inhibitory effect of AK-A $10^{-3}$ antagonizes the motility of the isolated clam heart pretreated with serotonin $10^{-6}$. 3. The cardiac inhibitory effect of AK-A $10^{-3}$ antagonizes the systolic state appealed by barium chloride $10^{-3}$. 4. The systolic state caused by quinidine $10^{-4}$ is not inhibited by AK-A $10^{-3}$.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.846-855
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• 2008

Objects : The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of five herbal medicines on cytochrome P450 3A4 drug-metabolizing enzymes in human liver microsomes. Methods : To use human liver microsomes, an extract of five herbal medicines, which are Artemisia princeps Pampan, Sophora jeponica Linne, Panax notoginseng F. H. Chen, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Sieb., and Cirsium maackii Maxim, which together are called Jihyulyak(止血藥, drugs for arresting bleeding, hemostatics), was co-incubated and measured for relative enzyme activity in incubation condition compared to ketoconazole, a representative inhibitor of CYP 3A4. Results : We showed that all five of the traditional herbal medicines had no inhibition effect of CYP 3A4 at 10, 20, 30, 40, and $50{\mu}g/ml$ doses in human liver microsomes, although Sophora japonica Linne(SJL) showed a little inhibition at about 81% inhibition rate of control. However, this result is not enough to prove that SJL has a CYP 3A4 inhibition effect. Moreover, we can't make sure that those rates had significant induction effect on CYP 3A4. Conclusions : The result of this study could support that those herbal medicines are safer than chemical drugs, even if this is the basic step to prove that result.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1-19
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture for women with overactive bladder (OAB) comparing with sham- acupuncture, and electroacupuncture plus drugs. Methods: We searched 8 databases upto May 26, 2020. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible. The risk of bias was assessed by two independent authors using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Study outcomes were calculated by standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (Cls) and mean differences (MD) with 95% Cls. Results: Of 146 screened, 5 RCTs were included. Number of participants per study ranged from 5 to 57. The combined results showed that electroacupuncture (EA) may be more effective than sham acupuncture or enhance solifenacin succinates in improving Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and urination frequency of 24 h. However, more trials with high quality and larger sample sizes will be needed to provide sufficient evidence. Only 5 of 187 OAB patients from the included studies reported mild adverse reactions related to EA, therefore, electroacupuncture is safe for treating OAB. Conclusions: Electroacupuncture might have effect in decreasing urination frequency of 24 h and OABSS. However, the evidences ins in sufficient to show the effect using electroacupuncture alone or additional effect to drugs in treating OAB.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.149-153
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• 2014

Nausea and emesis are a major side effect and obstacle for chemotherapy in cancer patients. Employ of antiemetic drugs help to suppress chemotherapy-induced emesis in some patients but not all patients. Ginger, an herbal medicine, has been traditionally used to treat various kinds of diseases including gastrointestinal symptoms. Ginger is effective in alleviating nausea and emesis, particularly, for cytotoxic chemotherapy drug-induced emesis. Ginger-mediated antiemetic effect has been attributed to its pungent constituents-mediated inhibition of serotonin (5-HT) receptor activity but its cellular mechanism of action is still unclear. Emetogenic chemotherapy drugs increase 5-HT concentration and activate visceral vagal afferent nerve activity. Thus, 5-HT mediated vagal afferent activation is essential to provoke emesis during chemotherapy. In this experiment, water extract of ginger and its three major pungent constituent's effect on 5-HT-evoked responses were tested on acutely dispersed visceral afferent neurons with patch-clamp methods. The ginger extract has similar effects to antiemetic drug ondansetron by blocking 5-HT-evoked responses. Pungent constituents of the ginger, [6]-shogaol, [6]-gingerol, and zingerone inhibited 5-HT responses in a dose dependent manner. The order of inhibitory potency for these compounds were [6]-shogaol>[6]-gingerol>zingerone. Unlike well-known competitive 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron, all tested ginger constituents acted as non-competitive antagonist. Our results imply that ginger and its pungent constituents exert antiemetic effects by blocking 5-HT-induced emetic signal transmission in vagal afferent neurons.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.362-370
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• 1999

Propolis, a natural resinous compound collected from honey bees, contains many biochemical constituents(wax, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, etc.) and has been used in traditional medicines as early as 300 B.C. It was been demonstrated that ethanol, acetylsalicylic acid, ischemia reperfusion, non-steroidal antiin-flammatory drugs and stress induce gastric lesions by promoting the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites. Therefore, some drugs that are capable of scavenging or inhibiting the generation of reactive oxygen radicals might be expected to prevent the gastric mucosal injury. The aim of this study was 1) to examine the antiulcer effect of propolis, 2) to investigate the mechanism of action by determining gastric acid secretion, lipid per-oxidation, mucus content and proton pump ($H^+$/$K^+$-ATPase) activity on gastric mucus in varios experimental models, and finally, 3) to isolate and identify the pure compounds that exert antiulcer activity. Step 2-1 and 2-3 sub-sub fraction shoed a significant reduction of severity of gastirc damage at the dose of 25 mg/kg in various experimental models. We isolated 4 sub-sub-sub fractions by flash column chromatography of Step 2-1 sub-sub fraction and one sub-sub-sub fraction by recrystalization of Step 2-3 sub-sub fraction. The protective effects of propolis sub-sub-sub fraction manifested sifnificant effects in HCl-ethanol induced gastric erosion model and aspirin induced gastric ulcer model. These results showed that the gastric mucosal protective effect of propolis might result from the increase of mucus secretion, free radical scavenging effect as well as the reduction of acid secretion in accordance with the reduction of $H^+$/$K^+$-ATPase activitv. Three compounds were isolated and identified from sub-sub fraction of propolis which showed antiulcer effects. Subsequently, these compounds were identified as a flavonoid, namely, 2-acetoxy-5,7,-dihydroxy-flavanone, galangin and chrysin.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1482-1489
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative effect of polysaccharides from Salicornia herbacea on HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Crude polysaccharides from S. herbacea (CS) were prepared by extraction with hot steam water, and fine polysaccharides from S. herbacea (PS) were obtained through further size exclusion chromatography. The anti-proliferative effect of CS and PS were measured using the MTS assay, apoptosis analysis, cell cycle analysis, and RT-PCR. HT-29 cells were treated with CS or PS at different dosages (0.5, 1, 2, 4 mg $ml^{-1}$) for 24 or 48 h. CS and PS inhibited proliferation and stimulated apoptosis of cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis after Annexin V-FITC and PI staining revealed that treatment with CS or PS increased total apoptotic death of cells to 24.99% or 91.59%, respectively, in comparison with the control (13.51 %). PS increased early apoptotic death substantially - up to 12 times more than the control. Treatment with CS or PS resulted in a concentration-dependent increase of the G2/M cell population of the cell cycle as determined by flow cytometry. G2/M arrest was induced significantly with the highest concentration (4 mg $ml^{-1}$) of PS. RT-PCR was performed to study the correlation between G2/M arrest and transcription of cell cycle control genes. The anti-proliferative activity of CS and PS was accompanied by inhibition of cyclin B1, and Cdc 2 mRNA. Moreover, both CS and PS induced expression of the p53 tumor suppressor gene and the Cdk inhibitor p21. These results suggest that polysaccharides from S. herbacea have anti-cancer activity in human colon cancer cells.