• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2010

The leaves of Madhuca (M.) indica J.f.Gmel. (Sapotaceae) have been used traditionally in folk medicine due to its astringent properties and are effective in treatment of eczema and snake bites. Methanolic extract of M. indica is rich in tannins and has been proven experimentally to possess antibacterial activity. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-ulcer and antioxidant activity of M. indica in rats. The methanolic extract of leaves of M. indica was tested at various doses (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) for its effect on gastric secretion and gastric ulcers in pylorus-ligation and on ethanol- induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. The significant reduction in ulcer index in both the models along with an increase in the pH of the gastric fluid and mucin content of stomach, and the acid secretory parameters such as total acidity and volume of gastric fluid were also significantly reduced along with reduction in the pepsin activity in pylorusligated rats proved the anti-ulcer activity of M. indica. The increase in the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione and decrease in lipid peroxidation in both the models proved the antioxidant activity of M. indica. Thus it can be concluded that M. indica possesses anti-ulcer activity, which can be attributed to its antioxidant mechanism of action.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2013

Objective: Evaluations of the in-vitro anti-bacterial activities of aqueous extracts of Acacia catechu (L.F.)Willd, Castanea sativa, Ephedra sinica stapf and Shilajita mumiyo against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia) and gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) are reasonable since these ethnomedicinal plants have been used in Persian folk medicine for treating skin diseases, venereal diseases, respiratory problems and nervous disorders for ages. Methods: The well diffusion method (KB testing) with a concentration of $250{\mu}g/disc$ was used for evaluating the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC). Maximum synergistic effects of different combinations of components were also observed. Results: A particular combination of Acacia catechu (L.F.) Willd, Castanea sativa, Ephedra sinica stapf and shilajita mumiyo extracts possesses an outstanding anti-bacterial activity. It's inhibiting effect on microorganisms is significant when compared to the control group (P<0.05). Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive microorganism. The highest anti-bacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia) or gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was exerted by formula number 2 (table 1). Conclusion: The results reveal the presence of anti-bacterial activities of Acacia catechu, Castanea sativa husk, Ephedra sp. and Mumiyo against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Synergistic effects in a combined formula, especially in formula number 2 (ASLAN$^{(R)}$) can lead to potential sources of new antiseptic agents for treatment of acute or chronic skin ulcers. These results considering the significant anti-bacterial effect of the present formulation, support ethnopharmacological uses against diarrheal and venereal diseases and demonstrate use of these plants to treat infectious diseases.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.11.1-11.6
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• 2014

Cinnamomum zeylanicum (C. zeylanicum) is a tropical evergreen tree of Lauraceae family. It is one of the oldest culinary spices known and used traditionally in many cultures for centuries. In addition to its culinary uses, cinnamon also possesses as a folk remedy of many health disease condition including analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, carminative, haemostatic, insecticidal, and parasiticide and memory enhancing property. This study was aimed to assess the acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of standardized methanol extract of the C. zeylanicum. Gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis were done to identify the presence of eugenol as chemical component and support the neuroprotective activity in the extract. Anticholinesterase inhibitory activity of crude methanol extract of C. zeylanicum leaves and cinnamon oil were evaluated by 96-well microtiter plate assay and thin layer chromatography bioassay detection methods. This study revealed that cinnamon oil ($IC_{50}:45.88{\pm}1.94{\mu}g/ml$) has better anticholinesterase activity than methanol extract ($IC_{50}:77.78{\pm}0.03{\mu}g/ml$). In HPLC analysis, retention time of eugenol in cinnamon oil was found to be 15.81 min which was comparable with the retention time (15.99 min) of the reference standard, eugenol. Seven chemical compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis, in which eugenol as an important phytoconstituents. Thus the phytochemicals from C. zeylanicum methanol leaves extract could be developed as potential source of anticholinesterase activity, with particular benefit in the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.206-209
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• 2009

Background: The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum (EOOB) has a pleasant aroma and is known to have antimicrobial and insecticidal activities. In addition, it is used as a pain reliever in folk medicine. However, there are few reports on the antinociceptive activities of EOOB. Methods: This study examined the antinociceptive effects of EOOB using formalin and a plantar test in mice. In the formalin test, EOOB (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally and the licking time of the mice was measured. In the plantar test, intraperitoneal EOOB (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg) was administered and the withdrawal latency was measured using the Hargreaves method. Results: In the formalin test, EOOB (50 mg/kg, IP) showed significant decreases in licking time in the second phase. On the other hand, in the plantar test, there were no significant effects in any of the groups examined. Conclusions: These results support the traditional use of EOOB for the treatment of painful conditions. However, there is a need for more research to determine the active chemical constituents and the precise mechanism.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.475-481
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• 2014

Background: Pereskia sacharosa is a genus of cacti widely used in folk medicine for cancer-related treatment. Anti-proliferative effects have been studied in recent years against colon, breast, cervical and lung cancer cell lines, with promising results. We here extended study of anti-proliferative effects to a blood malignancy, leukemia. Materials and Methods: Two leukemic cell lines, MV4-11 (acute myeloid leukemia) and K562 (chronic myeloid leukemia), were studied. $IC_{50}$ concentrations were determined and apoptosis and cell cycle regulation were studied by flow cytometric analysis. The expression of apoptosis and cell-cycle related regulatory proteins was assessed by Western blotting. Results: P sacharosa inhibited growth of MV4-11 and K562 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The mode of cell death was via induction of intrinsic apoptotic pathways and cell cycle arrest. There was profound up-regulation of cytochrome c, caspases, p21 and p53 expression and repression of Akt and Bcl-2 expression in treated cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that P sacharosa induces leukemic cell death via apoptosis induction and changes in cell cycle checkpoint, thus deserves further study for anti-leukemic potential.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 1973

Chinae Rhizoma is dried crude roots and rhizomes obtained from Smilax china Linne which belongs to Smilax Genus of Liliaceae Familia, and it has been in wife use as a folk remedy for a long time. But very little systemic studies on its pharmacological actions have been made until now. Furthermore, the effective components except saponin of Chinae Rhizoma have been not known yet. It came to the attention of the authors that Chinae Rhizoma are used as antidiarrhetics in Chinese herb medicine, therefore they attempted to observe the effects of Chinae Rhizoma Alcoholic Extracts (Chinae Rhizoma Ethanol Extract=CREE, Chinae Rhizoma Methanol Extract=CRME) from Smilax china Linne on motility of the isolated rabbit duodenum in this experiment. The results of the study were as follow: 1. The movement of the isolated rabbit duodenum was slowed down and its tonus was relaxed in proportion to the concentration of Chinae Rhizoma Alcoholic Extracts (CREE & CRME). 2. With a concentration of CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$, the contractile effects of acetylcholine $10^{-6}g/ml$, pilocarpine $10^{-5}g/ml$ and physostigmine $10^{-5}g/ml$ were remarkably blocked in the movement of isolated rabbit duodenum. 3. The concentration of the isolated rabbit duodenum induced by barium chloride $10^{-4}g/ml$ was significantly inhibited by CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$. 4. With the administrations of histamine $10^{-5}g/ml$, serotonin $10^{-6}g/ml$ and prostaglandin $A_2\;10^{-6}g/ml$ respectively, contractions were observed in the rabbit duodenum. But, treatment of CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$ inhibited markedly the tonus and motility of the duodenum pretreated with the above drugs. 5. The effects of CREE and CRME were very much alike in this experiment. From the above results, it is concluded that the mechanism of action of Chinae Rhizoma on motility of isolated rabbit duodenum was partially due to cholinergic blocking effect.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2017

Angelicae Gigantis Radix (AGR, Angelica gigas) has been used for a long time as a traditional folk medicine in Korea and oriental countries. Decursinol angelate (DCA) is structurally isomeric decursin, one of the major components of AGR. This study was performed to confirm whether DCA augments pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors via the activation of $GABA_A$-ergic systems in animals. Oral administration of DCA (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) markedly suppressed spontaneous locomotor activity. DCA also prolonged sleeping time, and decreased the sleep latency by pentobarbital (42 mg/kg), in a dose-dependent manner, similar to muscimol, both at the hypnotic (42 mg/kg) and sub-hypnotic (28 mg/kg) dosages. Especially, DCA increased the number of sleeping animals in the sub-hypnotic dosage. DCA (50 mg/kg, p.o.) itself modulated sleep architectures; DCA reduced the counts of sleep/wake cycles. At the same time, DCA increased total sleep time, but not non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In the molecular experiments. DCA (0.001, 0.01 and $0.1{\mu}g/ml$) increased intracellular Cl- influx level in hypothalamic primary cultured neuronal cells of rats. In addition, DCA increased the protein expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase ($GAD_{65/67}$) and $GABA_A$ receptors subtypes. Taken together, these results suggest that DCA potentiates pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors through the activation of $GABA_A$-ergic systems, and can be useful in the treatment of insomnia.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.86-98
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• 1994

We have examined the development and conceptual definition of shamanism and divination through significant characteristics of various illnesses. However, the terrminology has been inconsistent and its real conceptual meaning is not well defined. Divination is a historically dominant religious practice which represents the core of Korean folk culture. Despite prevalent prejudice toward its primitive nature, we cannot deny its profound relationship to our unconscious, especially our reliance on its religious role whenever we face crisis or conflict. It is therefore appropriate to use the term divination in this context. Shamanism originated as humanity's oldest mode of communication with divine - a religion, The shaman is not a sorceress but a priestess, a healer, a spritual guide, a leader, a mystic, traditionally having a different significance from that of the contemporary diviner or "shaman". The traditional concept of illness has been profoundly altered to serve new functions: while the shamanistic view is based upon spiritual abduction, divination on the other hand invokes concepts of spiritual invasion phenomena such as spirit intrusion, taboo violations, soul loss, object instrusion, deviations from the appropriate spiritual path besiegement, and curess or predestination (the idea that the sufferer is born with his fate), We should therefore try to understand divination from a more holistic point of view, rather than attempting to fit it into the standrd medical illness. We must recognize divination as a phenomenon within our culture, since most people have a mixed conception of illness arising from a combination of divinational and modem concepts, Since divination's humanistic approach is ingrained in our people, to irresponsibly ignore the spiritual aspects of treatment would exert a negative influence on our culture, Especially now, while attraction is focused on Korean culture and its influence on every aspect of our livies, it is important for nurses to expand our horizons in order to create a way of nursing more suitable to Korean culture. Increased importance is now being given to the opinions of patients themselves about their own illness and health, so nurses should seek to understand how patients accept their illness and what particular kinds of help they expect to receive. Consequently, an understanding of traditional divinations will enable us to utilize these characteristics on the job in order to enhance nursing care.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 1983

Buxus leaves(Buxus microphylla var. koreana Nakai) have been used as a folk medicine in treating woman's disease. The chemical constituents, which have teen identified from Buxus sempervirens L. in Europe, are so far known in isolation of buxus alkaloids, cyclobuxine, buxamine, norbuxamine and buxaminol. But But any study on the pharmacological action of Buxus microphylla var. koreana Nakai has not yet teen rallied out, however, active substances have not been identified. As an attempt to isolate the biologically active substances from this plant, the examination of chemical constituents was undertaken. In the experiment, the crystalline component$(C_{10}H_8O_4)$ obtained from Buxus microphylla var. koreana Nakai was identified as a 6-methoxy, 7-hydroxy coumarin by chemical and physical methods. We named this crystal buxuletin. Therefore, we intended to screen the pharmacological action of buxuletin, especially, its diuretic effects in rabbits. Buxuletin was intraveneously injected to the rabbit in the dose of 20 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg. The variations of urine volume and minerals $(Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-)$ in urine were measured at an interval of 15 minutes for 4 hours after the treatment of buxuletin. The observed results are as follows: 1) With the administration of buxuletin (20 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg), the remarkable increment of the excreted urine volume was observed during the relatively long period. Excretion rates of urinary minerals $(Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-)$ were also increased. 2) In a dose of 5 mg/kg, the slight increment on the diuretic actions of rabbits was observed. From the above results, authors name this crystal buxuletin and buxuletin shows the diuretic action.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.602-615
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• 1998

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the homecare needs of the discharged patient with cancer as perceived by nurses caring hospitalized cancer patients. At two hospitals in Gyeongnam, 74 nurses responded to an open-ended questionnaire consisting of four need categories : 1) educational & informational need, 2) physical need, 3) emotional need, 4) social need. Respondents were asked to list above ten needs of cancer patient in each category. Two researchers analyzed the data by content analysis method. The findings are summarized as follows : 1) A total of 1,417 need items were generated by nurses. The largest number of needs were in the educational & informational need category(475 items, 36.3%). Physical(414 items, 31.6%), emotional (237 items, 18.1%) need were the second, third largest, and social(184 items, 14.0%) need made up the smallest category. 2) In the educational & informational need category, there were seven subcategories of prognosis, diet & exercise, medication & pain, wound care, folk remedy, personal hygiene, comfort. The need items related to prognosis of cancer accounted for almost a half(48.2%) of the total. 3) In the physical need category, there were ten subcategories of personal hygiene, skin & tissue, nutrition, side effect on treatment, exercise, pain, elimination, equipment, comfort & safety, others. The largest number of needs were in subcategory of the personal hygiene(82 items, 19.8%). 4) In the emotional need category, there were four subcategories of emotional support related to disease, emotional support related to routine life, spiritual support, maintenance of relationship with nurse & doctor. The largest number of needs were in subcatgory of the emotional support related to disease(96 items, 40.5%). 5) In the social need category, there were five subcategories of support for social life, household management, legal support, the use of volunteer service, financial support. The largest number of needs were in support for social life subcategory(58 items, 31.5%).