• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.886-895
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• 2007

Objective : The immune system is a complex of systems, all of which work together to clear infection from the body. In Korea, red ginsenghas been one of the herbs most widely used to enhance the immune system for thousand of years. More recently, red ginseng has been reported to have many positive effects on the immune system. The purpose of this study was evaluate the effects of Korean red ginseng and Chinese red ginseng on IgG, IgM, and IgA, using immunoglobulin productivity assay. Methods : Male SD rats were separated into 3 groups. We administered Korean red ginseng (KRG) to one group and Chinese red ginseng (CRG) to another, with normal saline for the Control group consecutively and orally for 3 months. The dose of red ginseng was 500mg per day, as a powder with soluble water. Immunoglobulin levels from spleen cell were estimated by ELISA kit. Results : In immunoglobulin productivity assay (cell), the IgG level of the KRG group significantly increased but there was no significant difference in the IgG of the CRG group. The IgM level of the KRG group significantly increased stimulated with PWM. When it was unstimulated, the level of IgM in KRG and CRG increased together. The IgA level of the KRG group significantly increased when it was stimulated with PWM and unstimulated. Conclusion : According to the above results, oral administration of red ginseng for 3 months is considered useful for immunomodulatory effect, and Korean red ginseng may be superior to Chinese red ginseng in that effect.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.59-76
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect on both herbal medicine periodic therapy and western medicine for polycystic ovary syndrome subfertility. Methods: We searched 8 electronic databases and search keywords were 'PCOS' and 'periodic therapy' or 'cyclic treatment'. We included randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) using the periodic therapy combined western medicine for PCOS patients. Results: We selected 8 studies. In studies, there were three studies in which the menstrual cycle was divided into 2 periods, one study divided into 3 periods, and four study divided into 4 periods. The meta-analysis of the 7 trials indicated that pregnancy rates integrated clomiphene and periodic therapy were higher than clomiphene alone. Conclusions: The periodic therapy combined western medicine for PCOS subfertility patients seems to improve pregnancy rates from this research. However, this result should be taken cautiously by unclear risk of bias. It would be necessary to fulfill further clinical study with herbal medicine periodic therapy on PCOS in Korean medicine to establish standard evidence of them.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.352-360
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• 2004

Tuberculosis, one of the oldest diseases known to affect humans, is caused by bacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium luberculosis complex. The diseases usually affects the lungs, although in up to one-third of cases other organs are affected. If properly treated, tuberculosis caused by drug-susceptible strains is curable in virtually all cases. If untreated, the disease may be fatal within 5 years in more than half of cases. Transmission usually takes place through the airborne spread of droplets of nuclei produced by patients with infectious pulmonary tuberculosis. Two patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis and one with Tuberculous Meningitis were recently examined. The changes in these patient's symptoms through both western medical treatment and oriental medical treatment are reported.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.19-27
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• 2006

Objectives: Although Korean Acupuncture (KA) in Korean Medicine (KM) shares its origins with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it has made its own contribution to the field of acupuncture and general medicine. This study reviews characteristics of KA. Methods: Representative theories of KA were reviewed in light of a constitutionally individualized and practically integrated approach. Individualized approach in KA is based on constitutional energy traits recognized in Saam, Taegeuk, and Eight Constitution acupuncture theories. New practically integrated therapeutic modalities, such as herbal, and bee venom acupunctures, have also been developed in KA. Results: As a form of natural medicine, KA along with KM put emphasis on the vitality and self-correcting mechanism of an individual, which led to the refinement of constitutional approach. KA along with KM theories features a summarized understanding and practical application of integrated therapeutics, which produced creative development of new modalities. Conclusions: KA is expected to make significant contributions to the individualized and practical medicine, based on basic research and clinical trials.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.65-67
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• 2012

We have discovered copy number variations (CNVs) in 3,578 Korean individuals with the Affymetrix Genome-Wide SNP array 5.0, and 4,003 copy number variation regions (CNVRs) were defined in a previous study. To explore the details of the variants easily in related studies, we built a database, cataloging the CNVs and related information. This system helps researchers browsing these variants with gene and structure variant annotations. Users can easily find specific regions with search options and verify them from system-integrated genome browsers with annotations.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Dang Dang integrated corrective therapy including myofascial release, chuna therapy, and exercise therapy on height, muscle mass, body fat, and body water in patients with body imbalance. The secondary aim was to investigate whether the percent of change in height, muscle mass, body fat, and body water varied by age group. Methods : In total, 279 patients with body imbalance between the ages of 10 and 79 were recruited at hospitals. All participants had Dang Dang integrated corrective therapy including myofascial release, chuna therapy, and exercise therapy. The patients' height, muscle mass, body fat, and body water were measured before and after Dang Dang integrated corrective therapy using InBody. Results : The height, muscle mass, and body water significantly increased after Dang Dang integrated corrective therapy in all age groups except for the 70~79 age group and body fat significantly decreased (p < .05). The age group comparison of the percent change in height, muscle mass, and body water showed significant differences (p < .05). In the post hoc test, the percent change of height in the 10~19 age group was significantly greater than in the other age groups except for the 70~79 age group. The percent change of muscle mass and body water in the 10~19 age group was significantly greater than in the 30~39 age group. Conclusion : These findings suggest that applying Dang Dang integrated corrective therapy to patients with body imbalance, excluding patients aged 70~79, may be a useful method to increase height, muscle mass, and body water and decrease body fat through spinal and joint realignment. The best results were observed in teenagers.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.863-871
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• 2007

Objects : To gain better insights of East-west integrated treatment of ischemic stroke. We analyzed 89 patients with severe acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the East-west integrated intensive care unit. Methods : Subjects enrollment was from the East-west integrated intensive care unit of Kyung Hee Medical Center from March 2006 to February 2007. Patients were admitted within 14 days after the onset of ischemic stroke. We assessed the subjects' general characteristics, risk factors, admitting routes and periods, diagnostic imaging, process of western treatment and Korean traditional treatment, complication and consequence. Results : The proportion of males was 50.6%, of females 49.4%, average age was male 66.0$\pm$10.3 and female 71.1$\pm$10.5. Average length of hospital stays was 19.5 days. Monthly admissions were highest in November and December. The admission route was through emergency room (61.8%) or ward (34.8%). Mean Glasgow coma scale score was 10.0$\pm$2.5, average time from symptom of onset to hospital admission was 2.3$\pm$2.2 days. Dominant ischemic vascular territory was middle cerebral artery (66.3%). Initial western treatment was argatroban (22.5%), urokinase (28.1%), and heparinization (38.2%). Distribution of Sasang constitution of So-yang to Tae-eum to So-eum was equal to 5.4 to 2.9 to 1.5. Major complications were observed in 40 (42.7%) patients. In hospital mortality was 12.4% (11 deaths), all of them caused by aggravation of neurological deficit and only 3 of them with major complications. There appears to be a significant positive relationship between length of hospital stay and occurrence of complications (P<0.05). After discharge from the ICU, 64 (71.9%) patients were improved, 11 (12.4%) patients had expired, and 14 (15.8%) patients were transferred. Conclusions : From this study, we suggest that patients with severe acute ischemic stroke should be treated with East-west integrated therapy for more favorable consequences and decreased mortality.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 2022

Objectives: Currently, Korea's medical services are divided into Western medicine and Korean medicine, and people who are not satisfied with the existing treatments are looking for complementary and alternative medicine(CAM). Therefore, this study attempted to confirm patients' perception of the ongoing collaborative treatment and integrated medical service that added CAM to collaborative treatment based on tertiary hospital users. So that we can confirm the expected advantage and disadvantage of integrated medical service system and the necessity of supporting medical expenses for it. Methods: The survey was conducted on 100 people who experienced tertiary hospital treatment and other 100 people who experienced both tertiary hospital treatment and Korean medicine treatment at the same period. The survey was conducted until the number of respondents in both group reached 100. The survey was conducted through e-mail and was conducted from September 27, 2021 to October 8, 2021. Results: For the advantages of collaborative treatment 'increased in psychological stability,' and for disadvantages 'longer time spent for treatment' were the most common. If integrated medical services are implemented in the future, expected advantages include 'consideration of various treatments.' and expected disadvantages include 'increased medical cost.' The needs to expand support for health insurance for integrated medical services were 75.5% among responders. Conclusions: We were able to find out the (expected) advantages and disadvantages of the collaborative medical care and the integrated medical system that medical users experienced or expected, also confirmed positive answers to the expansion of health insurance support for the integrated medical system.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.247-251
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• 2022

This study is to show the clinical effect of Korean medicine integrated treatment for medial collateral ligament tear with bone contusion by traffic accident. The patients were treated using Korean medicine integrated treatment including acupunture, pharmacoacupunture and herbal medication. The effect of treatment was measured by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), EuroQol-5 Dimension Index (EQ-5D) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). After treatment, case 1 improved WOMAC from 94 to 24, EQ-5D from -0.056 to 0.72, and NRS from 10 to 2. Case 2 showed an improvement in symptoms from WOMAC 91 to 14, EQ-5D from 0.077 to 0.862, NRS from 10 to 2.5. In addition, as a result of follow-up about 5 months after each onset, case 1 showed a further improvement with WOMAC 0, EQ-5D 0.95 and case 2 WOMAC 7, EQ-5D 0.913. These results suggest that Korean medicine integrated treatment might be a possible therapeutic option for the medial collateral ligament tear with bone contusion by traffic accident.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 2009

Enhanced formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated as a major pathogenesis process leading to diabetic complications, normal aging, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. In our ongoing project to discover novel treatments for diabetic complications from natural sources, we have investigated on the inhibitory activity of 67 ethanol extracts from 57 Korean herbal medicines against the formation of AGEs in vitro. Of these, 22 extracts were found to have a significant AGEs inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, 6 extracts from 3 herbal medicines, Castanea crenata (flower, leaf, bark-twig), Acer tatarium subsp. ginnala (fruit) and Sapium japonicum (leaf, twig) showed (approximately 8-17 fold) stronger inhibitory activity than that of aminoguanidine.