• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.733-740
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• 2016

Objective: To evaluate the effects of integrative treatment with conventional and Korean medicine on cerebral infarction due to presumed paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale. Methods: We applied acupuncture, herbal medication, western medication, and physical therapy routinely every day and applied fluid therapy provided as needed. The NIHSS, K-MBI, MRS, MMT, and MMSE-K score were determined to assess any improvement in symptoms. Results: Scores appeared to be improved for the NIHSS (9 to 5), K-MBI (94 to 100), MRS (2 to 1), MMT (2+, 4 to 4, 4), MMSE-K (24 to 26). No side effects were observed during the treatment. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that integrative treatment with conventional and Korean medicine may be an effective option for treating cerebral infarction due to a presumed paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.86-99
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare atopic dermatitis and food allergy of Korean Medicine with those of western medicine. Methods : We examined the relationship between atopic dermatitis and food allergy mainly in digestive system abnormalities through literature review. Results : Food allergy is classified into categories such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and cough caused by retention of undigested food(食積) and pimples(癮疹) in Korean medicine. The side effects caused by specific immune reactions occur repeatedly due to exposure to specific food allergen or retention of undigested food. Atopic dermatitis and food allergy are often coexisting and deeply related. Digestive system abnormalities can result not only in indigestion but also in immune function abnormalities. Food allergies are known to cause atopic dermatitis and the influx of food antigens exacerbates atopic dermatitis. This corresponds to atopic dermatitis due to abnormal digestive system(脾胃) accompanied by fever(熱), wind(風), and weakness(虛) with focusing on dampness(濕). A typical example of the relationship between atopic dermatitis and food allergy in Korean medicine is Tae-yeul (胎熱). Tae-yeul refers to atopic dermatitis caused by a sensitization to reaction to the dietary antigens of the mother through the placenta during the fetal life with a unusual genetic disposition. Conclusions : We compared korean medicine with western medicine for atopic dermatitis and food allergy. Atopic dermatitis caused by abnormal immune function due to ingestion of food antigen corresponds to dermatitis due to retention of undigested food(食積), digestive system(脾胃臟) problems in korean medicine.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2014

Background: Korea is considered to have an integrative health system where both western medicine and Korean (traditional) medicine are officially recognized and provided. Although Korean medicine has been covered by National Health Insurance over 20 years, equity in the utilization of Korean medical care has rarely been examined. Methods: We examined medical care utilization and expenditure of outpatient Korean medicine using panel fixed effects model to remove selection bias. Then we compared it with pooled ordinary least square (OLS) model. This study used Korea Health Panel data, which provides accurate information on out-of-pocket health care payment, including non-covered medical services. Results: Principal findings indicate that the frequency of the utilization of Korean medicine is related with unobservable individual choices different from western medicine, so the panel fixed effect model is appropriate. But pooled OLS model is better fitted for the expenditure of Korean medicine, after controlling for western medical care expenditure. After adjusting for the selection bias, socioeconomic status (income, education) was significantly associated with the expenditure of Korean medicine, but not with the frequency of the utilization of Korean medicine. Conclusion: This study shows that expenditure of Korean medicine utilization is inequitable across socioeconomic groups, which implies that health insurance coverage of Korean medicine is not sufficient.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2010

Objective : The purpose of this research was to provide basic data for developing the collaborating care of Korean traditional medicine and western medicines by analyzing the perceptions of residents visiting local health centers on the collaborating care. Method : To this end, a self-administrated questionnaire was surveyed to 417 participants from March 10 to March 19, 2005. The questionnaires were regarding medical preferences, effectiveness, co-operative treatment types, and the demographic characteristics of the study population. The main statistical methods employed for analysis were frequency chi-square test analysis, using SPSS system 12.0 software for Windows. Result : First, the perceptions of collaborating care, such as preference and effectiveness, were better for residents who had experienced Korean traditional medicine(p < 0.05). Second, the most favorable collaborating care type was the neuromuscular disease and rehabilitation, and in particular, the preference of the patient who had experienced Korean traditional medicine was much higher than those who had not experienced it(p < 0.05). Third, as for recognizing the future of collaborating care, respondents insisted that collaboration care has to be conducted under evidence-based research. The reasons why collaborating care has not been active were reported as "difference in solving disease problems between oriental medicine and western medicine." The most important role of the Korean traditional medicines in the public sector was to provide specialized service for the elderly and low income households. Conclusion : Most respondents expected the positive effects of the collaborating care and wanted it to develop, particularly for neuromuscular diseases. As for the health promotion program in health centers, it was more popular than the home visiting program for the elderly and preventive rehabilitation for stroke. Now we must plan to balance between the need of the community and the medical provider on collaborating care.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2016

This short review article presents a current overview of existing publications and scientific results regarding liquid (ear) acupuncture. The injection of liquids into defined acupuncture points of the ear is not a method commonly used in the Western world. The term liquid acupuncture has different definitions, which makes understanding each definition and differentiating one from the other difficult. General terms like pharmacopuncture, homeosiniatry, and liquid acupuncture, which all describe the method of injecting different kinds of drugs into a defined body acupuncture point, are used. This article presents the history of liquid acupuncture, as well as the current scientific state of the art, from the point of view of two European researchers. Some articles are discussed and a few practical examples are presented.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2013

Objective: Pharmacopuncture, a new therapy in traditional medicine, has attracted significant attention since its introduction to the Western world. This short review article employs a database analysis to examine the profile of publication activity related to pharmacopuncture. Methods: Three databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. About 300 papers related to the topic "pharmacopuncture" were found in these three most-commonly-used databases. Results: Fourteen papers are described in detail and are discussed in the context of the research performed at the Medical University of Graz, especially by the Frank Bahr Research Group "Auriculomedicine and Pharmacopuncture." Conclusion: High-tech research methods concerning future pharmacopuncture studies are briefly discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.515-521
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• 2013

Healthcare approach in Western medicine and Korean Traditional Medicine (KTM) varies from its nature of human understanding and cultural differences. This fundamental difference in their approach of the human pathology has dualised and hindered common medical communication between the two fields of medicines. Within this current difficulty, the integrative medical service is said to become a novel method to provide the patients with the best medical care as their intent is to adapt and combine the advantages stated from the two different fields. This research paper shows the integrative approach of treating jaundice, where the symptoms of dampness and heat on Korean traditional standards are analyzed using statistical methods based on monitoring the blood test results. Therefore, we can explore an approach to diagnose and treat with comprehensive and integrative medicine algorithm.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.119-128
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• 2023

Purpose : The fruit of Actinidia polygama has been used in oriental medicine for the treatment of gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammation. Though A. polygama exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells and carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, the exact mechanism for anti-inflammation was not evaluated yet. In this study, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of A. polygama ethanol extract (APEE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Methods : WST-1 assay was applied to analyze the cytotoxic effect of APEE in RAW 264.7 cells. The productions of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin (PG) E₂ were analyzed by the Griess reaction and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) assay, respectively. In addition, protein expressions for inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 were measured by Western blot analysis. The activated status of an inflammatory transcription factor, NF-κ B, and its upstream signaling molecules, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), was also evaluated by Western blot analysis. Results : As a result, APEE treatment did not exhibit any cytotoxicity until the concentration of 200 ㎍/㎖. APEE treatment significantly inhibited NO and PGE₂ productions as well as their enzymes, iNOS and COX-2 in a dose-dependent manner. The inflammatory transcription factor, NF-κ B, was also attenuated by APEE treatment. In addition, the phosphorylated status of MAPKs such as extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), c-jun NH2 kinase (JNK), and p38, were significantly diminished by APEE treatment in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusion : Consequently, APEE treatment significantly attenuated the production of inflammatory mediators and their enzyme expressions in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The inflammatory transcription factor, NF-κ B, and upstream signaling molecules, MAPKs, were also significantly attenuated by APEE treatment in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. These results indicate that APEE might be a candidate to be utilized as a promising candidate for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.99-102
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• 2014

A 37-year-old female patient with chronic and stubborn abdominal pain had been hospitalized five times in three Western hospitals, but no effects were observed. No abnormalities were found in blood tests, gastrointestinal endoscopy, sonogram, and computed tomography of the abdomen, except mild paralytic ileus. The patient decided to rely on Korean medicine as an inpatient. She was diagnosed with functional abdominal pain syndrome, and her symptom differentiation was the "Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney." A herbal drug, Hwangikyeji-tang, along with moxibustion and acupuncture, was given to the patient. Abdominal pain and related symptoms were reduced radically within 16 days of treatment. This report shows a therapeutic potential of Korean medicine-based treatment for functional abdominal pain syndrome.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.72-84
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• 2012

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate prevalence and the frequency of using Korean medicine, Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), and other parallel treatments in children and young adolescence with neurological diseases. Methods From April to July 2011, parents of the children and adolescents patients suffering from neurological disease completed questionnaires. Results 578 parents answered the questionnaires. 310 cases (53.5%) were using Parallel Treatments. Types of the Parallel Treatments being used are as follows. Rehabilitation 166 cases (27.4%), Speech Therapy 169 cases (27.9%), Education (Art, Music, Play) 109 cases (18.0%), Health supplement 72 cases (11.9%), Counselling, Cognitive & Behavioral Therapy 45 cases (7.4%), Herbal Medicine 24 cases (4.0%), Acupuncture, Moxibustion 13 cases (2.1%), Neurofeedback Therapy 1 case (0.2%), Etc 7 cases (1.2%). 257 cases (44.5%) have used Parallel Treatment before. Parallel Treatments being used in the past are as follows. Herbal Medicine 146 cases (35.4%), Acupuncture, Moxibustion 64 cases (15.5%), Education (Art, Music, Play) 54 cases (13.1%), Rehabilitation 47 cases (11.4%), Speech Therapy 46 cases (11.1%), Health supplement 30 cases (7.3%), Counselling? Cognitive & Behavioral Therapy 15 cases (3.6%), Neurofeedback Therapy 4 case (1.0%), Chuna, Manual Massage 2 case (0.5%), Etc 5 cases (1.2%). Conclusions Although patients were on both western medicine and Korean medicine, CAM, and other parallel treatment, the ratio of Korean medicine treatment was not as high as expected. Further studies are required to develop the model of integrative medicine.