• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.91-97
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• 2007

Tonsil is rich in lymphatics, blood vessels, muscle, nearby nerve fibers and epithelium. All of these are potential sources of malignancy. Malignancy of the tonsils is an uncommon entity that accounts for little more than 0.5% of new malignancies in the United States every year. Approximately, more than 70% of malignancies in this region are squamous cell carcinoma. In this report, I introduce a case of 47 year male patient who has right tonsillar cancer that is squamous cell carcinoma(T4N3M0). After three times chemotherapy, the patient refused to get conventional western medical treatment including chemotherapy and surgical operation. After 8 month of traditional oriental medical treatment using allegen removed Rhus Verniciflua Stokes(ARV), the size of cancer mass decreased and mass showed necrosis at inner portion. The patient improved pain in the neck. More case will be needed in order to determine the effect of ARV on tonsillar cancer.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2012

Background : With the increase of cooperative practices (CP) between conventional western medicine and traditional Korean medicine, there have been lots of researches on the status of CP and the attitude of doctors. Objective : Since most of the research is cross-sectional, this study aims to figure out the changes in the attitude of doctors toward CP through systematic review. Method : Systematic literature searches were performed on several databases in Korea. They were categorized according to the respondents and question items and analyzed by the context of questions, similarity of respondents and measurement scale. And we analyzed the changes of response regarding to doctors' awareness and attitude to CP. Results : Thirteen survey studies including attitude of doctors toward CP were selected. These studies were conducted between 1997 and 2009 and the number of respondents of each study ranged from 20 to 702. There has been increasing awareness of CP among doctors ; however the positive responses on the necessity of CP has decreased. Regarding the type of illness effectively treated employing CP, there was a shift from neurovascular to musculoskeletal and immune diseases. Most of the studies listed different approaches to disease, prejudice of health care providers and inadequate legal system as major obstacles against CP. Conclusion : In spite of the increase of CP in the last 20 years, there has not been marked positive change in the doctors' attitude toward CP. To promote CP, it is required to confirm the effectiveness of CP through disease models and change the medical legislation policies on CP.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.154-160
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• 2019

Background: Compound K (CK) is an active metabolite of ginseng saponin, ginsenoside Rb1, that has been shown to have ameliorative properties in various diseases. However, its role in inflammation and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this report, the antiinflammatory role of CK was investigated in macrophage-like cells. Methods: The CK-mediated antiinflammatory mechanism was explored in RAW264.7 and HEK293 cells that were activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or exhibited overexpression of known activation proteins. The mRNA levels of inflammatory genes and the activation levels of target proteins were identified by quantitative and semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Results: CK significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and morphological changes in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells under noncytotoxic concentrations. CK downregulated the phosphorylation of AKT1, but not AKT2, in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells. Similarly, CK reduced the AKT1 overexpression-induced expression of aldehyde oxidase 1, interleukin-$1{\beta}$, interferon-${\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Our results suggest that CK plays an antiinflammatory role during macrophage-mediated inflammatory actions by specifically targeting the AKT1-mediated signaling pathway.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.66-76
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• 2016

Objectives This study aims to investigate current status of the Korean medicine treatment on the cerebral palsy (CP) via interviewing the doctors who have expertise in CP children. Methods From June 2015 to May 2016, the surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted on the fifteen Korean medicine doctors. Results Based on the surveys and interviews, widely-used treatments were body acupuncture and herbal decoction. Scalp acupuncture, intradermal acupuncture and manipulation were also used frequently. Experts stated Korean medicine could be more effective in younger patients, patients with cognitive or language problem. They also stated that Korean medicine has its advantage on strengthening the body to help grow and develop in CP children. However, the absence of guideline related to Korean medicine treatment in CP children as well as high cost are the problems. Finally, the issues regarding Korean medicine treatment in CP children, based on the in-depth interviews, emerged when western medicine is used simultaneously, when having seizure during treatment. Further research is needed for better understanding. Conclusions This study provided current status of the evidence-based Korean medicine treatment in CP children. However, further studies about the addressed issues are needed.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 2015

Objective : The aim of this study was to review the use of Korean medicine (KM) or Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies among children with cerebral palsy (CP). Method : Literature searches were performed using Pudmed, CNKI, J-STAGE and four Korean databases. We investigated the frequency, types, predictors of the use of KM or CAM therapies used in children with CP. Results : Thirteen survey studies including use of KM or CAM among children with CP were selected - six Korean studies and seven overseas studies. The utilization rate of CAM among children with CP varied 26.8~56.0% according to the studies. CP children used KM or CAM more than other children with chronic disease. Acupuncture and Korean herbal medicine was the major treatment used in Korea, however physical manipulations such as massage, osteopathy and chiropractic were in high demand in western country. Disease severity of CP, use of CAM in the past by the parent or family member and high education of parent are the factors that significantly affect CAM utilization. Conclusion : Further studies on effectiveness and safety of KM therapies combined with conventional rehabilitation treatment would be required to expand the implementation of KM treatment for CP children.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.159-169
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• 2023

Purpose : Though other Citrus spp. have reported their anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities in previous studies, the biological activity of Kiyomi (Citrus unshiu × C. sinensis) has not been reported yet. Therefore, this study attempted to analyze the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Kiyomi leaf ethanol extract (KLEE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Methods : The cytotoxic effect of KLEE in RAW 264.7 cells was determined by WST-1 assay. Bacterial endotoxin, the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) was analyzed by the Griess reaction. In addition, Western blot analysis was applied to measure the protein expression level of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). The phosphorylated status of the critical inflammatory transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF)-𝜅B, and its upstream signaling molecules, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt as well as mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), were also measured by Western blot analysis. Results : KLEE was not cytotoxic up to a concentration of 200 ㎍/㎖, and protein expression levels of iNOS and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, enzymes that counteract NO and prostaglandin (PG) E2 production, were inhibited by KLEE treatment. The phosphorylated status of PI3K/Akt as well as MAPKs including extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), c-jun NH2kinase (JNK), and p38, were significantly attenuated by KLEE treatment in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, one of phase II enzymes, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 which has known for its anti-inflammatory capacity, was strongly induced by KLEE treatment. Conclusion : Consequently, KLEE treatment significantly attenuated the production of NO as well as the expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The inflammatory transcription factor, NF-𝜅B, as well as its upstream signaling molecules, PI3K/Akt and MAPKs, were also diminished by KLEE treatment with statistical significance in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that KLEE might be a promising candidate for the attenuation of inflammatory disorders.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1251-1255
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• 2005

Articular cartilage is an important factor for studying the arthritic diseases. The chondrocyte isolated from cartilage has the characieristic of differentiation and rf-differentiation when cultured in monolayer The bee venom (BV) acupuncture was investigated to examine their abilities on chondrocyte re-differentiation via rabbit chondrocyte primary culture. And the expression profiles of type II collagen (COL2) was analyzed using RT-PCR and western hybridization at third passage chondrocyte. In general, the mRNA expression of type II collagen was reduced step by step with the subculture of the chondrocyte. However, after the BV treatment for 48hr at third passage, the expressions of type II collagen were found to be significantly up-regulated, the same result was confirmed by western blotting. These results suggested that the diluted solution of BV for herb-acupuncture was very effective on the recovery of articular chondrocyte phenotype.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.286-297
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• 2024

Brain plasticity refers to the brain's ability to modify its structure, accompanied by its functional changes. It is influenced by learning, experiences, and dietary factors, even in later life. Accumulated researches have indicated that ginseng may protect the brain and enhance its function in pathological conditions. There is a compelling need for a more comprehensive understanding of ginseng's role in the physiological condition because many individuals without specific diseases seek to improve their health by incorporating ginseng into their routines. This review aims to deepen our understanding of how ginseng affects brain plasticity of people undergoing normal aging process. We provided a summary of studies that reported the impact of ginseng on brain plasticity and related factors in human clinical studies. Furthermore, we explored researches focused on the molecular mechanisms underpinning the influence of ginseng on brain plasticity and factors contributing to brain plasticity. Evidences indicate that ginseng has the potential to enhance brain plasticity in the context of normal aging by mediating both central and peripheral systems, thereby expecting to improve age-related declines in brain function. Moreover, given modern western diet can damage neuroplasticity in the long term, ginseng can be a beneficial supplement for better brain health.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 2016

Objectives : Although integrative Korean medical treatments have been suggested to be effective for treating Bell's palsy, the effect of Korean medical treatment according to when treatment was started is unknown in the clinical field. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the results of treating Bell's palsy according to different starting points of integrative Korean medical treatments. Methods : We screened patients who visited the Facial Palsy Center at Kyung Hee University Hospital for Korean and Western combined medical treatment from March 2011 to February 2016. A total of 821 out of 2086 patients were studied, including their basic characteristics and results of an electromyography. Patients who started Korean medical treatment within 3 days of onset were placed in group A, within 9 days of onset in group B, and patients who started treatment after 10 days of onset were placed in group C. We tried to compare the level of facial nerve damage by electromyography between groups. Results : The patients in group C had the highest axonal loss rates in all branches(frontal, oculi, nasal, oris). The post hoc analyses revealed the difference of axonal loss rates between group A and B was not statistically significant. Only group C showed statistically higher axonal loss rates in all branches. Conclusion : The study results showed that the patients who had delayed Korean medical treatments had a higher level of facial nerve damage by electromyography. According to the results of this study, early application of integrative Korean medical treatment is suggested.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.376-384
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• 2016

Systems biology is an emerging field aiming at a systems level understanding of living organisms and focusing on the characteristics of the whole network of them. The emergence of systems biology is partly because of the availability of huge amounts of data on organisms and the extensive support of computational technologies as the tools for understanding complex biological systems. The scientific understanding of Korean medicine has been obstructed because of the lack of proper methods examining the complex nature and the unique property of it. However, systems biology could give a chance understanding Korean medicine objectively and scientifically. Pattern classification is a unique tool of Korean medicine to diagnose and treat patients and systems biology would give a useful tool to interpret pattern classification. Various omics technologies has been used to explain the relations between pattern classification and biological factors and then many characteristics of pattern classification in various diseases have been discovered. Therefore, pattern classification could be a bridge to understand the features and differences of western medicine and Korean medicine and it could be a basis to develop pattern-based personalized medicine.