• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.323-333
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• 2024

Objectives: This case report describes the effect of complex Korean medical treatment on the clinical symptoms of a patient with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Methods: A 60-year-old female woman diagnosed with FMS in 2015 was prescribed Youngsunjaetong-em-hap-Sopunghwalhyeol-tang from 2 May 2023 to 20 June 2023 to reduce excessive sweating and widespread pain. With the same objective, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping treatment were administered from 23 May 2023 to 11 June 2023. Changes in excessive sweating and widespread pain were recorded 2 months post-treatment. Results: Treatment with Youngsunjaetong-em-hap-Sopunghwalhyeol-tang led to a considerable improvement in clinical symptoms after 2 months, especially excessive sweating and widespread pain compared to the baseline parameters of the first visit. In addition, no adverse effects, such as liver injury or decreased kidney function, were recorded during the herbal medicine treatment. Conclusion: This case report points to the use of complex Korean medical treatment as a therapeutic option for the management of FMS.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.73-89
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• 2006

Complementary and alternative medicine has gained popularity and respectability in recent years in the United States. Since aging is often associated with chronic health conditions that commonly lead to physical and psychosocial disabilities (e.g., depression, functional and/or cognitive disabilities, and decreased quality of life), older adults often seek options to maintain health and treat chronic conditions as an adjunct to conventional medical care. Herbal products, the most commonly used among various complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), should be used with caution due to potential herbal-drug interactions (related to polypharmacy) and herbal-disease interactions (related to comorbidities). Five of the most common chronic conditions in older adults are chronic pain, cardiovascular problems, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic lung problems. A high rate of falls or risk of falling is also a problem unique to this older population. For these conditions, only a few types of CAM (e.g., acupuncture, qi gong, tai chi) were tested, with promising results. However, in spite of evidence supporting the use of certain types of CAM to alleviate some common chronic conditions, findings are limited in terms of other types of CAM tested and both short and long-term effects. More rigorous clinical trials of various CAM types are thus warranted to advance scientific knowledge and establish evidence-based practices to care for the growing number of older adults who deserve to have a better quality of life.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.531-540
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• 2017

Objectives: This study discusses the effects of constitution therapy on adolescent ulcerative colitis. Methods: A 12-year-old male patient was treated with western medication for six months and herbal medicine for one year and six years; however, his abdominal pain, mucousy stool, bloody stool, and diarrhea persisted. He was diagnosed as having Taeumin according to Sasang constitution classification and treated with Sasang constitutional medicine (i.e., Yeuldahanso-tang and food restrictions based on constitutional medicine theory). Before the first treatment, his Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) score was 35, but this score decreased to 15 within six months and was maintained at 10 by 18 months of treatment. He took the herbal medication for 38 months, and his PUCAI score was 0 at the end of treatment. His liver functioned normally despite long-term drug use, and a follow-up colonoscopy showed no ulcerative colitis except melanosis, which was presumed to be caused by the herbal medicine. Ulcerative colitis in pediatric adolescents requires treatment with pharmacotherapy and dietary control based on constitutional medicine to maintain disease remission. Conclusions: Constitutional therapy is effective for treating adolescent ulcerative colitis. More clinical data are needed for patients with ulcerative colitis.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2013

Objectives : Galgunhaejutang extract (GHT) is a Traditional Korean medical herbal mixture that has been tradtionally used to treat alcohol consumption. This study was preformed to evaluate the effects of GHT on alcohol consumption in C57BL/6 mice. Methods : Sixty three C57BL/6 mice were alcohol dependence-induced by limited access paradigm. Water, GHT 0.688 g/kg (GHT-L), or GHT 3.45 g/kg (GHT-H) were administrated for 10 days. The amounts of alcohol consumption for 2 hours, water consumption for 22 hours, food intake for 24 hours and body weight were measured. Results : There weren't significant differences in 2 hours of alcohol consumption, 22 hours of water consumption, 24 hours of food intake and body weight for ten days between vehicle group and GHT-L or GHT-H group. Conclusions : Further studies employing multi-dose and long term administration of GHT (more than 10 days) might be of benefit.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.156-168
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• 2002

Backgrounds : sudden sensorineural hearing loss is defined as a disease that has abrupt onset of sensorineural hearing loss without definite cause. In some cases, this disease cause tinnitus, vertigo, headache addition to hearing loss. In traditional oriental medicine, sudden sensorineural hearing loss is could be diagnosed as deficiency of Yang-Gi(陽氣). Objects & Methods : This study is clinical observation about three sudden sensorineural hearing loss cases. For diagnosing in these cases, pure tone audiometry was used. For treatment, acupuncture, herbal-medicine and moxibustion therapy were used. Results & Conclusions : as follows. 1. Generally, in this disease, the shorter the whole period from the time that occurs to the time that starts to treat is, the more the results are better. The research shows that short-term case is more efficient than the other long-term two cases in the aspects of symptoms and pure tone audiometry . 2. In making a diagnosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and measuring the effect, subjective symptoms generally correspond to the improvement of pure tone audiometry, but not completely. Therefore, in treating patients, the doctor must consider these both aspects and keep the balance.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to investigate the combined effect of acupotomy, selective cryolysis and herbal medicine therapy for treating regional fat accumulation of thigh. Twenty-four patients were selected for the study. A session of selective cryolysis and acupotomy treatments were performed on both thighs once a week, for four weeks, with administration of herbal medicine. Thigh circumference, weight, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass, and body fat rate were measured before and after the procedure. Statistical significance (P<0.05) was determined using the paired t-test. After treatments, thigh circumference was significantly reduced by $3.57{\pm}1.41cm$ in 4 weeks (P<0.001). Weight, BMI, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat rate too were significantly reduced (P<0.001). Of the 24 patients, 1 reported an adverse event of frostbite. We assume this combined therapy can be useful when dealing with localized fat accumulation. Long-term evaluation and further studies are required to identify the specific effect size.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.58-68
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• 2015

Objectives : To evaluate the long-term survival effects of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) on refractory metastatic lung cancer and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which have historically poor survival rates. Methods : A retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of two patients in Daejeon University hospital. The first patient, with SCLC, was treated from January 2000 to December 2009 and the other, with metastatic pulmonary cancer from primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), was treated from September 2004 to February 2014. The patients were treated with herbal medicines at one-month intervals. During hospitalization, acupuncture and indirect moxibustion were performed concurrent with the administration of Western therapy. Treatment efficacy was assessed monthly using chest radiography, chest computed tomography, and laboratory examination data, and by measuring patient performance status. Results : Both patients exhibited a stable disease course for more than 9 years after the initial diagnosis of intractable lung cancer, suggesting that their disease status was controlled by TKM. Conclusions : We suggest that a combination of TKM with conventional Western therapy for refractory lung cancer patients is effective in controlling various symptoms related to lung cancer and improving quality of life, and may potentially prolong overall survival.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of the present study is to observe the neuroprotective effect of the $NeuBo153^{\circledR}$ on transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Methods : $NeuBo153^{\circledR}$ was made by mixing the herbs, mainly the root of Panax ginseng, the root of Rehmannia glutinosa and Poria cocos, the stem bark of Acanthopanax senticosus, the root of Scutellaria baicalensis and Mel, and heating for 96 hours. Transient Focal cerebral ischemia (2 h of ischemia, 22 h of reperfusion) was induced by intraluminal suture method with SD rats. Sensory motor function was tested by rotarod test, prehensile traction test, beam balance test and foot fault test at 24 h after ischemia. The brain slices were stained by 2% 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride and the infarct volume was measured by graphic analyzer at 24 h after ischemia. Results : $NeuBo153^{\circledR}$ treated group did not show significant differences compared with vehicle treated group in body temperature. Oral administration of $NeuBo153^{\circledR}$ reduced brain infarct volume by 29.7% compared with vehicle treated group. $NeuBo153^{\circledR}$ also showed protective effects on sensory motor functional deficits. Conclusion : $NeuBo153^{\circledR}$ treatment reduced brain damage and improved functional deficits induced by MCAo. It showed neuroprotective effects even when treatment was relayed 2 h after injury. Further research is required to evaluating long term functional recovery am accurate therapeutic range and mechanisms.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2016

Objectives We studied long-term preservation in stability of a mixed preparation of distilled and 70% alcohol extracted Hwangnyunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture to establish standards for expiration date and quality control. Methods Three lots of consecutively prepared Hwangnyunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture were each tested in triplicate to a total 5 tests at 3 month intervals over a period of 12 months for analysis of appearance, pH, specific gravity, index component content, endotoxins, microbial sterility, residual organic solvents, heavy metals, and pesticides. Items with no difference by elapsed time were tested at the initial and final timepoints, and data of items with potential difference by elapsed time were analyzed for trends to establish individual quality control standards. Results All tested items were stable over the study period, and therefore the expiration date was set as 12 months. pH quality control standards were set as 3.66~5.69, and that of specific gravity as 0.802~1.203, respectively. In index component content standards, berberine was set at $4.96{\sim}8.98{\mu}g/vial$, baicalin at $6.47{\sim}10.31{\mu}g/vial$, and geniposide at $116.03{\sim}189.55{\mu}g/vial$, respectively. Standards for other items with no difference by elapsed time were set according to general Korean herbal medicine standards in the Korean Pharmacopoeia. Conclusions Manageable expiration date and quality control standards were established through long-term preservation testing of Hwangnyunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture, furthering standardization of Korean medicine pharmacopuncture.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3 s.39
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• pp.45-53
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• 1999

Since Radix Stemonae was recorded hypothennal and a little toxic in the 'Myngyubelrok (名醫別錄)', it has been recorded as having the same nature in many herbal books. However, the security of Radix Stemonae when used to treat respiratory disease over a long term has not been studied until now. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the effects of Radix Stemonae on the main organs if Radix Stemonae is administrated over a long term. In order to investigate the histological changes of the liver and kidneys of rats after oral administration of Radix Stemonae extract, the experimental rats were subdivided into control, 1, 3, 5, 7, 21, 28 and 35 days after administration groups, and 10 rats per group were used in this study. The control group was sufficiently supplied with water and solid forage. The other groups were administrated the reagent at 5mg/kg once a day by oral injection. Several times each day, the experimental groups were carefully observed for any changes of general condition, toxic symptoms, activity, appearance and the number of dead rats. The experimental groups were weighed and narcotized. For the histological observation, the tissues of liver and kidneys of the experimental groups were collected, stained by hematoxylin-eosin stain, and evaluated by observing the changes of gross appearance and by observing microscopic findings. 1. This drug, during the experimental term, did not induce any toxicological effect in mortality, abnormal symptoms or changes of body weight except for the 1 day after administration groups whose body weights were decreased, compared to the control group. 2. No gross changes of the liver and kidneys were observed in this study. 3. No histological changes of the liver were detected in 1 day after administration groups. However, dilation of the central vein was observed in 3, 5 and 7 days after administration groups and chronic passive congestion of the liver was demonstrated in the 21 days after administration groups. In the 28 and 35 days after administration groups, a centrolobular disposition of fatty tissue (adipose cell) was observed. 4. No histological changes of the kidneys were observed in this study. It is evaluated that if Radix Stemonae is administrated for a long term, it induces toxicity in the liver. So, to examine the toxicity of Radix Stemonae on the liver and kidney, it is necessary that the studies of biochemistry and electron microscopic findings about Radix Stemonae be systematically performed.