• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2001

Background : Central poststroke pain(CPSP) can occur as a result of lesion or dysfunction of the brain from stroke and may cause many difficulty in the social activities and daily life. In this study, we evaluate the clinical effectiveness of east-west medical management for CPSP through VAS(visual analogue scale), infrared themography, MBI(Moderfied Barthel Index) and Rankin scale. Methods : We treated thirty patients with oriental medical treatment method and western & oriental medical treatment method. Each group has fifteen patients of the CPSP. We evaluated their pain(characterizes tingling and burning sensation, aching, hyperalgesia, and allodynia) through VAS(visual analog scale) pain score, the skin temperature of pain site by infrared thermography and assessed their mobility & rehabilitation ability through MBI(Moderfied Barthel Index), Rankin scale before and after pain treatment. Results : The skin temperature of pain site was lower than non-pain site. The difference of skin temperature improved from $0.65{\pm}0.45^{\circ}C$ to $0.39{\pm}0.25^{\circ}C$ after oriental medical treatment and $0.68{\pm}0.54^{\circ}C$ to $0.27{\pm}0.24^{\circ}C$ after western & oriental medical treatment VAS scores improved from $7.9{\pm}1.4$ to $4.7{\pm}1.6$ after oriental medical treatment and $8.1{\pm}1.3$ to $4.6{\pm}1.2$ after western & oriental medical treatment. MBI scores improved from $61.40{\pm}13.58$ to $85.00{\pm}13.85$ after oriental medical treatment and $52.26{\pm}13.52$ to $77.13{\pm}12.04$ after western & oriental medical treatment. And Rankin scale scores improved from $3.33{\pm}0.72$ to $2.46{\pm}0.74$ after oriental medical treatment and $3.60{\pm}0.82$ to $2.66{\pm}0.81$ after western & oriental medical treatment Conclusion : The difference of skin temperature and Rankin scale scores more significantly improved after western & oriental medical treatment than oriental medical treatment. According to the results, we thought east-west medical management is very useful treatment for CPSP and rehabilitation of the patients with stroke.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.143-151
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• 2016

A 57-year-old male patient was diagnosed as Incomplete cervical spinal cord injury and Neurogenic bladder after falling accident and suffered from tetraplegia and urinary retention. The patient was hospitalized and treated with Complex Korean Medical treatment such as acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, bee venom pharmacopuncture and herbal medication for 13 weeks. International Standard for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) was adopted to evaluate the functional recovery and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) was adopted to evaluate the recovery of activities of daily living (ADL). After treatment, Total scores of ISNCSCI and K-MBI were improved. Also patient's micturition reflex was recovered and symptoms of neurogenic bladder were improved. This result shows that Korean Medical treatment may be an effective treatment option for spinal cord injury and neurogenic bladder patients. Further clinical studies are needed to clarify the effect of Korean Medical treatment on spinal cord injury.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.45-51
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was conducted to measure the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of water- and ethanol-extracts from Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Punica granatum and Rhus javanica against various species of anaerobic bacteria. Methods : In order to evaluate the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of water- and ethanol-extracts, DPPH radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities were measured in various species such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Propionibacterium acnes that induce skin inflammation. Also the total amount of phenol in each water- and ethanol-extract was measured to identify its role in the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of water- and ethanol-extracts from Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Punica granatum and Rhus javanica. The antibacterial activity of the extracts was measured by confirming the lowest concentrations in disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests. Results : It was observed that RJE (Rhus javanica-EtOH extracts) show the highest content of total phenol. In addition, for RJE the total phenol content was higher from samples taken from domestic sources than from samples taken from foreign sources. DPPH radical scavenging activity was increased by treatment with PGE (Punica granatum-EtOH extracts), RJE and RJW (Rhus javanica-water extracts). It was observed that SOD-like activity was highest in the treatment with PGE. All of the extracts showed antimicrobial activity on S. epidermidis, S. aureus, P. acnes and E. coli, including those from Punica granatum, and it was noted that the activity was higher with RJE than with RJW. Conclusions : These results provide evidence that ethanol extracts of Punica granatum and Rhus javanica may have a beneficial role as antioxidants and antibiotics. Extracts from domestic samples of Betula platyphylla var japonica appeared to have a greater efficacy than extracts from foreign samples.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2021

Purpose: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is an important field of inpatient treatment, in which critically ill patients have been treated intensively with advanced medical technology. The level of treatment in the intensive care unit and the modernization of related facilities are important indicators of the quality of medical care. At present, when regional public hospitals are expanding frequently, reasonable planning of ICU has become an important part of medical institutions that treat ICU. The purpose of this study is to provide basic data on the net area of each unit, which can be used in ICU building planning. Methods: The investigation and analysis of the ICU were conducted in 12 medical institutions, based on theoretical analysis based on relevant guidelines and literature, and analysis of actual space composition and net area through architectural drawings. Results: This research provides basic data, such as the location relationship with other important departments, regional division, spatial composition, the relationship between main activities and regions, the composition of facilities in the region, and the area and proportions of each region. Implications: It is expected that the results of this article will provide effective reference materials for the reasonable spatial organization and effective operation of the intensive care units of ordinary public hospitals of different sizes in the future.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.159-165
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• 2013

Objectives Mechanisms of clinical synergistic effects, induced by co-treatments of lithium and valproate, are unclear. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) has been suggested to play important roles in mechanisms of the action of mood stabilizers. In this study, effects of co-treatments of lithium and valproate on the ERK1/2 signal pathway and its down-stream transcription factors, ELK1 and C-FOS, were investigated in vitro. Methods PC12 cells, human pheochromocytoma cells, were treated with lithium chloride (30 mM), valproate (1 mM) or lithium chloride + valproate. The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was analyzed with immunoblot analysis. Transcriptional activities of ELK1 and C-FOS were analyzed with reporter gene assay. Results Single treatment of lithium and valproate increased the phosphorylation of ERK and transcriptional activities of ELK1 and C-FOS, respectively. Combined treatments of lithium and valproate induced more robust increase in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and transcriptional activities of ELK1 and C-FOS, compared to those in response to single treatment of lithium or valproate. Conclusions Co-treatments of lithium and valproate induced synergistic increase in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and transcriptional activities of its down-stream transcription factors, ELK1 and C-FOS, compared to effects of single treatment. The findings might suggest potentiating effects of lithium and valproate augmentation treatment strategy.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 1996

The medicinal formula, Kilkyungtang (KKT) and two modified Kilkyungtangs (KKT-1 and KKT-2), which were supplemented by the additional crude drug, Houttuyniae herba (KKT-1), and Oldenlandiae diffusae herba (KKT-2) to KKT, had been applied widely as decoctions for the treatment of malignant tumors. Cytotoxic activities against two tumor cell lines, A549 and $B16-F_0$ were investigated. However, none of them were found to exhibit significant cytotoxicity upon tested tumor cells below the concentration of $1000{\mu}g/ml$. However, cytotoxic activities of three reputed antitumor agents, i.e., mitomycin C (MMC), cisplatin (CPT) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was significantly potentiated by the combined treatment of them with KKT, KKT-1 and KKT-2 respectively, especially against A549 (human non small cell lung adenocarcinoma), in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2022

In the previous study, we reported that luteolin isolated from Lonicera japonica methanolic extract had potent neuroprotective activities in neuronal cell death injured by excessive glutamate. In this study, we tried to confirm the neuroprotective activities of luteolin in glutamate injured HT22 cells and establish mechanisms of neuroprotective action of luteolin. We used HT22 cell death injured by glutamate as a bioassay system. Luteolin decreased reactive oxygen species increased by excessive glutamate treatment in HT22 cells. Also, Ca²⁺ concentration was decreased by luteolin treatment. Luteolin made mitochondrial membrane potential maintain to normal condition. It also increased not only glutathione reductase but also peroxidase to the control level. And it increased amount of glutathione, an endogenous antioxidant. These results suggested that luteolin isolated from L. japonica showed potent neuroprotective activity through the anti-oxidative pathway.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

In the previous study, we reported that cynaroside isolated from Lysimachia christinae methanolic extract had potent neuroprotective activities in neuronal cell death injured by excessive glutamate. In this study, we tried to confirm the neuroprotective activities of cynaroside in glutamate injured HT22 cells and establish mechanisms of neuroprotective action of cynaroside. We employed HT22 cells damaged by glutamate-induced cell death as a bioassay system. Cynaroside decreased reactive oxygen species increased by excessive glutamate treatment in HT22 cells. Also, Ca²⁺ concentration was decreased by cynaroside treatment. Cynaroside restored mitochondrial membrane potential to normal condition. It also increased not only glutathione reductase but also peroxidase to the control level. And it increased amount of glutathione, an endogenous antioxidant. These results suggested that cynaroside isolated from L. christinae showed potent neuroprotective activity through the anti-oxidative pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2017

The root bark extract of Aralia taibaiensis is used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in China. The total saponin extracted from Aralia Taibaiensis (sAT) has effective combined antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in experimental type 2 diabetic rats. However, the active compounds have not yet been fully investigated. In the present study, we examined effects of twelve triterpenoid saponins on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, and found that compound 28-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl ester (AT12) significantly increased phosphorylation of AMPK and Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). AT12 effectively decreased blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), free fatty acid (FFA) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The mechanism by which AT12 activated AMPK was subsequently investigated. Intracellular ATP level and oxygen consumption were significantly reduced by AT12 treatment. The findings suggested AT12 was a novel AMPK activator, and could be useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.62-70
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• 2018

Background: Sitting posture influences movements of scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joints and changes the shoulder muscle activities. The development and maintenance of correct sitting posture is important for the fundamental treatment of shoulder pain during rehabilitation. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the sitting postures and the shoulder movements on shoulder muscle activities for both male and female. Methods: Twenty-eight subjects without shoulder-related diseases participated in this experiment. The subjects had randomly adopted three different sitting postures (upright posture, preferred posture, maximum slouched posture) and shoulder flexion angles in scapular plane ($30^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$, $120^{\circ}$). Surface electrodes were collected from upper trapezius (UT), anterior deltoid (AD), and posterior deltoid (PD) and the active shoulder range of motion was measured in each sitting posture and shoulder flexion angle. Results: The active range of motions of the shoulder external rotation and the flexion in the scapular plane decreased from the upright posture to the maximum slouched posture (p<.05, mixed-effect linear regression with random intercept, Tukey post-hoc analysis). All muscles showed the highest EMG activities at $120^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion with the maximum slouched posture and did not show the gender differences. Conclusion: Increased shoulder muscle activities may become the potential risk factor for the shoulder impairment and pain if people continuously maintain the maximum slouched posture. Therefore, an upright position is necessary during shoulder exercises, as well as in activities of daily living, including motions involving lifting the arms.