• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.19-31
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• 2020

Objectives This study was conducted to survey the trends of Korean medicine clinical research using radiological measurements of the musculoskeletal system. Methods We searched four domestic research databases (OASIS, NDSL, RISS, KISS) and three academic journals (Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation, The Journal of Korea CHUNA Manual Medicine for Spine & Nerves, and Journal of Acupuncture Research). Selected studies were classified by publishing year, journal, the purpose of studies, and body region mainly researched in studies. Additionally, we analyzed the radiological measurements used in each body region. Results A total of 80 studies were selected. Most of the studies were published since2000. Most studies were published in the Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation. The mainly researched body region was the lumbar spine. The main purpose of the studies was to analyze the characteristics of the disease. Conclusions Further research is needed about other different fields of Korean Medicine using X-ray on various body region and studies with purpose of analyzing radiological measurements need to be researched more.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

This review of national and international randomized controlled trials of Salviae miltiorrhizae radix pharmacopuncture for lumbar herniated intervertebral discs was performed to assess its clinical efficacy. There were 5 online databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, NDSL, OASIS, and RISS) searched on June 1st, 2020. Studies were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were reviewed by risk of bias assessment. This review included 14 Chinese studies. The sample sizes ranged from 50 to 100. The numbers of treatments ranged from 20 to 30, with most patients receiving 20 treatments. The longest treatment periods were 10-15 and 15-20 days, of which each accounted for 29% of the studies. The most frequently used evaluation indices were the Japanese Orthopedic Association and the Visual Analog Scale scoring method. The most frequently used acupoints were EX18 and BL25, which accounted for 31% of the total number of acupoints. In 50% of the studies, the pharmacopuncture injection volume was 2 mL. Acupuncture treatment was the most common control group. Eleven studies reported that the intervention group had significantly improved symptoms. However, most of the included studies were of low quality.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2021

Low-level laser therapy including laser acupuncture (LLLT/LA) has been widely used for non-specific chronic low back pain (NCLBP). However, there is no critically appraised evidence of its potential benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of LLLT/LA for NCLBP. There were 12 databases (MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, KoreaMed, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS, CNKI, CiNII, J-stage) searched for randomized controlled trials using LLLT/LA for NCLBP up until June 2019. The primary outcome was pain intensity and functional status/disability due to NCLBP. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on 20 studies involving 1,323 participants. LLLT/LA showed a significant positive effect on pain relief scores compared with sham treatments (SMD -0.51, 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.13; χ2 = 31.12, I2 = 74%). Alone, the therapy showed a significant positive effect on function/disability scores (30 participants, MD -11.90, 95% CI: -17.37 to -6.43). As an add-on treatment, it showed a significant positive effect on pain relief (80 participants, MD -5.10, 95% CI: -9.31 to -0.88; χ2 = 28.99, I2 = 97%) and improved function/disability scores (120 participants, MD 5.44, 95% CI: 2.19 to 8.68; χ2 = 4.07, I2 = 75%). Among 20 studies, 9 studies reported no adverse events and 1 study reported mild adverse events. LLLT/LA may be an alternative or add-on treatment for NCLBP.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1089-1099
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cinnamon on the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and to introduce its use in Korea. Method: We searched the experimental studies in electronic databases (PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, CiNii, J-STAGE, Science ON, and OASIS) using the key search terms "cinnamic acid", "cinnamon", "cinnamomum", "Parkinson's disease", "Parkinson disease", "Parkinsonism", and "dopamine". This study only involved experimental studies (in vivo and in vitro) that adopted cinnamon as a single administration and measured indicators relating to Parkinson's disease, including parkin, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopamine. Results: A Total of 11 literature studies were selected, and they all showed that treatment with cinnamon has a neuroprotective effect. Cinnamon activated neuroprotective factors and restored neurotransmitters and it reduced the rate of oxidative stress and inflammation in neurons. As a result, cell viability was upregulated, while cell apoptosis and neurodegeneration were downregulated. Five in vivo studies, through behavioral tests, also confirmed that cinnamon recovers locomotor function in PD models. Conclusion: We identified that cinnamon is an effective neural protector and improves motor performance in behavioral testing in the experimental PD studies.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.301-314
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide clinical evidence to support the use of herbal medicine combined with western medicine for BPSD. Methods: Studies were identified by searching CNKI, Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCIENCEON, RISS, KMbase, KISS, OASIS. Literature searches of Chinese, English, and Korean databases were performed. Two authors independently extracted the data and evaluated the quality of each study. Results: The literature search identified 203 articles. Of these, 7 were selected for the analysis. The risk of bias in most studies was unclear. The most frequently used diagnostic tools were the NINCDS-ADRDA and DSM-IV. The most commonly used results indicator was NPI. In 6 of the 7 papers, combination treatment (herbal & Western medicine) was statistically significantly more effective than single treatment (Western medicine alone) for BPSD. No significant adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Herbal medicine in combination with Western medicine is more effective for treating BPSD than Western medicine alone. However, the quality of the studies used in this study was uncertain and the sample size was too small. Based on the findings of this study, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of combination treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.993-1014
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• 2020

Objective: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Antioxidant stress and inflammatory reactions are important causes of neurodegenerative diseases and are major causes of PD. Many animal experiments have been aimed at treating PD using the antioxidant effects of various traditional medicines and dietary supplements. This review reports the research investigating the antioxidant effects of herbs in in vivo PD models. Methods: The study consisted of a database search for articles related to PD and herbal treatments using the OASIS, NDSL, KTKP, Korean KISS, PubMed, Science Direct, CNKI, Wanfang, and J-STAGE databases. The search period was limited from the start of the search engine application to November 14, 2019. Studies were selected to confirm the antioxidant effects of herbal medicines in an in vivo PD model. Results: Eighty-two studies were summarized for plant species, extracts (or compounds), animal models, neurotoxins, and functional results. The most frequently used herbal materials were Bacopa monnieri, Camellia sinensis, Centella asiatica, and Withania somnifera. MPTP and 6-OHDA were the most commonly used neurotoxins for inducing PD. Most studies confirmed an increased expression and activation of antioxidant enzymes and a decrease in oxidative stress. Herbal materials showed their antioxidant effects regardless of the order of treatment and confirmed their possible use as treatments for the prevention and treatment of neurodegeneration. Conclusion: Many herbal medicines have antioxidant effects and are likely to be effective in delaying neurodegenerative damage by inhibiting or reducing oxidative stress by expression of antioxidant enzymes.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1078-1088
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of amorfrutin of licorice for Type2 diabetes mellitus. Method: The PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, OASIS, NDSL, J-STAGE, and CiNii databases were searched from the beginning of the search to September 20, 2020, with no limits on language. Extractions and selections from the literature were made by two authors. The study included in vivo experiments with amorfrutins in high-fat diet-induced obesity C57BL/6 mice and leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice and in silico studies. Results & Conclusion: Four studies were finally selected. We confirmed that amorfrutin treatment considerably improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance and reduced plasma insulin and glucose. Amorfrutins bind to and selectively activate Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ), which plays an important role in glucose metabolism. Amorfrutins also strongly bind to the glucagon receptor (GCGR) and work as antagonist. Using the amorfrutins from licorice could therefore be helpful in treating type2 diabetes mellitus.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2021

Objectives To assess the effectiveness of chuna manual therapy for patients with total knee arthroplasty. Methods We searched 9 electronic databases(KISS, NDSL, RISS, OASIS, KMBASE, Cochrane Library, PubMed, CNKI, Wangfang data) using the keywords 'total knee arthroplasty OR total knee replacement' and 'tuina OR chuna' to identify RCTs that investigated the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy after total knee arthroplasty. Results 23 RCTs were selected based on inclusion criteria. The systematic review showed positive effect of using chuna manual therapy after total knee arthroplasty. Conclusions 23 studies reported that chuna manual therapy had significant effects on total knee arthroplasty. However, many studies were exposed to probable high risk of bias. Also, all of the studies were published in one overseas country. Therefore, further research is required using well-designed RCTs to support the effectiveness of chuna manual therapy.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2021

Objectives This review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and clinical significance of Chuna manual therapy (CMT) in the treatment of pediatric cough. Methods Ten electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CNKI [CAJ], KMBASE, KISS, KISTI, NDSL, RISS, and Oasis) were searched. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using CMT for pediatric cough treatment were included. The methodological quality of each RCT was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (v1.0). Results Nine RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed positive effects of CMT in the treatment of pediatric cough. Both CMT alone and CMT combined with Chinese medication or Chinese medicine acupoint application (CMAA) were effective in treating pediatric cough. Conclusions This systematic review shows the reliability, effectiveness, and clinical significance of CMT in the treatment of pediatric cough. However, the evidence is limited due to the defective design of the included RCTs. More well-designed RCTs are required to provide clearer evidence for this claim.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.91-105
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• 2021

Objectives A case report is a detailed medical description of previously unreported observations or complications of medical conditions, unique use cases of tests, or new side effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of case reports published in the Journal of Korea CHUNA Manual Medicine for Spine & Nerves (JKCMSN). Methods Case reports published in the JKCMSN from January 2013 to December 2020 were selected using the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS). The quality of the reports was assessed based on the Consensus-based Clinical Case Reporting Guideline Development (CARE) guidelines. Results Sixty case reports that met the inclusion criteria were included in the assessment. Our analysis revealed that 71.42% of the case reports included all the necessary information and their level of reporting was good. However, their scores in the qualitative subdivisions of the reporting level parameters showed that the quality level was uneven. More than 65% of the papers did not report in the following categories: "Keywords," "Patient information," "Timeline," "Diagnostic assessment," "Therapeutic interventions," "Follow-up and outcomes," "Patient perspective," and "Informed consent." Conclusions Our analysis shows that CARE guidelines need to be followed more rigorously to improve the quality of reporting in the JKCMSN. Further efforts are necessary to develop reporting guidelines and evaluation tools relevant to the Korean clinical context.