• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.196-210
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review the research trends of infertile women with uterine myoma in Korean medicine and to recognize the efficacy of Korean medicine intervention. Methods: A search was conducted on November 18, 2022, using six databases, including Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), Cochrane Library Central, Pubmed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and WangFang Med Online. We analyzed the studies using Korean medicine on women with uterine myoma preparing for pregnancy or complaining infertility. Results: Total 4 studies were selected and all of which were case reports. Among 6 cases, Korean medicine treatment including herbal medicine, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion was used alone. Ikgibohyeol-tang-gami-bang, Gyejibokryeong-hwan, Saenghwa-tang-gami-bang were prescribed in 2 cases each. Angelicae Gigantis Radix and CV4 were most frequently used herb and acupoint. All subjects were successful in becoming pregnant. Conclusion: This review shows that Korean medicine treatment can be effective in infertile women with uterine myoma. However, the number of included studies is small, so the level of evidence needs to be raised through more clinical studies in the future.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1150-1175
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• 2023

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the current status of traditional Korean medicine studies on chronic prostatitis in Korea, identify deficiencies, and suggest future medicine research methods to lay the foundation for traditional Korean medicine treatment. Methods: All domestic clinical research papers on the traditional Korean treatment of chronic prostatitis were selected from the literature published until October 2023 in three domestic databases. A total of 13 selected research data were classified into clinical research papers. Results: In clinical research papers, the basis for the diagnosis of cases was clinical symptoms through medical history listening and diagnosis through past visits to hospitals. The average treatment period was 7 weeks, and the duration of treatment was not significantly affected by the duration of the disease. The most widely used Korean medicine treatment intervention was herbal medicine. Conclusions: This study included all domestic clinical research papers on chronic prostatitis to identify research trends in the Korean oriental medicine community. Based on this, it is meaningful to confirm areas that need to be supplemented in future research plans.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.365-375
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• 2024

Objectives : Herbal formula consist of multiple herbs, which can potentially interact with conventional drugs. If these interactions are not properly understood, they may reduce treatment efficacy or cause unexpected side effects. Thus, this study collected and analyzed papers on herbal formula and conventional drug interactions from PubMed to analyze various research trends. Methods : To analyze research trends on herbal formula and drug interactions, we first created search queries using a dictionary of herbal formula terms and collected related papers from PubMed using the Entrez API. The PubTator API was applied to identify compound names in the abstracts, recognizing compounds registered in the DrugBank as conventional drugs. Sentences describing interactions between herbal formulas and drugs were extracted using pattern matching, and relevant papers were selected. Trends were then analyzed by year, country, major formulas, major drugs, and interaction networks. Results : Yearly analysis showed a gradual increase in paper counts with a significant rise after 2010. Country analysis revealed that China published the most papers (53), followed by Japan (19) and South Korea (8). formula analysis identified 'sosiho-tang' and 'siryung-tang' as the most frequently mentioned (7 times each). Drug analysis showed '5-fluorouracil', 'acetaminophen', 'entecavir', and 'streptozotocin' were the most frequently mentioned (4 times each). Network analysis revealed 'sosiho-tang and tolbutamide' and 'siryung-tang and prednisolone' as the most frequently, mentioned interactions (3 times each). Disease analysis indicated 'urogenital diseases' were the most discussed (32 mentions), Followed by 'pathological conditions, signs, and symptoms' and 'digestive system diseases' (25 mentions each). Conclusions : Analyzing research trends on herbal formula and conventional drug interactions provides basic data for subsequent research, aiming to reduce side effects and enhance treatment efficacy in clinical settings.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.153-169
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the anti-fibrogenic effect and the effect on cell growth and apoptosis in YJCGT, YJCGT YSO and YJCGT YSCO on thioacetamide-induced rat liver tissue and the immortalized human hepatic cell line LX2. Materials and Methods : LX2 cells were treated with various concentrations (0, 50, 150, 300 ug/ml) of YJCGT, Y+YSO, and Y+YSCO extract for 24, 48 and 72 hours. After the treatment, cell viability was measured by using MTT assay. Caspase inhibitor assay, and cell viability were determined by a colorimetric assay with PMS/MTS solution. Rat liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal thioacetamide injection 150 mg/kg 3 times a week for 5 weeks. After the treatment, body weight, liver & spleen weights, liver function test, the complete blood cell count and the change of portal pressure were studied. After YJCGT, Y+YSO, and Y+YSCO treatment, percentages of collagen in thioacetamide-induced rat liver tissue were measured. Results : The viability of the LX2 cell decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Exposure of LX2 cells to YJCGT, YJCGT+YSO and YJCGT+YSCO induced caspase-3 activation, but co-treatment of YJCGT, YJCGT+YSO and YJCGT+YSCO with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, and the caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVE-FMK, blocked apoptosis. There was no difference in rat body weight between the thioacetamide only group and the YJCGT, YJCGT+YSO and YJCGT+YSCO groups. In the YJCGT, YJCGT YSO and YJCGT YSCO groups, the serum level of GPT significantly went down compared with the thioacetamide only group. In the YJCGT, Y+YSO, Y+YSCO groups, white blood cell elevated by thioacetamide injection decreased but RBC, Hgb, and Hct increased. In the Y+YSO group, the portal pressure elevated by thioacetamide injection significantly decreased. In the histological finding, thioacetamide injections caused severe fibrosis, but YJCGT, Y+YSO, and Y+YSCO treatment significantly reduced the amounts of hepatic collagens. Conclusions : YJCGT, Y+YSO, and Y+YSCO inhibit the growth of LX2 cells by inducing apoptosis through caspase activity. YJCGT, Y+YSO, and Y+YSCO have beneficial effects on the treatment of cirrhotic patients as well as patients with chronic hepatitis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.461-472
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• 2004

Objectives : For the screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs, the complex system of animal models suffer some disadvantages in controlling critical parameters such as blood pressure and body temperature. Additionally, application of drugs to the appropriate brain area sometimes is difficult, due to poor permeability though the blood brain barrier, and so potential protective effects might be masked. Methods : Organotypic hippocampal slice culture (OHSC) method has the advantages of being relatively easy to prepare and of maintaining the general structure, including tissue integrity and the connections between cells. Drugs can easily be applied and neuronal damage can easily be quantified by using tissues and culture media. This study demonstrates neuroprotective effects of Puerariae radix (葛根, PR), Salviae miltiorrhizae radix (丹蔘, SR), Rhei rhizoma (大黃, RR), and Bupleuri radix (柴胡, BR). These were screenedand compared to MK-801, antagonist of NMDA receptors, by using OHSC of 1 week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. Oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) were conducted in an anaerobic chamber $(85%\;N_2,\;10%\;CO_2\;and\;5%\;H_2)$ in a deoxygenated glucose-free medium for 60 minutes. Water extracts of each herbs were treated to culture media with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ for 48 hours. Results : Neuronal cell death in the cultures was monitored by densitometric measurements of the cellular uptake of propidium iodide (PI). PI fluorescence images were obtained at 48 hours after the OGD and medicinal herb treatment. Also TUNEL-positive cells in the CAI and DG regions and LDH concentrations in culture media were measured at 48 hours after the OGD. According to measured data, MK-801, PR, SR and BR demonstrated significant neuroprotective effect against excessive neuronal cell death and apoptosis induced by the OGD insult. Especially, PR revealed similar neuroprotective effect to MK-801 and RR demonstrated weak neuroprotective effect. Conclusions : These results suggest that OHSC can be a suitable method for screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs. (This work was supported by the research program of Dongguk University and Grant 01-PJ9-PG1-01CO03-0003 from Ministry of Health & Welfare.)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1255-1264
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• 2015

Cnidium officinale, a traditional herb, has diverse beneficial pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiangiogenesis effects. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of apoptosis by C. officinale are poorly defined. The present study investigated the proapoptotic effects of water, ethanol, and methanol extract of C. officinale (WECO, EECO, and MECO, respectively) in human leukemia U937 cells. The antiproliferative activity of EECO was higher than that of WECO and MECO. The antiproliferative effect of EECO treatment in U937 cells was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death, including increased populations of annexin-V positive cells, the formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation, and increased numbers of cells with a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, Δψm). EECO-induced apoptotic cell death was associated with upregulation of death receptor 4 (DR4) and down-regulation of cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1 (cIAP-1), Bcl-2, and total Bid. The EECO treatment also induced the proteolytic activation of caspases (-3, -8, and -9), and degradation of caspase-3 substrate proteins, such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), β-catenin, and phospholipase C-γ1 (PLCγ1). In addition, the EECO treatment effectively activated the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. However, compound C, a specific inhibitor of AMPK, significantly reduced EECO-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that AMPK is a key regulator of apoptosis in response to EECO in human leukemia U937 cells.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.135-153
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• 2015

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of inpatients who were admitted to Korean medicine hospital due to low back pain. Methods The current study was designed as a retrospective chart review to investigate descriptive characteristics of LBP patients. The clinical records of 601 patients who were hospitalized for treatment of LBP in Cheonan Korean Medicine Hospital, Daejeon University from 1st, January, 2013 to 31th, December, 2013 were analyzed. Results 1. Most frequently given diagnosis was sprain and strain of lumbar (45.93%). 2. Female outnumbered male patients in all disease groups except fracture of lumbar spine. 3. In distribution according to age, sprain and strain of lumbar, HNP of L-spine and lumbago with sciatica were most frequent at 30s, fracture of lumbar spine was most frequent at 50s and spinal stenosis was most frequent at 70s. 4. The most frequently motive for low back pain was traffic accident (35.4%) 5. Patients with no related medical history were 76.95% 6. 0~1week interval between onset and visit to Korean Medicine Hospital was most frequent in all disease groups. 7. 50.85% of patients went through treatment at medical institutions before the admitting to Korean Medicine Hospital. 8. The average admission days of female was higher than male's. And age goes up, average duration of admission was longer. 9. In most (74.59%) of the patients, symptoms were more than improved. 10. Most frequently prescribed examination was X-ray (65.13%). 11. Most frequently prescribed herb medicine was whal-lak-tang (Huoluo-tang). Conclusions In most (74.59%) of the patients, symptoms were more than improved, especially in sprain and strain of lumbar and lumbago with sciatica. But Patients with a local hospital statistic is not be representative of the incidence of the population. In order to obtain more accurate statistics, it is necessary to compare analysis collect statistics from other medical hospitals.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.69-94
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• 1996

The main purpose of this work is comparing the difference between Soumin Bojungyikgitang of constitutional medicine and Li Dongyuan's Bojungyikgitang Bojungyikgitang, the prescription originated from the Pi-Wei theory(脾胃論) of Li Dongyuan who was a medical man in the Jin Yuan dynasty, had been used widely for many kinds of disease caused by the singking of the qi of middle energizer due to the weakness of the spleen and stomach. But in the singking of the qi of middle energizer due to the weakness of the spleen and stomach. But in the end of Choseon dynasty Li Je Ma, the creator of the constitutional medicine, modified the Bojungyikgitang and applied to Soumin's disease. In this paper, the difference between the two prescription were investigated from the viewpoint of chinese herb pharmacology and purpose of prescription. Additionally the problems which could be brought out by applying Bojungyikgitang to the Soyangin and the Taeumin were studied. And the conclusion could be summarized as follows: 1. The prescription of the Li Dongyuan's Bojungyikgitang is based on the deficiency of vital energy due to internal damage and the Soumin Bojungyikgitang is useful to only a certain stage of progressing disease on the basis of Shanghanlun(傷寒論). 2. In the Li Dongyuan's Bojungyikgitang, Cimicifugae Rhizoma and Bupleuri Radix were used for emphasizing the ascending action and have the antipyretic action and the effect of elavating of yangqi as they are bitter in taste and cold in nature. 3. In the Soumin Bojungyikgitang, Pogostemonis Herba and Perillae Folium have the ascending-descending action and strengthen the stomach with the effect of mild sweating by pungent taste and warm nature. 4. The effect of elavating of yangqi in the Li Dongyuan's Bojungyikgitang offers the pathway where vital qi go up by eleminating the pathogenic fire with the action of Cimicifugae Rhizoma and Bupleuri Radix in the triple energizer and yangming muscular striae. On the other hand, the Soumin Bojungyikgitang depends on the effect of reinforcing qi and elavating yangqi by Astrgalli Radix entirely and supply vital qi by reinforcing yangqi with Ginseng Rsdix. 5. The exahausion of yin(亡陰證) in the Soyangin exterior syndrome and cold limbs(寒厥證) in Taeumin exterior syndrome are similar to the indication of Li Dongyuan's Bojungyikgitang. As the causes of the disease are fundamentally different in the view of constitutional medicine, the diseases could be aggravated by applying Li's Bojungyikgitang. These results suggest that Li Dongyuan's Bojungyikgitang is proper to the exterior syndrome of Soumin and Soumin Bojungyikgitang seems to be appropriate to the Soumin's disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.605-612
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• 2005

In previous studies, we evaluated the effect of the 6 energy-tonic or blood-building prescriptions of traditional oriental medicine, and observed that Si-Wu-Tang and Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang showed high activity in the protection of the gastrointestinal and hematopoietic organs in irradiated mice. But any of these prescriptions did not show a high activity in the activation of the immune cells. We performed this study to design an herb mixture which protects the self-renewal tissues and also promotes recovery of the immune system against radiation damage. In order to meet all the requirements, we designed a new mixture of 3 edible herbs listed in Korean Food Code. The mixture of Angelim gigas radix, Cnidium officinale rhizoma and Paeonia japonica radix was decocted with hot water, and the activities of the water extract (HIM-I) were evaluated. HIM-1 stimulated the immune cells in a much higher extent than the traditional prescriptions, and promoted dramatically the growth of bone marrow stem cells in vitro. Also, HIM-1 protected digestive and hematopoietic organs against radiation as effectively as the 2 prescriptions, Si-Wu-Tang and Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang. On the other hand, it showed high in vitro antioxidative activity that might be considered as a mechanism of the protective effects against radiation. Although the detailed mechanisms of those effects remain to be elucidated, these results indicated that HIM-I might be a useful agent for protection and recovery of body from various risk factor as well as radiation, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.909-918
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• 2017

Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) was fermented in brine in the form of mulkimchi (IPMB), and its contents of organic acid and cyclitols and biological activities were compared with those before fermentation. The pH of the IPMB continuously decreased until the sixth day of fermentation. The lactic acid yield was greatest on the fourth day. D-pinitol in ice plant mulkimchi solids (IPMS) decreased during fermentation. However, myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol increased. The radical scavenging activities of ABTS and DPPH, in addition to the activity of FRAP, of the IPMS extract were generally higher after fermentation, with the activities highest on the fifth ($79.09{\pm}0.69%$), fourth ($87.55{\pm}1.21%$), and sixth ($78.72{\pm}0.99%$) days of fermentation, respectively, when treated with 1 mg/ml of the extract. As shown by a lipid/MA assay, antioxidant activity was generally higher after fermentation. The viability of BNL CL.2 cells damaged by t-BHP, $H_2O_2$, and ethanol was $14.19{\pm}0.98$, $13.80{\pm}2.25$, and $25.89{\pm}2.90%$, respectively. When treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of IPMS extract, the cell viability was $57.06{\pm}4.52%$ on the first day, and $66.06{\pm}1.36%$ on the fourth day, and $50.07{\pm}04.85%$ on the sixth day of fermentation. Hepatocyte protective effects did not increase significantly after fermentation. ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory activity was quite high, with a range of $83.52{\pm}2.69$ to $92.79{\pm}2.16%$, and the activity increased gradually in all the groups over the fermentation period. There was no clear correlation between ${\alpha}-amylase$ inhibitory activity and fermentation.