• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.81-98
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• 2023

Objectives : This study aimed to analyze the trends in research and development projects related to herbal medicine and natural products in the field of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) over the past 20 years. Methods : Research projects were identified using "Korean medicine" as the subject heading in the National Science and Technology Information Service. The included projects investigated Korean medicine, natural products, or were related to the TKM industry. Data pre-processing and network analysis were performed using Python and Networkx package, and the network was visualized using the ForceAtlas2 visualization algorithm. Results : 1. Over the study period, 4,020 projects were conducted with a research budget of KRW 835.2 billion. Seven institutions performed over 100 projects each, accounting for 2.4% of all participating institutions, and the top 10 institutions accounted for 58.9% of total projects. 2. Obesity was the most frequently mentioned disease-related keyword. Chronic or age-related diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia, parkinson's disease, cancer, inflammation, and asthma were also frequent research topics. Clinical research, safety, and standardization were also frequently mentioned. 3. Centrality analysis found that obesity was the only disease-related keyword identified, alongside TKM-related keywords. Standardization, safety, and clinical trials were identified as central keywords. Conclusions : The study found that research projects in TKM have focused on standardizing and ensuring the safety of herbal medicine, as well as on chronic and age-related diseases. Clinical studies aimed at verifying the effectiveness of herbal medicine were also frequent. These findings can guide future research and development in herbal medicine.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2023

Objectives: Discussions regarding "medical blind spots" in Korea's "aging society" are continuously rising. In addition, the demand for medical attention and care for the elderly and vulnerable populations continues to increase. Given this, the government is promoting the "home healthcare service" project. This study aims to lay the foundation for promoting this project by investigating the perception of clinical Korean Medicine (KM) doctors in the "community health care" project. Methods: With the cooperation of the Association of Korean Medicine, we sent a questionnaire to all KM doctors through e-mail. The survey included personal information, awareness, appropriate disease and intervention, proper visit location, and pros and cons. Results: A total of 602 responses were collected and analyzed. Approximately 20% of the doctors answered that they were well aware of the service, while 55% responded that they did not know about it. For a visit, a KM doctor selected the appropriate diseases in the order of stroke, dementia and Parkinson's disease, osteoarthritis, and chronic diseases. Among treatments, acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine exhibited similar results. The most common opinion was that KM doctors should schedule their visits once a week for 6-12 months, which was the most prolonged period among the given options. More than 80% (84.1%) of the doctors replied that care projects were highly essential, and about 63.8% expressed their willingness to participate in these projects. Conclusion: To provide appropriate home health care, we must raise awareness among Korean medicine doctors. In addition, the healthcare budget must be increased to provide the required support.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.53-78
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• 1999

As the average life span have been lengthened and the rate of senile population have been raised, chronic degenerative diseases incident to aging has been increased rapidly and become a social problem. With this social background, recently, the facts that oxygen radicals(OR) have toxic effects on Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System and cause neuropathy such as Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer Disease have been turned out, and accordingly lots of studies on the mechanism of the toxic effects of OR on nerves, the diseases caused by OR and the approaches to curing the diseases have been made. The purpose of this study is to examine the toxic effects caused by Glucose Oxidase(GO) and the effects of herbal extracts such as Chilbokyeum(CBY), Chilbokyeumga Acori Rhizoma(CAR), Acori Rhizoma(AR) on the treatment of the toxic effects. For this purpose, experiments with the cultured cell from the cerebrums of new born mice were done. The results of these experiments were as follows. 1. GO, a oxygen radical, decreased the survival rate of the cultured cells on NR assay, MTT assay and amount of neurofilaments and increased the amount of total protein, lipid peroxidation and the amount of LDH. 2. CBY have efficacy of increasing the amount of neurofilaments and total protein and decreasing lipid peroxidation and the amount of LDH. 3. CAR have efficacy of increasing the amount of neurofilaments and total protein and decreasing lipid peroxidation and the amount of LDH. 4. AR have efficacy of increasing the amount of neurofilaments and total protein. From the above results, It is concluded that Chilbokyeumgamibang has marked efficacy as a treatment for the damages caused in the GO-mediated oxidative process. And Chilbokyeumgamibang is thought to have certain pharmacological effects on controlling over aging and treating Dementia. Further clinical study of this pharmacological effects of Chilbokyeumgamibang should be complemented.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.247-258
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• 2023

Objective: To localize the neuroanatomical substrate of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and to investigate the neuroanatomical locational relationship between RBD and α-synucleinopathy neurodegenerative diseases. Materials and Methods: Using a systematic PubMed search, we identified 19 patients with lesions in different brain regions that caused RBD. First, lesion network mapping was applied to confirm whether the lesion locations causing RBD corresponded to a common brain network. Second, the literature-based RBD lesion network map was validated using neuroimaging findings and locations of brain pathologies at post-mortem in patients with idiopathic RBD (iRBD) who were identified by independent systematic literature search using PubMed. Finally, we assessed the locational relationship between the sites of pathological alterations at the preclinical stage in α-synucleinopathy neurodegenerative diseases and the brain network for RBD. Results: The lesion network mapping showed lesions causing RBD to be localized to a common brain network defined by connectivity to the pons (including the locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, central superior nucleus, and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray), regardless of the lesion location. The positive regions in the pons were replicated by the neuroimaging findings in an independent group of patients with iRBD and it coincided with the reported pathological alterations at post-mortem in patients with iRBD. Furthermore, all brain pathological sites at preclinical stages (Braak stages 1-2) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and at brainstem Lewy body disease in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) were involved in the brain network identified for RBD. Conclusion: The brain network defined by connectivity to positive pons regions might be the regulatory network loop inducing RBD in humans. In addition, our results suggested that the underlying cause of high phenoconversion rate from iRBD to neurodegenerative α-synucleinopathy might be pathological changes in the preclinical stage of α-synucleinopathy located at the regulatory network loop of RBD.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2021

Background: The number of elderly people with comorbidities who experience dysphagia associated with geriatric disorders, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's dementia, is increasing. Consequently, the demand for long-term prescriptions of powdered medications is expected to rise. Most patients procure repackaged prescription medications from pharmacies; however, the guidelines regarding their expiration dates are unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess awareness among adults regarding the expiration dates and drug stability issues associated with repackaged prescription medications, including powdered medications. Methods: A questionnaire with 16 components was designed and distributed online (August 1-September 1, 2019) to adults aged 19 years or older. Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis and chi-square test, were conducted on the obtained data. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Data from 254 respondents were analyzed; 191 (75.20%) respondents worked in non-healthcare-related fields. A significant number of healthcare workers recognized the stability issues associated with powdered medications (p<0.001). However, a large proportion of healthcare workers were not aware of the expiration dates (p>0.05). Conclusions: More than half of the total respondents, including healthcare workers, were not familiar with the appropriate expiration dates of repackaged prescription medications. The establishment of evidence-based guidelines regarding drug expiration dates and the dissemination of awareness among patients are required. Furthermore, clinical practices including repackaging or pulverizing medications for long-term prescriptions should be avoided owing to the associated drug stability issues.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.17-28
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• 2008

Purpose: It was well known that cerebral blood perfusion is normal or diffusely decreased in the majority of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Actually we interpreted brain perfusion SPECT images of PD patients in the clinical situation, we observed various cerebral perfusion patterns in patients with PD. So we performed brain perfusion SPECT to know the brain perfusion patterns of PD patients and the difference of perfusion patterns according to the sex and the age. Also we classified PD patients into small groups based on the brain perfusion pattern. Methods and Materials: Two hundred nineteen patients (M: 70, F: 149, mean age: $62.9{\pm}6.9$ y/o) who were diagnosed as PD without dementia clinically and 55 patients (M:15, F:40, mean age: $61.4{\pm}9.2$ y/o) as normal controls who had no past illness history were performed $^{99m}Tc$-HMP AO brain perfusion SPECT and neuropsychological test. Results: At first, we compared all patients with PD and normal controls. Brain perfusion in left inferior frontal gyrus, left insula, left transverse temporal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left superior parietal lobule, right precuneus, right caudate tail were lower in patients with PD than normal controls. Secondly, we compared male and female patients with PD and normal controls, respectively. Brain perfusion SPECT showed more decreased cerebral perfusion in left hemisphere than right side in both male and female patients compared to normal controls. And there was larger hypoperfusion area in female patients compared with male. Thirdly, we classified patients with PD and normal controls into 4 groups according to the age and compared brain perfusion respectively. In patient below fifties, brain perfusion in both occipitoparietal and left temporal lobe were lower in PD group. As the patients with PD grew older, hypoperfusion area were shown in both frontal, temporal and limbic lobes. Fourthly, We were able to divide patients into small groups based on cerebral perfusion pattern. There was normal cerebral blood perfusion in 32 (14.7%) of 219 patients with PD, decreased perfusion on the frontal lobe in 45 patients (20.6%), the temporal lobe in 39 patients (17.4%), the parietal lobe in 39 patients (17.9%), the occipital lobe in 40 patients (18.3%), diffuse area in 14 patients (6.4%) and unclassified in 10 patients (4.6%). Fifthly, we compared the results of the neuropsychological test and cerebral perfusion pattern. There was no correlation between two tests except visuospatial function. Conclusion: Various perfusion state were found in patients with PD according to the age and sex. Also we were able to classify perfusion state into several groups and compare the neuropsychological test with cerebral perfusion.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.187-196
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• 2023

Objective: This case study reported the effectiveness of adjuvant Korean therapy on gait disturbances induced by drug-induced Parkinsonism. Method: A patient suffering from frontotemporal lobe dementia was diagnosed with drug-induced Parkinsonism and treated with adjuvant Korean therapy, including herbal medicine and pharmaco-acupuncture. The evaluation was performed by monitoring the length of time and number of steps during an 8 m gait, using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Results: After 17 days of adjuvant Korean therapy, the UPDRS score improved from 32 to 16. The length of time for the 8 m gait improved from 20 seconds to 14 seconds. The patient also showed a decrease in the number of steps during the 8 m gait from 43 to 22. Conclusion: This case suggests that adjuvant Korean therapy can be effective for drug-induced Parkinsonism.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.272-279
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• 2007

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the discriminating nature of $^{123}I-FP-CIT$ SPECT in patients with parkinsonism. Methods: $^{123}I-FP-CIT$ SPECT images acquired from the 18 normal controls; NC ($60.4{\pm}10.0$ yr) and 237 patients with parkinsonism ($65.9{\pm}9.2$ yr) were analyzed. From spatialIy normalized images, regional counts of the caudate, putamen, and occipital lobe were obtained using region of interest method. Binding potential (BP) was calculated with the ratio of specific to nonspecific binding activity at equilibrium. Additionally, the BP ratio of putamen to caudate (PCR) and asymmetric Index (ASI) were measured. Results: BPs of NC $3.37{\pm}0.57,\; 3.10{\pm}0.41,\; 3.23{\pm}0.48$ for caudate, putamen, whole striatum, respectively) had no significant difference with those of essential tremor; ET ($3.31{\pm}0.64,\; 3.06{\pm}0.61,\; 3.14{\pm}0.63$) and Alzheimer's disease; AD (3.33 $\pm$0.60, 3.29$\pm$0.79, 3.31$\pm$0.70), but were higher than those of Parkinson's disease; PD (1.92$\pm$0.74, 1.39$\pm$0.68, 1.64$\pm$0.68), multiple system atrophy; MSA (2.36$\pm$1.07, 2.16$\pm$0.91, 2.26$\pm$0.96), and dementia with Lewy body; DLB (1.95$\pm$0.72, 1.64$\pm$0.65, 1.79$\pm$0.66)(p<0.005). PD had statisticalIy lower values of PER and higher values of ASI than those of NC (p<0.005). And PD had significantIy lower value of PCR, higher ASI and lower BP in the putamen and whole striatum than MSA (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dopamine transporter image of $^{123}I-FP-CIT$ SPECT was a good value in differential diagnosis of parkinsonism.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.369-376
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• 2016

Positron Emission Tomography(PET) is nuclear medical tests which is a combination of several compounds with a radioactive isotope that can be injected into body to quantitatively measure the metabolic rate (in the body). Especially, Phenomena that increase (sing) glucose metabolism in cancer tissue using the $^{18}F$-FDG (Fluorodeoxyglucose) is utilized widely in cancer diagnosis. And then, Numerous studies have been reported that incidence seems high availability even in the modern diagnosis of dementia and Parkinson's (disease) in brain disease. When using a dynamic PET iamge including the time information in the static information that is provided for the diagnosis many can increase the accuracy of diagnosis. For this reason, clinical researchers getting great attention but, it is the lack of tools to conduct research. And, it interfered complex mathematical algorithm and programming skills for activation of research. In this study, in order to easy to use and enable research dPET, we developed the software based graphic user interface(GUI). In the future, by many clinical researcher using DIA-Tool is expected to be of great help to dPET research.

• Journal of Oriental Physiology
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• v.14 no.2 s.20
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• pp.199-208
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• 1999

As the average life span have been lengthened and the rate of senile population have been raised, chronic degenerative diseases incident to aging has been increased rapidly and become a social problem. With this social background, recently, the facts that oxygen radicals(OR) have toxic effects on Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System and cause neuropathy such as Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer Disease have been turned out, and accordingly lots of studies on the mechanism of the toxic effects of OR on nerves, the diseases caused by OR and the approaches to curing the diseases have been made. The purpose of this study is to examine the toxic effects caused by Glucose Oxidase(GO) and the effects of herbal extracts such as Chilbokyeum(CBY) on the treatment of the toxic effects. For this purpose, experiments with the cultured cell from the cerebrums of new born mice were done. The results of these experiments were as follows. 1. GO, a oxygen radical, decreased the survival rate of the cultured cells on NR assay and MTT assay 2. GO, a oxygen radical, increased lipid peroxidation and the amount of LDH. 3. CBY have efficacy of decreasing lipid peroxidation. 4. CBY have efficacy of decreasing the amount of LOH. From the above results, It is concluded that Chilbokyeum has marked efficacy as a treatment for the damages caused in the GO-mediated oxidative process. And Chilbokyeum is thought to have certain pharmacological effects on controlling over aging and treating Dementia. Further clinical study of this pharmacological effects of Chilbokyeum should be complemented.