• Medical Lasers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.150-158
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• 2020

Background and Objectives Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is used widely to promote hair growth in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). This study examined the clinical efficacy and safety of a home-use LLLT device with a newly designed array of light sources and software optimized for individual types of AGA. Materials and Methods The study was a randomized, double-blind, sham device-controlled trial. Forty-eight subjects (39 men and nine women) were assigned randomly in a 2:1 ratio to use either the test device (LG Pra'L HGN1, LG electronics, Korea) or sham device. The subjects used the LLLT device three times a week for 16 weeks. Phototrichogram was used to measure the hair density and hair thickness at 0, 8, and 16-weeks. Adverse events were closely monitored. Results After 16 weeks of using the device, the test group showed a significant increase in hair density and hair thickness compared to the control. In the test group, the hair density increased 6.96 counts/cm² at eight weeks and 13.67 counts/cm² at 16 weeks from the baseline. The hair thickness increased 7.21 ㎛ at eight weeks and 11.80 ㎛ at 16 weeks compared to the baseline. Conclusion The home-use LLLT device with a novel array of light sources and an individualized program according to the types of hair loss appears to be an effective and safe treatment modality for both male and female AGA patients.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2021

With the recent rapid improvement in the standards of life and westernization of dietary lifestyles, the consumption of high-calorie diets such as high-fat and high-protein red meat and instant foods has increased, while less vegetables containing dietary fiber are consumed. In addition to that, stress, erroneous dietary behaviors, and contaminated environments are linked to the risk of developing ulcerative colitis, which is on the rise. Another cause of ulcerative colitis is that involve laxative abuse, including repeated, frequent use of laxatives, and include such conditions as deteriorated bowel function, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, intestinal inflammation, etc. The present study aimed to investigate the comparative evaluation of pharmacological efficacy between sulfasalazine alone and combination with herbal medicine on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC in mice. Balb/c mice received 5% DSS in drinking water for 7 days to induce colitis. Animals were divided into five groups (n = 9): group I-normal group, group II-DSS control group, group III-DSS + sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg), group IV-DSS + sulfasalazine (60 mg/kg), group V-DSS + sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg) + Radish Extract mixture (30 mg /kg) (SRE). DSS-treated mice developed symptoms similar to those of human UC, such as severe bloody diarrhea and weight loss. SRE supplementation, as well as sulfasalazine, suppressed colonic length and mucosal inflammatory infiltration. In addition, SRE treatment significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules through suppression both mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, and prevented the apoptosis of colon. Moreover, SRE administration significantly led to the up-regulation of antioxidant enzyme including SOD and Catalase. This is the first report that Radish extract mixture combined with sulfasalazine protects against experimental UC via the inhibition of both inflammation and apoptosis, very similar to the standard-of-care sulfasalazine.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.1-5
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the collagen metabolism and tyrosinase activity of Polygonati Rhizoma extracts (PR). It's effects are to tonify spleen qi and augment the spleen yin. It enrichs the yin and moisten the lung. Methods : The effect of PR on type I procollagen production and collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-1, henceforth referred as MMP-1) activity in human normal fibroblasts Hs68 after ultraviolet B (UVB, 312 nm) irradiation was measured by ELISA method. The tyrosinase activity after treatment of PR was measured. Results : There were no cytotoxicity at concentrations of 10, 30, $100{\mu}g/ml$. The reduced type I procollagen production was recovered by PR in UVB damaged Hs68 cells at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/ml$ ($16.2{\pm}0.0$ ng/ml) from control group ($13.9{\pm}0.5$ ng/ml). However there was no statistical significance. PR reduced The increased MMP-1 activity after UVB damage at concentrations of $10{\mu}g/ml$, $30{\mu}g/ml$, and $100{\mu}g/ml$ in a dose dependent manner ($42.2{\pm}20.5%$, $44.8{\pm}8.5%$, and $22.0{\pm}5.8%$). PR $100{\mu}g/ml$ treatment showed the statistical significace (p < 0.05). PR significantly reduced the tyrosinase activity at a concentration of 10 mg/ml ($32.0{\pm}12.8%$, p < 0.05). However, the L-DOPA oxidation was not changed. Conclusion : PR showed the anti-wrinkle effects and whitening effects in vitro. Although more researches are needed to validate the efficacy, these results suggest that PR may have potential as an anti-aging ingredient in cosmetic herb markets.

• 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.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.31-39
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• 2017

Objectives : Menopausal symptoms are characteristic symptoms which are occur in women before and after menopause. In Western medicine, hormone therapies are mainly used but patients show reluctance because they exhibit serious side effects. In Oriental medicine, there are also limits to the treatment. So I tried to find a new easily accessible treatment. I performed the experiments to verify the effect of natural dyed apparel with Indigo and Schisandra fruit. Methods : This experiment was performed on 30 women who were experiencing menopausal symptoms. We checked the participant's general condition through questionnaire and physical condition with inbody test and made natural-dyed living suit style dresses. We asked the women to wear the apparel for four weeks. They checked for changes in symptoms weekly with kupperman's index. Results : The main symptoms of participants are sweating, hot flushes, joint pain. After wearing of the apparel, there were decreased hot flushes, sleep improvement, psychological stability etc. According to the kupperman's index, patients with mild symptoms were 13.3% at first week to start the experiment but four weeks later, patients with mild symptoms were increased to 50%. On the other hand, patients with severe symptoms were decreased 33.3% to 6.7%. In the test results, there was a significant decrease in 1, 2 and 3 weeks, there was a decrease in 4 weeks but no significance in the figure Conclusion : Natural dyed apprel with Indigo and Schisandra fruit was effective on treating women who were experiencing menopausal symptoms.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 2022

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Cheong-A-Won Gagambang (JCE003) treatment for degenerative knee osteoarthritis. Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial. There were 36 adults with degenerative knee osteoarthritis who were randomly allocated into JCE003 1,000 mg, JCE003 2,000 mg, or the placebo group (in a 1:1:1 ratio). The participants received 12 weeks of treatment and had scheduled tests every 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were measured using the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities scale, and the secondary outcomes were measured using the visual analog scale, European quality of life-5-dimensions, patient global impression of change, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Changes between baseline scores and scores following study completion were analyzed. Results: There were 29 participants whose data were analyzed in this study. The change of Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities, visual analog scale, European quality of life-5-dimensions scores showed significant improvement in the JCE003 1,000 mg group. The change of patient global impression of change was significantly improved in the placebo group. There were 14 adverse events, but there was no clinically significant relationship with the intake of JCE003 compared with the placebo. Conclusion: Taking JCE003 may be effective at improving knee pain in patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis and appears to be safe. Based on this study, the concentration and feasibility of the test group may be used when conducting a large-scale clinical trial of degenerative knee osteoarthritis in the future.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to compare assessments of the healing of periapical endodontic surgery using conventional radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: This review of clinical studies was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. All articles published from 1990 to March 2020 pertaining to clinical and radiographic healing assessments after endodontic surgery using conventional radiography and CBCT were included. The question was "healing assessment of endodontic surgery using cone-beam computed tomography." The review was conducted by manual searching, as well as undertaking a review of electronic literature databases, including PubMed and Scopus. The studies included compared radiographic and CBCT assessments of periapical healing after periapical endodontic surgery. Results: The initial search retrieved 372 articles. The titles and abstracts of these articles were read, leading to the selection of 73 articles for full-text analysis. After the eligibility criteria were applied, 11 articles were selected for data extraction and qualitative analysis. The majority of studies found that CBCT enabled better assessments of healing than conventional radiography, suggesting higher efficacy of CBCT for correct diagnosis and treatment planning. A risk of bias assessment was done for 10 studies, which fell into the low to moderate risk categories. Conclusion: Three-dimensional radiography provides an overall better assessment of healing, which is imperative for correct diagnosis and treatment planning.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.115-130
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• 2022

Though information exists regarding the pathogenesis of the shot-hole disease (SH) in flowering cherry (FC), there has been a lack of research focusing on SH management. Therefore, here, we investigated the inhibitory activities of antagonistic bacteria against SH pathogens both in vitro and in vivo as well as their biochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds. Two biosurfactant-producing bacterial antagonists, identified as Bacillus velezensis strains JCK-1618 and JCK-1696, exhibited the best effects against the growth of both bacterial and fungal SH pathogens in vitro through their cell-free culture filtrates (CFCFs). These two strains also strongly inhibited the growth of the pathogens via the action of their antimicrobial diffusible compounds and antimicrobial volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Crude enzymes, solvent extracts, and biosurfactants of the two strains exhibited antimicrobial activities. Liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric analysis of the partially purified active fractions revealed that the two antagonists produced three cyclic lipopeptides, including iturin A, fengycin A, and surfactin, and a polyketide, oxydifficidin. In a detached leaf assay, pre-treatment and co-treatment of FC leaves with the CFCFs led to a large reduction in the severity of the leaf spots caused by Epicoccum tobaicum and Bukholderia contaminans, respectively. In addition, the two antagonists produced indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, and a series of hydrolytic enzymes, along with the formation of a substantial biofilm. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the antimicrobial activities of the diffusible compounds and VOCs of B. velezensis against the SH pathogens and their efficiency in the biocontrol of SH.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.408-424
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• 2023

Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is an incapacitating disorder that impacts a substantial proportion of stroke survivors and can diminish their quality of life. Conventional therapies for CPSP, including tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioids, are frequently ineffective, necessitating the investigation of alternative therapeutic strategies. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is now recognized as a promising noninvasive pain management method for CPSP. rTMS modulates neural activity through the administration of magnetic pulses to specific cortical regions. Trials analyzing the effects of rTMS on CPSP have generated various outcomes, but the evidence suggests possible analgesic benefits. In CPSP and other neuropathic pain conditions, high-frequency rTMS targeting the primary motor cortex (M1) with figure-eight coils has demonstrated significant pain alleviation. Due to its associaton with analgesic benefits, M1 is the most frequently targeted area. The duration and frequency of rTMS sessions, as well as the stimulation intensity, have been studied in an effort to optimize treatment outcomes. The short-term pain relief effects of rTMS have been observed, but the long-term effects (> 3 months) require further investigation. Aspects such as stimulation frequency, location, and treatment period can influence the efficacy of rTMS and ought to be considered while planning the procedure. Standardized guidelines for using rTMS in CPSP would optimize therapy protocols and improve patient outcomes. This review article provides an up-to-date overview of the incidence, clinical characteristics, outcome of rTMS in CPSP patients, and future perspective in the field.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.95-102
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• 2022

This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether there was a difference in the success rate of removal of residual thyroid tissue in patients with the same cutoff serum thyroglobulin (Tg) value-measured 2 weeks after thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW)-for different radioactive iodine (RAI) activities. We identified 132 patients with papillary thyroid cancer who were treated with total thyroidectomy and RAI therapy to evaluate the efficacy of three radioactivities of I-131: 1,110, 3,700, and 5,550 MBq. Serum Tg testing was performed 1 week before RAI treatment and 2 weeks after THW (pre-Tg); the cutoff pre-Tg level was below 10 ng/mL. Stimulated Tg levels were measured on the day of I-131 administration (off-Tg). After 6 months of treatment, we compared the groups for complete ablation, defined as no uptake on a diagnostic I-131 scan, stimulated Tg level of <1.0 ng/mL, and Tg antibody level of <100 ng/mL. Ninety-five patients (72.0%) achieved complete ablation, with 57.1% (8/14), 78.2% (68/87), and 61.3% (19/31) in the 1,110 MBq, 3,700 MBq, and 5,550 MBq groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the complete ablation rates between the three groups. In the multivariate analysis, the off-Tg level was a significant predictor of complete ablation. RAI therapy with low radioactivity (1,110 MBq) seemed sufficient for ablation in patients with papillary thyroid cancer with a pre-Tg level below 10 ng/mL. The off-Tg level is a promising and useful predictor of complete ablation after initial RAI therapy.