• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2008

In recent years, the combined use of Herbal medicines and Western drugs has been increasing. Though certain problems may occur when both types of medicines are taken together, they havenot been adequately analyzed. It was reported that anticoagulation was enhanced in addition tobleeding when patients took long-term warfarin therapy in combination with Salvia miltiorrhiza(danshen), and laxative herbs accelerate intestinal transit and interfere with the absorption. Herbal constituents, curcumin, ginsenosides, piperine, catechins and silymarin were found to beinhibitors of P-glycoprotein. St John's wort induces the intestinal expression of P-glycoprotein. Anthraquinone, quercetin and coumarins were found to be a potent inhibitor of P-450. Glycyrrhizin or liquorice extracts, Garlic and St John's wort are a potent inducer of CYP3A4. This review provides a critical overview of interactions between herbal medicines and other drugs. Hence, it is necessary to study the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions of many herbal medicines between western drugs.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2016

Background : Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common adverse effect in cancer patients who were exposed to chemotherapy. CIPN impacts on the quality of life and could delay chemotherapy. The aim of this review was to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of herbal medicine in CIPN patients. Methods : Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this review. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane database, EMBASE, CNKI, Wanfang and four Korean databases without restrictions on time or language. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results : Eleven RCTs involving 706 patients met the inclusion criteria. Eleven different herbal medicines were examined in the included trials. Almost RCTs showed insufficiency in the reporting randomization method and allocation concealment. One trial used allocation concealment and a double-blinding method. Five studies reported that participants dropped out of RCTs and conducted an 'as-treated analysis'. One trials reported adverse effects of herbal medicine. In ten of the eleven trials, the use of herbal medicine had shown significant differences in clinical symptoms or nerve conduction velocity. Conclusions : The use of herbal medicines for CIPN showed significant improvements in the management of CIPN. However, conclusions cannot be drawn because of the generally low quality of methodology and low quantity of data for each single herbal medicine. Further rigorous trials are needed.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.21-39
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• 2010

Objectives & Method : We investigated toxicity, poisoning symptoms, poisoning treatment and prevention against poisoning of herbal medicines used to activate blood flow and remove blood stasis(活血祛瘀藥) in order to use herbal medicines accurately. Result : Cnidii Rhizoma(川芎), Olibanum(乳香), Myrrha(沒藥), Corydalis Tuber(玄胡索), Zedoariae Rhizoma(莪朮), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix(丹參), Polygoni Cuspidati Radix(虎杖根), Leonuri Herba(益母草), Persicae Semen(桃仁), Carthami Flos(紅花), Manitis Squama(穿山甲), Eupolyphaga(蟅蟲), Hirudo(水蛭), Vaccariae Semen(王不留行), Sappan Lignum(蘇木), Lacca Sinica Exsiccata(乾漆), Draconis Resina(血竭) and Leonuri Semen(茺蔚子) may give rise to some side effects or toxic symptoms in herbal medicines used to activate blood flow and remove blood stasis(活血祛瘀藥). The representative methods of poisoning treatment in western medicines are washing out the stomach, promotion of vomiting, causing diarrhea, supplies of grape sugar and symptomatic treatment, etc. The representative methods of poisoning treatment in oriental medicine take advantage of herbs. And Oriental medical doctor should meet symptoms as patients call for attention. In order to prevent against poisoning of herbal medicines used to activate blood flow and remove blood stasis (活血祛瘀藥), the patients should keep usage, dosage and notes and oriental medical doctors should do processing drugs. Conclusion : We should pay attention to clinical using of Cnidii Rhizoma(川芎), Olibanum(乳香), Myrrha(沒藥), Corydalis Tuber(玄胡索), Zedoariae Rhizoma(莪朮), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix(丹參), Polygoni Cuspidati Radix(虎杖根), Leonuri Herba(益母草), Persicae Semen(桃仁), Carthami Flos(紅花), Manitis Squama(穿山甲), Eupolyphaga(蟅蟲), Hirudo(水蛭), Vaccariae Semen(王不留行), Sappan Lignum(蘇木), Lacca Sinica Exsiccata(乾漆), Draconis Resina(血竭) and Leonuri Semen(茺蔚子) in herbal medicines used to activate blood flow and remove blood stasis(活血祛瘀藥).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.259-263
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• 2000

This study was designed to evalulate the biological activity, particularly induction of IgA in primary Peyer's patches cells, of herbal medicines for a long time in Asia. Among fifty four herbal medicines tested, Ephedra sinica, Magnolia officinalis, Lonicera japonica and Lithospermum erythorhizon induced IgA production. The polar and high molecular weight component in Ephedra sinica was capable of inducing IgA in primary Peyer's patches cells. Therefore, we suggest that some herbal medicines could use for the treatment of food allergy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.381-385
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• 2007

Purpose : Traditional herbal medicines may be overused in Korea. Expenditures and inaccuracies of hospital prescription are increasing gradually. So we investigated the frequency and nature of herbal medicine use among elementary school pupils. Methods : We interviewed students of three elementary schools located in Gwangju with survey papers. We analyzed 905 returned surveys. Results : They consisted of 421 males and 484 females. Five hundred ninety (65.2 percent) of pupils who have taken herbal medicines since birth. First grade made up 74.1 percent, 2nd grade 63.0 percent, 3rd grade 64.8 percent, 4th grade 63.3 percent, 5th grade 65.5 percent, and sixth grade 61.9 percent, respectively. The mean frequency of herbal medicine use was 3.2 times. 6th grade was 3.3 times, 5th grade 3.9 times, 4th grade 3.7 times, 3rd grade 2.7 times, 2nd grade 2.7 times, and 1st grade 2.6 times, respectively. The mean cost of herbal medicine use was from 50,00-100,000 won. The mean age of pupils who took their 1st herbal medicine was 55 months, 6th grade 67 months, 5th grade 58 months, 4th grade 54 months, 3rd grade 55 months, 2nd grade 51 months, and 1st grade 47 months. The most common reason of herbal medicine use was "looking weak, without disease." The rate of elementary pupils who had good effects was 63.7 percent; the rate of side effects was 4.5 percent. Conclusions : The rate of elementary pupils who took herbal medicines was high and gradually higher in lower grades. So, clinicians have to cope directly with this situation and to educate parents about herbal medicines.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.464-472
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• 2007

Objectives : Nowadays the combined use of oriental herbal medicines and western biomedical medicines has been prevalent but controversial. Warfarin has been much reported to interact with some herbal medicines so that it influences prothrombin time(PT) & international normalized ratio(INR). This study was aimed to examine how much warfarin interacts with herbal medicines during treatment of stroke patients Methods : This was a retrospective case control study of 53 patients whowere treated with concomitant treatment of herbal medicines & warfarin. They were within normal limit in liver function, renal function, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and platelet count at first admission lab. We classified them into 2 classes: study group (taking herbal medicines including Panax ginseng, Angelica sinensis, Zingiber officinale, Salvia miltiorrhiza that were reported to interact with warfarin to impact PT (INR) and control group (taking other herbal medicines). We followed up PT (INR) at 5-10 days interval with AST, ALT, BUN, creatinine, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and platelet count. Results : AST, BUN, creatinine, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet count were not changed significantly between first and final tests during the admission period. Only ALT decreased significantly in the control group. Neither baseline nor peak PT (INR) was significantly different between the groups. However, only warfarin dose was significantly correlated with PT and INR (r=0.810, r=0.798, p<0.01). Conclusions : It was concluded that PT(INR) was not influenced with herbal medicines and warfarin but by far dependent on warfarin dose in stroke patients restricted with normal liver function, renal function, and hematocrit, hemoglobin, and platelet count. Further prospective study is needed on larger samples to conclude that the combined therapy of herbal medicines and warfarin is safe.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.31-36
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• 2012

Objective : For the purpose of making use the wild edible plants of Ulleung island smoothly, this study was designed. Method : For the first time, I searched the wild edible plants of Ulleung island from various data. And I examined herbological books and research papers on the wild edible plants of Ulleung island. Result : The herbaceous plants in Ulleung island were 12 family and 22 species, Compositae and Liliaceae plants take the highest number of them. The woody plants in Ulleung island were 1 family(Araliaceae) and 2 species. The herbal medicines that originated from the wild edible greens of Ulleung island were 25 species. The herbal medicines that have the effects of clearing away heat(淸熱), eliminating toxin(解毒), subduing swelling(消腫) and promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis(活血祛瘀) take the highest number of the effects of these herbal medicines. Conclusion : For the purpose of making use the wild edible plants of Ulleung island smoothly, we should recognize not only medical benefits but also matters that pay special attention.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2015

Objective : There are many documents that explain efficacy of herbal medicine products (HMP), however, explanations on efficacy are not consistent with the clinical use. The objective of this study is to identify the differences between herbal medicines used in clinics and Korean Medicine literatures. The disease was restricted in low back pain (LBP). Method : In order to investigate HMP for the treatment of LBP, we selected five Korean medical documents as reference and searched for key words related to LBP. Five databases were Information on Herbal prescription published by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 56 Herbal Medicines covered with Health Insurance, Guideline for prescribing herbal medicines announced by Ministry Health & Welfare, Explanation on Herbal Medicines published by Korean Pharmaceutical Association, website of Korea Pharmaceutical Information Center (http://www.health.kr/). The keywords were 'low back pain', 'lumbar', 'pain', 'myalgia', 'neuralgia', 'arthralgia', 'arthroneuralgia', and 'sciatica'. We also utilized the result of retrospective cross-sectional study in five university hospitals to investigate HMP used in practice for LBP. Results : From five databases, the number of searched HMP was 25, 12, 40, 12 and 38 respectively and 83 remained after removing duplications. There were 43 kinds of HMP used in clinical practice and only 20 (46.51 %) were included in one or more databases. Conclusion : This study suggests the necessity for reorganizing efficacy of herbal medicine. Standardizing explanation on herbal medicine should reflect the clinical conditions in further study.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.39-44
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• 2009

All medicines are poisonous, and there are none free from poison. Thus, all things may be regarded as poisonous. And poison and medicine is the same one of which actions differ from each other. Medicine may be good medicine or poison according to doses, whether chemical medicine or herbal one. Herbal medicine falls into the category of natural materials. From ancient times humankind has Been using animals and plants as food, but on the other hand, chemical medicine is unfamiliar relatively to natural materials. Somecine is unfamilis, absorbed into the human boan, are transformed and help deemicfication. Other medicines protect the gastric mucous membrane and are demulcent, and inhibithemica materials from being absorbed. In some cases, ine is unfamilis function as deemicfiers in combination withhemica materials, and remove the toxicity and side effect caused by drug properties. Herbal medicine causes less side effects, as compared to chemical one, and thus can work effectively. As the case stands, some deem that herbal medicine does not cause problems despite high dose and long-term use because it is nontoxic or low-toxic. However, herbal medicine may be also poisonous though it is used at a very low dose. Even a deadly poison may produce therapeutic results satisfactorily without side effects, on condition that it is used properly.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.187-194
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• 2011

Aldose reductase (AR), the key enzyme in the polyol pathway, plays an important role in the development of the diabetic complications. None of Aldose reductase Inhibitor (ARI) has achieved worldwide use because of limited efficacy or undesirable side effects. Therefore, evaluating natural sources for ARI potential may lead to the development of safer and more effective agents against diabetic complications. Fifty two Chinese herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Among them, twelve herbal medicines, Artemisia anomala (aerial part), Centella asiatica (aerial part), Scutellaria baicalensis (root), Senecio chrysanthermoides (whole plant), Gleditsia japonica (twig), Zizyphus jujube (twig, leaf), Citrus aurantium (fruit), Hydnocarpus anthelmintica (fruit), Potaninia mongolica (aerial part), Tribulus terrestris (fruit), Artemisia apiacea (aerial part) and Eclipta prostrate (aerial part) exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AR. Particularly, Artemisia anomala, Centella asiatica and Scutellaria baicalensis showed four times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG).