• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.133-144
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• 2004

Background and Objective : Twirling is one of the needling methods, which is frequently used for acupuncture in oriental medicine. Some thesis about needle manipulation has been reported that needle manipulation is more effective than plain acupuncture. So we have developed the auto-controlled twirling needle(ACTN) system which is most simple style of needle manipulation. The present study was conducted to see if ACTN can enhance the antinociceptive effect of acupuncture. Methods : To investigate the analgesic effect of acupuncture we used two pain model. One is acute pain model using tail flick latency(TFL), the other is neuropathic pain model using mechanical allodynia. For TFL test, rats were lightly anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium(40 mg/kg, i.p). To produce mechanical allodynia in the rat tail, the right superior caudal trunk was resected between the S1 and S2 spinal nerves. For plain acupuncture(PA), a needle was inserted into a Zusanli(ST36) for 15min. In combining ACTN with PA, twirling needle was performed once in a second. We measured the difference of analgesic effect of only PA and ACTN on two different kinds of pain. Results and conclusion : ACTN increased TFL more than PA. (15min P<0.001, 25min P<0.01). And ACTN also reduced neuropathic pain (15min P<0.01, 25min<0.05). But PA alone can't reduce the neuropathic pain. These results indicate that ACRN had more analgesic effect than PA. The mechanism that play a key role, and the condition which produce best analgesic effect of ACTN are to be studied further.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.233-238
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• 2002

Moxibustion is one of major healing technique in oriental medicine. It has been widely used in many diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto disease, breech presentation, etc. However, till now, effects of moxibustion on NK cell activity and relations between sympathetic nerve system(SNS) and the immune alteration induced by moxibustion were not well studied. This study was designed to evaluate effects of moxibustion on NK cell activity and the intervention of SNS in the alteration of NK cell activity induced by moxibustion. Splenic NK cytotoxity was measured in a standard 4-h 51Cr release assay. We measured the NK cytotoxity at after moxibustion stimulation for 1,3,5, and 7 days, and also measured the NK cell cytotoxity after 3 and 7 days burn stimulation with similar temperature. IL-2, IL-4, INF-γ in serum were measured by rat IL-2, IL-4, INF-γ ELISA TEST KIT. To evaluate the effects of sympathectomy on alteration of NK cell cytotoxity, 6-hydroxydopamine(6-OHDA : 5Omg/kg) was used. We showed that NK cell activity of moxibustion stimulation group increased at the 3rd day, and declined at 7th day in comparison with that of contol group. In moxibustion stimulation group, NK cell activity of 3 day stimulation group was significantly higher than sham group. On the contrary, in burn stimulation group, NK cell activity was significantly higher than that of sham groups at 3rd, 7th days. Patterns between moxibustion and burns were different. INF- γ level of 3 days moxibustion stimulation group significantly higher than sham group. IL 2 level among groups were not different. IL-4 was not detected in serum with this method. Sympathectomy abolished the NK cell activity alteration induced by moxibustion. The results suggest that moxibustion induces the alteration of NK cell activity, along with INF-γ and SNS is related to these effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1001-1006
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• 2004

In order to examine the anti-arthritic properties of ShinEumHur(SEH)-herbal acupuncture, an adjuvant-induced arthritic rat was generated by the intra-articular injection of dried cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis emulsified in squalene into the right knee joint. Fifty microliter of SEH extract was injected into Zusanli(ST36) acupoint on the ipsilateral hind paw every other day for 2 weeks. The body weight, knee circumference, squeak threshold, and weight distribution ratio were analyzed as the assessment methods addressing arthritic symptoms such as arthritic pain, edema, and tenderness. The weight distribution ratio was measured by a digital-type analgesia instrument using the dual channel scale that separately measures the weight the arthritic rat distributes to each hind paw, and thus quantifies both of swelling and pain severities at once. The therapeutic effects of SEH-herbal acupuncture, assessed by squeaking threshold and weight distribution ratio, were observed on 8th day after the arthritis induction as compared to saline group and control group. On 10th day, SEH-herbal acupuncture therapy significantly started to alleviate the growing pattern of knee circumference of an arthritic rat in the range of 0.2㎝. However, the loss of body weight was not significantly recovered. Taken together, the SEH-herbal acupuncture exhibited the significant therapeutic efficiency to treat adjuvant-induced monoarthritis in rat.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study to investigate the effect of TENS and electroacupuncture (EA) on injured muscle recovery and to compare the difference between TENS and EA. Methods: 18 S-D rats were produced surgically for crush injury on Extensor digitorum. TENS and EA stimulation were applied on acu-point that Zusanli (ST36) and Taijun (Liv3) of each hindlimb as approximitely 2Hz for 15 minutes. The rats were sacrificed on 1, 3, 7 post operation day, and the spinal level was immunohistochmical stainied. Results: The expression of NT-3 on the spinal level related with injured muscle between Ex-1 group and Ex-2, there is no significant difference. But between Con and Ex-1/Ex-2, there was little difference. In the same indivudual, we confirmed more NT-3 expression on the same side of injured muscle than on another side of gray matter in posterior horn. Conclusion: There is no difference, which is more effective to recover of injured muscle, between EA and TENS on injured muscle.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.23-29
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• 2006

Objectives : The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of automatically controlled rotating acupuncture (ACRA) on thermal allodynia in neuropathic pain rats, and to examine whether the endogenous opioid system mediates the effects of ACRA. Methods : For the neuropathic surgery, the right superior caudal trunk was resected at the level between S1 and S2 spinal nerves innervating the tail. Two weeks after the nerve injury, ACRA stimulation with 4 different stimulation conditions (i.e., angle and frequency of rotation: 90o+1Hz, 90o+1/4Hz, 360o+/1Hz, and 360o+1/4Hz) was delivered to the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint for 15 min. The behavioral signs of thermal allodynia were evaluated by the tail immersion test (i.e., immersing the tail in cold $(4^{\circ}C)$ or warm $(4^{\circ}C)$ water and measuring the latency to an abrupt tail movement) before and after the stimulation. In an additional set of experiments, we examined the effects of naloxone (opioid Results : ACRA stimulations under all of the conditions above significantly relieved thermal antagonist, 2mg/kg, i.p.) on the action of ACRA stimulation. allodynia. There is no difference in the anti-allodynic effects among the 4 stimulation conditions. In addition, the effect of ACRA on thermal allodynia was reversed by naloxone pretreatment. Conclusion : These results indicate that ACRA stimulations have relieving effects on thermal allodynia in neuropathic pain rats, irrespective of stimulation parameters, and that this is mediated by the endogenous opioid system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.117-127
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• 2010

Background : To demonstrate the efficacy of moxibustion therapy, randomized controled trials are required. But, clinical trials of moxibustion had limitations due to the absence of a sham moxibustion model for an appropriate placebo. Objectives : To develop a new sham moxibustion model based on the thermal characteristics of commercial indirect moxibustion, especially temperature, and to evaluate whether it could be applied in clinical trials. Methods : By applying heat insulation, we created a sham moxibustion device that was indistinguishable from a real one with the naked eye. It also stimulated heat but had inert remedial value. A clinical trial was performed on subjects to test double blinding. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups, a treatment group and a sham group. Acupoint Zusanli($ST_{36}$) was used in each group for 3 times. A sham acupuncture credibility questionnaire was modified into a moxibustion credibility questionnaire and was filled out after treatment. Results : No major difference was detected in the subjects' baseline data. Most subjects and practitioners could not distinguish the sham moxibustion device from the real one. But, subjects who had experience of moxibustion therapy more likely to distinguish the sham moxibustion device from the real one than subjects who didn't have experience of moxibustion therapy. The treatment group showed a significant difference in the VAS(Visual Analog Scale) for intensity of sensation during treatment than that of the sham group. Conclusions : The sham moxibustion device in this study is proved sufficient and credible to be applied in investigations of the effect of moxibustion. But it is more appropriate for the people who don't have experience of moxibustion therapy.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-42
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• 2017

Objectives The goal of this review was to investigate clinical, experimental and literature studies of Korean medicine on atopic dermatitis (AD) of Korean children in Korean medicine literature, seeking for the better research methods for more effective treatments. Methods Electronic investigations were practiced on AKOP (The Association of Korean Oriental Pediatrics, http://www.akop.or.kr) to collect theses which were published by J Pediatr Korean Med. The key word 'Atopy' was used for searching to ensure that every related thesis was collected. The publication date was limited from 1996 to 2016. The selected literatures were assessed mainly according to distributions of study type, publication year, scale, treatment and its efficacy. Results 55 papers were selected from 59 studies. In these collected 55 related theses, there were 29 experimental studies (52.73%), 18 clinical studies (32.73%), 8 review studies (14.55%). In the 29 experimental studies, there were 20 studies (68.97%) using NC/Nga mouse as subjects. The mite antigen was used to trigger AD by 8 studies (27.59%). The studies have been utilizing DNCB and DNFB instead of mite antigen since 2011. All the experimental studies showed that the Korean medicine was effective in AD. In total 18 clinical studies, 3 studies (16.67%) were case reports, only 1 thesis (5.56%) was conducted by case control study and the rest were case series studies. 7 studies (38.89%) of 18 studies diagnosed AD according to Hanifin and Rajka's diagnostic criteria (1980), only 1 study (5.56%) according to the Korean standard and the rest 10 studies (55.56%) didn't mention diagnostic criteria. 12 clinical studies (66.67%) showed efficacy in treating AD. There were 10 studies (55.56%) only employing internal treatments and 1 thesis (5.56%) didn't mention the exact prescription. Naesowhajungtang-kamibang, Saenghyeoryunbue-um were used 3 times (16.67%) as the internal medicine respectively. 5 theses (27.78%) were combined with acupuncture therapy. Hegu (LI4), Sanyinjiao (SP6) were used in 4 theses, and Taichong (LR3), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36) in 3 theses. The number of acupoints chosen from The Spleen meridian of Foot-Taiyin was the largest. There were 8 review theses. 2 were about the foreign oriental medicine, 3 were about the external medicine or external treatment methods, and 3 other studies were about severity scoring systems, the methodological study in the latest clinical study, overview for pattern and results of herbal medicine-derived AD clinical researches. Conclusions The experimental studies and clinical studies showed the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatments. However, this study still needs improving by conducting more comparative studies and using better research methods, in order to find more effective treatments to improve clinical efficacy.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.100-112
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• 2011

Objectives : This study investigated the effects of electroacupuncture on memory, depression, and plasma stress hormone levels in rats that were under immobilization stress. Materials and Methods : The immobilization-only group was given two hours of immobilization stress for 10 consecutive days. The immobilization and high frequency EA group was given two hours of immobilization stress simultaneously with high frequency (100Hz) electroacupuncture stimulation on the right ST-36 (Zusanli) for 10 consecutive days. We conducted the inhibitory avoidance and forced swimming tests to recognize whether immobilization stress and electroacupuncture have effects on memory and depression. We collected blood samples from the tail of each rat at 30, 60, 90, and 120-minute intervals during the immobilization stress and EA stimulation to measure plasma concentrations of ACTH, corticosterone, melatonin, and norepinephrine induced by immobilization stress and electroacupuncture. Results : There was a significant effect of high frequency on the increase in anamnesis based on the result of the inhibitory avoidance test, but there was no significant effect of decreasing depression based on the result of the forced swim test. Also, there was no significant effect on the response indicated by stress hormones. Conclusions : 1. High frequency electroacupuncture (100Hz) improved anamnesis in immobilization stress states under the inhibitory avoidance task. 2. High frequency electroacupuncture (100Hz) did not reduce depression induced by immobilization stress under the forced swimming test. 3. High frequency electroacupuncture (100Hz) did not decrease stress hormones through blood sampling.