• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.829-836
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• 2003

Seogakjihwang-tang (SJT) was widely used to treat patients suffering from cerebral infarction. But scientific investigation has been carried out very little. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of SJT on the production of various cytokines in the patients with cerebral infarction (CI). We investigated interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-1 in the sera of 27 patients with cerebral infarction under consciousness disorders and 10 normal controls using an originally devised sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that plasma levels of IL-4 were slightly elevated in patients with cerebral infarction, whereas plasma levels of IL-10 (P<0.001) and TGF-1 were reduced. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from the patient with CI were cultured for 24 h in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The amount of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-1, in culture supernatant, was significantly increased in the LPS or PHA treated cells compared to unstimulated cells (P<0.05), We also show that increased cytokines IL-4, and IL-10 level was significantly inhibited by SJT in a dose-dependent manner. Maximal inhibition rate of IL-4 and IL-10 production by SJT was 45.63.3% and 614.7% for LPS-stimulated cell and 27.31.2% and 83.62% for PHA-stimulated cells, respectively (P<0.05). On the other hand, SJT significantly increased the LPS or PHA-induced TGF-1 production (P<0.05). These data suggest that SJT has a regulatory effect on the cytokines production, which might explain its beneficial effect in the treatment of CI.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.399-407
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• 2012

To evaluate age and gender differences in the relation of cardiovascular risk factors, cognitive impairment, and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis from aged people using by a cross sectional method. Sixty-nine healthy elders living in the community who had not previously undergone carotid ultrasonography were included. We conducted life style surveys, and cognitive function tests including Korean-mini-mental state examination (K-MMSE) and clinical dementia rating-Korean. Various biomarkers from blood were assessed; fasting insulin-like growth factor-1, lipid-profile, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, total homocysteine, glucose, insulin, Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) for insulin resistance index, vitamin B12, and folate level. Carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT), and plaques were measured using carotid ultrasonography and aortic ultrasonography, a valid index of atherosclerosis. For the elderly subjects (aged 65-82 years), cognition impairment was more prevalent in females while subclinical atherosclerosis was more prevalentin males. Increased C-IMT has been kept in males, and C-IMT shows increasing trend and the peak at about 80 year-old in females with increasing age. The significant correlations between C-IMT and many vascular risk factors including age, triglyceride, abnormal homocysteinein male, and K-MMSE, insulin, HOMA index and abnormal aortic ultrasonography in female were different in each gender, with the exception of homocysteine (p<0.05). This data suggests that there were differences of age and gender characteristics in terms of subclinical atherosclerosis, cognitive impairment and vascular risk factors in community-living elders. Further larger and longitudinal studies across entire age are required to better understand the effects of risk factors on subclinical atherosclerosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.779-788
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• 2009

To establish the fundament for EBM of Traditional Korean Medicine, the papers on Samul-tang which was frequently used in medical institutions of Traditional Korean Medicine were analyzed through researching domestic and international literatures. The papers were classified by the registration of domestic or international journals, by the year of publishment, by experimental methods, by laboratory animals used in biological experiment and by the kinds of studies on biological efficacy. Of total 67 papers on Samul-tang, 58 volumes were registered in domestic journals and 9 volumes were in international journals of which 8 volumes were in SCI journals. Since 1978, publishments of papers have continuously increased. The papers on instrumental analyses were 6, biological studies were 58 volumes, clinical studies were 3. Instrumental analyses were preceeded with standard compounds(gallic acid, albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, ferulic acid, 5-HMF). And biological studies showed improvement of cardiovascular function and circulation, antianemia, brain protection, immunoregulation, antistress, radioprotection, antifatigue, antiinflammation and antiallergy, antioxidative effect. Through clinical studies, antifatigue, improvement of insomnia and osteoporosis were reported. Samul-tang could be used to tonify and activate blood. And further study on clinical field need to be conducted in accordance with biological study.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.1106-1115
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• 2009

Mori Ramulus has multiple applications in Korean traditional medicine prescription because it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by reducing macrophage activities. Yet, no studies on the anti-arthritic activity of EMR (extract of Mori Ramulus) have been reported in vitro and in vivo. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease with chronic inflammation characterized by hyperplasia of synovial cells in affected joints, which ultimately leads to the destruction of cartilage and bone. Because collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is similar to RA in pathological symptoms and immune reactions, there have been several reports concerning RA using CIA mouse model. Here, we investigated the effects of Mori Ramulus on RA using CIA mice. The importance of CD4+ Th1 cells in RA progress was previously indicated and studies further showed that Th17 cells play a prime role in severity of disease. Accordingly, the present study was focused on CIA associated with CD4+ Th1 cells and Th1 7 cells. DBA/1OlaHsd mice were immunized with bovine type II collagen (CII). After a second collagen immunization, mice were treated with EMR once a day for 4 weeks. The severity of arthritis within the paw joints was evaluated by histological assessment of cartilage destruction and pannus formation. Immune cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), draining lymph node (DLN) and paw joints, cytokine production and gene expression were assessed from CIA mouse using ELISA, FACS and real-time PCR analysis. Administration of EMR significantly suppressed the progression of CIA and inhibited the production of TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-17 in the serum. The erosion of cartilage was dramatically reduced in mouse knees after treatment with EMR. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that EMR significantly suppressed the progression of CIA and that this action was mediated by the decreased production of TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6, IL-17 and collagen II-specific antibody in the serum. EMR suppressed Th17 cells and reduced level of IL-6 via B cell suppression, and thus, the levels of autoantibodies produced from B cells were decreased. Furthermore, EMR suppressed NKT cells which directly stimulate B cells and develop imbalance of Th1/Th2 cell. Oral administration of EMR (100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the progression of CIA, which is comparable to that of methotrexate (MTX, 0.3 mg/kg) used as a positive control. We are currently studying the mechanism underlying the therapeutic role for EMR in CIA mice.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.1193-1198
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• 2009

Pulse diagnosis is a central diagnosis method used in traditional Oriental medicine. To standardize and modernize the pulse diagnosis method, it is essential to develop an instrument-based reinterpretation of the clinically used pulse images in terms of the physical quantities such as the strength, period, width, length, and depth of the pulse. As a step towards such standardization, we conducted a clinical study on the floating/sinking pulses based on an automated palpation instrument (3D-MAC, Daeyo Medi, Korea) for 213 female subjects in their 20s and 174 female subjects in their 60s. The floating/sinking pulses are the two representative pulse images depending only on the depth of the pulse, and can be conveniently scaled by the coefficient of the floating-sinking pulse ($C_{fs}{\in}(0,1)$), which represents how strong one should apply the hold-down pressure to obtain the maximal pulse strength. As a result, primarily we found that it tends to appear more floating-like pulse ($C_{fs}{\rightarrow}0$) at Gwan and more sinking-like pulse ($C_{fs}{\rightarrow}1$) at Cheek, at both age groups and at both wrists. This result is consistent with a previous study on the geometrical structure of the blood vessel by an ultrasonograph. Second, the pulse tends to be more sinking-like in the age group of 60s than 20s. Finally, the pulses at the right palpation positions were found to be more sinking-like than the left, at both age groups.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.102-116
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the research trends of randomized controlled trials on herbal medicine treatment for atopic dermatitis in China for the last 5 years. We searched for randomized controlled trials with the intervention of herbal medicine for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in the CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from January 2014 to December 2018. For the screening of the paper, we used '特应性皮炎' and '异位性皮炎' which mean atopic dermatitis and search was limited to three areas within Medicine & Public Health: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs, Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Western Medicine. Among the 136 searched studies, we selected a total of 34 studies and analyzed a year of publication, subject characteristics, study design and intervention, prescribed herbal medicine and herbs, pattern identification, evaluation criteria, and outcomes. Longmu decoction (龍牡湯) and Polia Sclerotium (茯笭) was the most frequently prescribed medicine and herb. The most commonly used pattern identification was Blood deficiency and Wind-dryness (血虛風燥), and among them, the most frequently prescribed herb is Rehmanniae Radix (生地黃). In most studies using the total effectiveness and SCORAD index as an outcome measure, the herbal medicine treatment group showed statistically better results than the control group. As a result of the safety assessment, the herbal medicine treatment group was reported having significantly fewer side effects compared to the control group. Hence, it was confirmed that the intervention including herbal medicine had a significant effect on atopic dermatitis. This study would be able to provide the basis of clinical research on atopic dermatitis and applied to the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.725-732
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• 2016

Plasmodium vivax produces numerous caveola-vesicle complex (CVC) structures beneath the membrane of infected erythrocytes. Recently, a member helical interspersed subtelomeric (PHIST) superfamily protein, $PcyPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$, was identified as CVCs-associated protein in Plasmodium cynomolgi and essential for survival of this parasite. Very little information has been documented to date about $PHIST/CVC-81_{95}$ protein in P. vivax. In this study, the recombinant $PvPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$ N and C termini were expressed, and immunoreactivity was assessed using confirmed vivax malaria patients sera by protein microarray. The subcellular localization of $PvPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$ N and C termini in blood stage parasites was also determined. The antigenicity of recombinant $PvPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$ N and C terminal proteins were analyzed by using serum samples from the Republic of Korea. The results showed that immunoreactivities to these proteins had 61% and 43% sensitivity and 96.9% and 93.8% specificity, respectively. The N terminal of $PvPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$ which contains transmembrane domain and export motif (PEXEL; RxLxE/Q/D) produced CVCs location throughout the erythrocytic-stage parasites. However, no fluorescence was detected with antibodies against C terminal fragment of $PvPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$. These results suggest that the $PvPHIST/CVC-81_{95}$ is localized on the CVCs and may be immunogenic in natural infection of P. vivax.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.717-719
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• 2006

A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled human intervention study involving 62 healthy volunteers was performed to investigate the effects of Keumsa sangwhang (Phellinus linteus) mushroom extracts (KPLE) on natural killer (NK) cell activity in peripheral blood. The volunteers were randomly distributed into two groups, one receiving KPLE (3.3 g/day) and the other a placebo by oral administration for 8 weeks. In this study, the number of NK cells did not increase with KPLE administration, however the cytotoxic activity of NK cells against the Jurkat leukemia cell line increased significantly. This result suggests that administration of KPLE induces cell-mediated immunity by increasing NK cell activity in humans.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.404-413
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• 2008

Major objectives were to evaluate effects of three schemes of bST-supplementation of Holstein cows (142.8 mg/14 d, POSILAC) during the prepartum and/or postpartum periods through 63 d (${\pm}3d$) of lactation. Measures evaluated the potential of treatments to improve body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS), provoke changes in plasma concentrations of somatotropin (ST) and IGF-I, and improve milk yield, milk composition (percentages of protein and fat, and somatic cell counts), and several calving variables. Multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement of treatments (TRT) to give four groups (I = no bST, n = 26; II = bST postpartum, n = 25; III = bST prepartum, n = 27; IV = bST prepartum and postpartum, n = 25). During the prepartum period, cows in groups I and II were not supplemented but those in groups III and IV were supplemented every 2-wk beginning 21 d before expected calving date through calving. During the first 63 DIM only cows in groups II and IV were supplemented with bST. From 64 DIM through the end of lactation cows in all groups were supplemented with the full lactation dose of bST (500 mg/14 d). The BW and BCS were recorded weekly throughout the prepartum and postpartum periods and every 2-wk beyond 70 DIM. Blood samples were collected 3-times a week for analyses of ST and IGF-I. Milk yields were recorded daily though 150 DIM. Prepartum supplementation of bST did not affect BW or BCS, but mean concentrations of ST were increased 12.2% and were 15.5% greater at calving. Overall, mean concentration of IGF-I was not affected by treatment but concentrations were greater at 1 and 2 wk before calving in bST-supplemented cows. During the first 63 DIM the BW and BCS were not affected by treatment. Significant effects of bST-supplementation were detected on concentrations of ST, IGF-I and on milk yield compared to non-supplemented cows in group I. Postpartum concentrations of ST were greater in bST-supplemented cows (TRT II and IV; +41.9 and 54.6%). However, concentrations of IGF-I were greater only in cows in group IV (+25.9%) during the postpartum period. Overall, the three bST-supplemented groups had greater actual milk yield than the control group (I) during the first 63 and 150 DIM. The actual milk yields during 63 and 150 DIM were 6.5 and 4.6 kg/d greater for cows in group IV than cows in group I and the 305-d ME milk yield also was 15.6% greater. No adverse effects of TRT were observed on calf birth weight, colostrum immunoglobulins, ease of calving or other measures evaluated.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.378-385
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• 2015

Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of patients with dizziness who visited Korean medicine hospital. This study analyzed 328 patients with dizziness who visited Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Dae-Jeon University from Nov. 1st, 2012 to Oct. 31st, 2014. We gathered the data of the patients based on the medical charts. The patients were divided into 4 gorups ; central dizziness group, peripheral dizziness group, presyncope dizziness group, functional dizziness group, In the distribution according to sex, the number of female patients was higher than the male patients in all the types of dizziness except the presyncope group. The average age of the central group was higher than any other types. The peripheral and central group were most frequently admitted. The average hospitalization period were categorized as follows : central group 37.31, presyncope group 17, functional group 14.21, peripheral group 13.5 days. The following numbers of patients showed the distribution of each syndrome differentiation ; deficiency of qi and blood(氣血兩虛) 58.8%, plegm-dampness syndrome(濕痰中阻) 18.0%, hyperactivity of liver yang(肝陽上亢) 14.3%, deficiency of kidney essence(腎精不足) 8.8%. The distribution of herbal medicine for dizziness were categorized as follows ; Jaeumkeonbi-tang(Ziyinjianpi-tang, 滋陰健脾湯) 50.4%, Banhabaekchulcheonma-tang(Banxiabaishutianma-tang, 半夏白朮天麻湯) 10.2% and Bojungikgi-tang(Buzhongyiqi-tang, 補中益氣湯) 4.1%. The 86.0% of patients with dizziness has improved. The peripheral showed highest rate of improvement(100%). This report would serve as a reference data for further study about patients with dizziness in the clinical field of Korean medicine.