• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.543-557
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study which adopted a qualitative method was to evaluate blood pressure management behaviors of pre- and stage 1 hypertension patients and to provide fundamental data for developing a strategy about proper oriental medical treatment through analyzing factors related to a moxibustion clinical trial. Methods : Semi-structured interviews that focused on personal experiences with hypertension and its management were conducted with 10 hypertensive patients. The interviews lasted for approximately 50 minutes. Results : Most participants recognized that the direct cause of high blood pressure was unhealthy behavior rather than inheritance. Thus, the hypertensive patient believed they could recover their blood pressure to a normal level through removing the direct cause of hypertension instead of taking drugs. The reasons for these statements were that the drugs for controlling hypertension are not natural and they may have side effects. On future management plan of patients, most of them will continue to keep moxibustion and healthy behavior in the well-controlled blood pressure group. However in the uncontrolled blood pressure group, there was an increasing tendency to begin medication. Conclusions : For developing a strategy for an individual approach to hypertension management, we need to develop a client-centered attitude and strategy. That is, we need to tailor our approach to individual cases to avoid generalizations and stereotyping when developing an adherence increasing strategy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.1-4
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to summarize the historical aspects of parabolic reflector moxa and to suggest the applications of light moxibustion in Korean medicine. Results : Getting a fire by parabolic reflector(concave mirror) is well known because of the Olympic torch lighted with a solar reflector in Greece. From anecdotes or myths for Diocles and Archimedes(third century B.C.) a long history has been chronicled in books and films in western culture. However, it has another history in Asian countries since 2,000 years ago. Some reflectors had a tiny size with 6.5 to 10 cm in diameter, 4 mm to 1 cm thickness, and these mobile handheld devices could make us guess that they have been used for multiple purposes. Bronze reflectors were described in Dongeui-bogam, and excavated from the ancient remains of the Shilla and Koryo dynasties. This common firing device was used as a moxibustion device, one of the acupuncture and moxibustion modalities in traditional Korean medicine. Conclusions : Reflector moxa has been used as a light moxibustion to deliver heat energy to acupuncture points, muscles, and skin along meridians. We present a plausible proposal to improve other phototherapy modalities including reflector moxa in Korean medicine practice.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.254-262
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• 2010

Artemisia capillaris (A. capillaries) is known to play roles in many cellular events, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We investigated the antifibrogenic efficacy of A. capillaris in the immortalized human hepatic stellate cell line LX2. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay. Cell cycle was analyzed by the flow cytometry. Apoptotic cells were measured using a cell death detection ELISA. Caspase activity was detected by a colorimetric assay. The mRNA level of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA were measured by real-time PCR. MEK and ERK protein were detected by Western blot analysis. We provide evidence that A. capillaris induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and potently inhibits the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. A. capillaris inhibited cell proliferation of LX2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, increased the apoptosis fraction at cell cycle analysis with an accompanying DNA fragmentation, and resulted in a significant decrease in Bcl-2 mRNA levels and an increase in Bax expression. Exposure of LX2 cells to A. capillaris induced caspase-3 activation, but co-treatment of A. capillaris with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, and the caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVE-FMK, blocked apoptosis. A. capillaris down-regulated Mcl-1 protein levels and inhibited phosphorylation of MEK/ERK, suggesting that it mediates cell death in LX2 cells through the down-regulation of Mcl-1 protein via a MEK/ERK-independent pathway.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2018

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has been one of the most common parasitic diseases in Saudi Arabia. This study exhibits the clinical features, diagnosis, cytokine profile and treatment of CL patients in Al-Taif province. Ninety CL suspects at a tertiary care general hospital were enrolled in one-year study. Patients were interviewed, clinically-examined, and subjected to laboratory tests: skin scraping smear microscopy, OligoC-TesT commercial PCR (Coris BioConcept) and kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) PCR for Leishmania diagnosis. Interferon-gamma (RayBio; Human $IFN-{\gamma}$ ) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients' sera were evaluated before treatment with sodium stibogluconate (pentostam) with 20-day intramuscular drug regimen. Positive rates of microscopy, commercial PCR and kDNA PCR were 74.4%, 95.5% and 100%, respectively. Patients came to hospital mostly in winter (45.0%). CL was frequently exhibited in Saudi patients (78.8%), male gender (70.7%), age <20 years (50.0%), rural-dwellers (75.5%) and patients with travel history (86.6%). Lesion was mostly single ulcer (93.3%), occurred in the face (67.7%). Upon pentostam treatment, 85.1% of ulcers showed rapid healing signs. Levels of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and NO were significantly higher in the healing than the non-healing cases (P<0.001). The kDNA PCR proved more sensitive than microscopy and OligoC-TesT commercial PCR. Our results open perspectives for $IFN-{\gamma}$ use as a biomarker predicting treatment response.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.111-123
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• 2017

Objectives: To develop and investigate the reliability of the pathologic aging scale based on korean medical theory and korean medical pattern identification for dementia. Methods: We searched the textbook of korean neurophychiatry and Donguibogam and selected items through professional consensus. We compared between dementia(n=40) and normal elderly(n=38) and tested the reliability of two scales. Results: After professional consensus, we drafted the Korean Medical Pathologic Aging Scale(12 items, Likert 3 scale) and Korean Medical Pattern Identification for Dementia(4 patterns, 28 items, Likert 5 scale). On Korean Medical Pathologic Aging Scale, There is no significant difference between two groups. We had good internal consistency(Cronbach's alpha = 0.6) and test-retest reliability(r=0.631) but low inter-rater reliability(r=0.430). On Korean Medical Pattern Identification for Dementia, dementia patients diagnosed with Qi deficiency are significantly more than those in normal group. We had fairly good internal consistency(Cronbach's alpha = 0.574) and excellent test-retest(kappa= .800) and inter-rater reliability(kappa = .733). Conclusions: Korean Medical Pattern Identification for Dementia is appropriate for diagnosing korean medical pattern. But Korean Medical Pathologic Aging Scale isn't appropriate to discriminate dementia from normal elderly because of many subjective items. Therefore objective measurement of sensory dysfunction would be needed to measure pathologic aging based on korean medical theory.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.30-42
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Angelica gigas Nakai extract(AGNE) and Bacillus polyfermenticus KJS-2 (BP2) on atopic dermatitis (AD) induced by 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) in mice. Methods: In the experiment, we divided mice into four groups: a control group, a DNCB group, an AGNE group, and an AGNE+BP2 group. Then we examined the changes in scratching frequency, clinical aspects on dorsum skin, immunoglobulin (IgE), cytokines ($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6) and expression of COX-2. Resutls: From the experiment, the scratching frequency was significantly dropped in AGNE group and AGNE+BP2 group. Clinical observations of dorsum skin, there were a severe keratotic lesion and drop of dead skin cell in DNCB group, but symptoms of AD were decreased 39.6% in AGNE group and 49.6% in AGNE+BP2 group during 3 weeks. IgE, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 were decreased significantly in both AGNE and AGNE+BP2 group. Expression of COX-2 was also decreased significantly in both groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, these data suggest that AGNE can decrease symptoms of AD and BP2 makes AGNE more effective. So AGNE can be useful herbal therapy for AD.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.80-90
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Korean traditional treatments for Climacteric Syndrome Patients with Hwa-Byung. Methods: From February 2015 to May 2015, We treated 5 Cases Patients with Korean traditional treatments for a month. We measured treatment effects by Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). Results: After treatment, First, the scores of MRS, BDI were decreased. Second, the symptoms such as hot flush, pantalgia, palpitation, insomnia, fatigue were significantly improved. Also, the difference of 膻中 (CV17, Danjung) and 關元 (CV4, Guanyuan) temperatures were significantly decreased after treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean traditional treatments such as Gamicheonglijagam-hwan, acupuncture, moxibustion are effective on Climacteric Syndrome Patients with Hwa-Byung.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.39-48
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• 2008

Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the difference of treatment effects and allergic responses to stiff neck between Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture. Methods Forty one patients who felt stiff neck were randomly divided into two groups, a Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture group(group I) and a Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture group(group II). Evaluations of the treatment effects were made before and after a treatment using Visual Analog Scale(VAS), Neck Disability Index(NDI), Clinical Evaluation Grade(CEG). The comparison of allergic responses was measured with VAS. The obtained data were analyzed and compared with SPSS. Results The group I and group II showed significant improvement(p<0.05) according to the VAS, NDI, CEG. And the differences between the two groups were insignificant according to VAS, NDI, CEG. But allergic responses such as localized edema, localized itching were significantly lower in group II than group I. Conclusions It seems that there are no big different treatment effects between the two groups. Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture appears to be more effective measurement against allergic reactions than the Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture. Further studies are needed for the comparison of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.42-50
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• 2015

Objectives: The aims of the study were to test the single- dose intravenous toxicity of Daebohwalryeok pharmacopuncture (DHRP) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and to estimate the crude lethal dose. Methods: The experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech Co., a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) laboratory, according to the GLP regulation and were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Biotoxtech Co. (Approval no: 110156). The rats were divided into three groups: DHRP was injected into the rats in the two test groups at doses of 10 mL/kg and 20 mL/kg, respectively, and normal saline solution was injected into the rats in the control group. Single doses of DHRP were injected intravenously into 6 week old SD rats (5 male and 5 female rats per group). General symptoms were observed and weights were measured during the 14 day observation period after the injection. After the observation period, necropsies were done. Then, histopathological tests were performed. Weight data were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by using statistical analysis system (SAS, version 9.2). Results: No deaths and no statistical significant weight changes were observed for either male or female SD rats in either the control or the test groups during the observation period. In addition, no treatment related general symptoms or necropsy abnormalities were observed. Histopathological results showed no DHRP related effects in the 20 mL/kg DHRP group for either male or female rats. Conclusion: Under the conditions of this study, the results from single-dose intravenous injections of DHRP showed that estimated lethal doses for both male and female rats were above 20 mL/kg.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in kind, intensity and depth of de Qi sensation by patients' gender, age, BMI and sensitivity. Methods: Sixty-four healthy volunteers (mean age $26.51{\pm}4.72$, range 22-39) who had been studying anatomy, meridianology, acupuncture & moxibustion for more than five years at Dongguk University, Go-yang, Korea, were invited to take part in an investigation of the sensations associated with acupuncture needling. Needling was self-administered on Hegu (LI4) in the hand and Zusanli (ST36) in the leg randomly. After obtaining de Qi, the participants were asked the kind, intensity and depth of de Qi sensation. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the kind of de Qi sensation found by acupoints and needling methods (p>0.05). Hegu (LI4) was found to be significantly higher in the intensity (p<0.001), and the depth of de Qi sensation was significantly higher in Zusanli (ST36) than Hegu (LI4) (p<0.001). There was statistically significant difference found in the intensity of de Qi sensation by depth and sensitivity (p<0.05). In the depth of de Qi sensation, there was statistically significant difference found by sensitivity (p<0.05). In de Qi sensation of practitioners, there was statistically significant difference found by gender, BMI, the intensity of de Qi sensation (VAS) and sensitivity. Conclusions: Further study involving acupuncture de Qi sensation and the influencing factors is needed.