• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1346-1351
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• 2007

Crohn' disease is an auto-immune disease characterized by intermittent chronic diarrhea, high fever, weight loss, abdominal spastic pain or abdominal discomfort which is followed by granulomatous necrosis and cicatrical inflammation. It is also called segmental enteritis or granulomatous enteritis. In western medicine the exact cause is undefined, however it is presumed as an immunological unbalance in alimentary tract commoonly occured in ileum portion of small intestitine or ascending colon and therefore immuno suppressive agents(usually steroids) and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. In case of emergency such as ileus, perforation of intestinal wall surgical methods are considered. In oriental medicine this falls under the category of diarrhea(泄瀉), dysentery(痢疾), splenic diarrhea(脾泄). As to the pathological mechanism the abnormal ascending and descending circulation of stomach and splenic energy(脾不升淸, 胃不下降) the hepatic stagnation(肝鬱氣滯) and dysfunction of small intestine in expelling urine and feces(小陽淸獨不利) all together causes such condition. Main treatments are inducing diuresis(利小便), warming kindey to reinforce yang(溫賢助陽), nourishing the middle energy to invigorate spleen(補中健脾), elimination of the dampness by cooling(淸熱燥濕). In this case the patient was diagnosed as soyangyin(少陽人) constitution and herb medicine soyangyin Hyongbangjihwan-tang(少陽人 荊防地黃湯), Sa-am acupuncture Sojangjeonggyeok(小腸政格) was applied. There was an significant improve in chief complaints and general conditions.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.144-155
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• 2007

Background : In western medicine, there has been much interest in medication teaching since the separation of dispensary from medical practice in 2000. On the other hand, few investigations have been carried out about medication teaching for herbal medicine. Objectives : The purpose of this study wasto investigate the current status of medication teaching of herbal medicine and develop a better guide. Methods : Pharmaceutical affairs law in Korea was searched and some medication teaching guides were compared and analyzed to develop a better guide suitable for herbal medicine. Results and Conclusions : The future guide should be based on scientific evidence and include the following: (1)the origin of each herbal formula (2)the constitution of each herbal formula and proportion of each herb included (3)the chief virtue of each herbal formula (4)the efficacy of each herbal formula (5)the safety of each herbal formula (6)combined treatment with herbal formulas and western drugs (7)the way of decocting each herbal formula (8)the way of safekeeping and period of circulation of each herbal formula (9)a summary and evaluation for each herbal formula (10)references of each herbal formula.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.104-113
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• 2008

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of five herbal medicines on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 drug-metabolizing enzymes in human liver microsomes. Methods: By using of human liver microsomes, we extracted Cnidium officinale Makino, Rhus verniciflua Stokes, Prunus persica Batsch, Corydalis remota Fisch, Carthamus tinctorius Linne, which are called Hwalhyulgeoouhyak(活血祛瘀藥). Then they were incubated and measured for relative enzyme activity under incubation conditions compared to ketoconazole, which is known as a representative inhibitor of CYP 3A4. Results: We showed that all of five traditional herbal medicines had no inhibition effect of CYP 3A4 at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50${\mu}g/m{\ell}$ doses in human liver microsomes, although Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) showed a little inhibition as about 95% enzyme activity of control. However, this result was not enough to prove that RVS has a CYP 3A4 inhibition effect. Moreover, we can't confirm that those rates have significant induction effect on CYP 3A4. Conclusions: The result of this study could support that those herbal medicines are more reliable than chemical drugs, even if this is a basic step to prove that result.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 1973

Chinae Rhizoma is dried crude roots and rhizomes obtained from Smilax china Linne which belongs to Smilax Genus of Liliaceae Familia, and it has been in wife use as a folk remedy for a long time. But very little systemic studies on its pharmacological actions have been made until now. Furthermore, the effective components except saponin of Chinae Rhizoma have been not known yet. It came to the attention of the authors that Chinae Rhizoma are used as antidiarrhetics in Chinese herb medicine, therefore they attempted to observe the effects of Chinae Rhizoma Alcoholic Extracts (Chinae Rhizoma Ethanol Extract=CREE, Chinae Rhizoma Methanol Extract=CRME) from Smilax china Linne on motility of the isolated rabbit duodenum in this experiment. The results of the study were as follow: 1. The movement of the isolated rabbit duodenum was slowed down and its tonus was relaxed in proportion to the concentration of Chinae Rhizoma Alcoholic Extracts (CREE & CRME). 2. With a concentration of CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$, the contractile effects of acetylcholine $10^{-6}g/ml$, pilocarpine $10^{-5}g/ml$ and physostigmine $10^{-5}g/ml$ were remarkably blocked in the movement of isolated rabbit duodenum. 3. The concentration of the isolated rabbit duodenum induced by barium chloride $10^{-4}g/ml$ was significantly inhibited by CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$. 4. With the administrations of histamine $10^{-5}g/ml$, serotonin $10^{-6}g/ml$ and prostaglandin $A_2\;10^{-6}g/ml$ respectively, contractions were observed in the rabbit duodenum. But, treatment of CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$ inhibited markedly the tonus and motility of the duodenum pretreated with the above drugs. 5. The effects of CREE and CRME were very much alike in this experiment. From the above results, it is concluded that the mechanism of action of Chinae Rhizoma on motility of isolated rabbit duodenum was partially due to cholinergic blocking effect.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.70-73
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• 2014

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a health problem which occurs during any phase of the sexual response cycle that keeps the individual or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual activity. SD covers a wide variety of symptoms like in men, erectile dysfunction and premature or delayed ejaculation, in women, spasms of the vagina and pain with sexual intercourse, in both sexes, sexual desire and response. And pharmacopuncture, i.e. injection of subclinical doses of drugs, mostly herb medicine, in acupoints, has been adopted with successful results. This case report showed the effect of bee venom on SD. A 51-year-old male patient with SD, who had a past history of taking Western medication to treat his SD and who had previously undergone surgery on his lower back due to a herniated disc, received treatments using pharmacopuncture of sweet bee venom (SBV) at Gwanwon (CV4), Hoeeum (CV1), Sinsu (BL23), and Gihaesu (BL24) for 20 days. Objectively, the patient showed improvement on most items on the International Index for Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) like 28 to 29 out of perfect score 30 for erectile function, 10 to 10 out of perfect score 10 for orgasmic function, 6 to 8 out of perfect score 10 for sexual desire, 10 to 13 out of perfect score 15 for satisfaction with intercourse, and 6 to 8 out of perfect score 10 for overall satisfaction; subjectively, his words, the tone of his voice and the look of confidence in his eyes all indicated improvement. Among the variety of effects of SBV pharmacopuncture, urogenital problems such as SD may be health problems that pharmacopuncture can treat effectively.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2009

Anti-inflammatory factor(AIF) is a water soluble extract of three herbs, Panax notoginseng(Burk.) F. H. Chen, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch and Eleutherococcus senticosus. The present study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of herb extracts, AIF, on Korean knee osteoarthritis patients for six weeks. Fifty seven patients with knee osteoarthritis, ranging from 43 to 73 years of age, who fulfilled the "American College of Rheumatology"(ACR) classification of idiopathic osteoarthritis of knee and radiographic criteria were randomly selected and enrolled for the study. After initial screening and resting period, two capsules each of AIF(Each capsule contains; 400 mg) and similar identical placebo were administered twice a day to both groups. Pain intensity at second, fourth, and sixth weeks of study as well as one week after discontinuation of drugs was assessed by using 100 mm visual analogue scale(VAS). Changes in the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities(K-WOMAC) index score were compared at the initiation and completion of the study. VAS assessed by patients were significantly reduced(at visit 2; $54.64{\pm}14.72$, at visit 4, $37.32{\pm}16.58$, p<0.001) after AIF administration. Results showed an improvement in the physical function of K-WOMAC scale which was significantly higher(p=0.013) in AIF than placebo group, and decreases of total K-WOMAC score were also significantly higher(p=0.030) in AIF groups than placebo group. No serious adverse effect was observed, and there was no difference in incidence of adverse effect between AIF and placebo groups. In this population of Korean patients with knee osteoarthritis, AIF was found to be safe, tolerable and effective for symptomatic improvement of pain and physical function.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2016

Background : We studied the anti-oxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects of Spiraea fritschiana Schneid extract (SFSE). Methods and Results : The SFSE was prepared using methanol and was evaluated for its total phenol and flavonoid content, DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free-radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and effect on nitric oxide (NO) production, and cell viability by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The total phenol content was $212.78{\mu}g{\cdot}galli$c acid equivalent (GAE)/mg and the total flavonoid content was $66.84{\mu}g{\cdot}quercetin$ equivalent (QE)/mg. The extract showed antioxidant activity (DPPH free-radical scavenging activity) with $RC_{50}$ value of $76.61{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The reducing power of the extract was Abs 0.58 at $250{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Cell viability was determined using the MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. To evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, we examined the inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide-(LPS)-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. The NO inhibition rate was 90% at $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ SFSE. At the same concentration, the expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 also decreased. Conclusions : Our results suggest that SFSE is a novel resource for the development of foods and drugs that possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 1995

Hyperlipidemia is a major predisposing factor of atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular accidents. In effort to develope a hypolipidemic drug from medicinal herb, We tested three prescriptions of traditional medicine for the lipid lowering effect on diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. GyejI-Bokryung-Hwan, Ohyak-Sunki-San, and Shihoga-Yongol-Moryu-Tang were selected based on the comnon prescriptions for patients with hyperlipidemia-related diseases. Water extract from each prescriptions was made by the method used in the clinical setting, and administered intragastrically once a day, for 4 weeks. Fenofibrate and lovastatin were given by the same method as the control drugs. Blood levels of total cholesterol(TC), high density lipoprotein(HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride(TG) were measured before, 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after starting the drug administration. All of the traditional prescriptions did not show lipid lowering effect, while fenofibrate lower the blood cholesterol levels(TC;from 215mg/dl before to 182m41 at 4 weeks-point of drug administration, and LDL ;from 203mg/dl before to aut 161, and 163mg/dl at 3 and 4 week-point respectively). Oyak-Sunki-San increased the level of TC (from 283mg/dl to over 350mg/dl starting from the first week of drug administratin). Effects on TG variable in the cases of traditional medicines and control drug In conclusion, any of the three traditional medical prescriptions did not decrease the level of blood cholesterol.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.71-79
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• 2014

Objectives : The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of acupuncture therapy when applied to patients who are undergoing anticoagulants / antiplatelet medication therapy combined with herbal medicine using a retrospective, case-control study. Methods : 428 charts of patients were reviewed in this study. Odds ratio between case of bleeding-related adverse event and control was calculated as main analysis. Exposures were anticoagulants / antiplatelet medication, Hwalhyeolgeoeo herbal medicine and combination of both drugs. Additionally, odds ratios were calculated according to the severity of bleeding-related adverse events. Results : The results were as following: 1. Analysis of all bleeding-related adverse events showed there was no increased risk of combined therapy compared with other exposures and control group. 2. Analysis of only clinically significant adverse events showed there was no increased risk of combined therapy compared with other exposure and control group. 3. Hwalhyeolgeoeo herbal medicine group showed a tendency of increased risk of bleeding-related adverse events in all analysis but was not statistically significant. Conclusions : The results suggest that Hwalhyeolgeoeo herbal medicine-anticoagulant / antiplatelet medication combined therapy may not increase risk of bleeding-related adverse events in acupuncture therapy. By executing various modules of analysis, it was possible to acquire useful data for possible future studies. Further research is needed to confirm such results.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.197-208
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• 2012

Objectives : Gleditsiae Spina has the effects of expelling toxins, draining pus, invigorating blood and resolving abscesses. Some clinicians apply the herb for patients suffering from cancer. However, its anti-cancer activities are not well understood. In the present study, anti-tumor agents from Gleditsiae Spina were purified. Methods : The viability of the PC-3 cell line was determined using MTT assay, and the induction of apoptosis by Gleditsiae Spina extract in PC-3 cells was measured by Annexin-V/propidium iodide double staining assay detected by flow cytometry. TLC and HPLC analysis were used to separate and identify the anti-cancer agents. Results : Treatment of the extract resulted in significant decreased cell viability of PC-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Dose-dependent apoptotic cell death was also measured by flow cytometry analysis. The anti-cancer agents were successfully separated and identified by using TLC and HPLC analysis and the most potential agent among them was separated from EtOAC fraction. Conclusions : These results might be applied in developing new drugs from natural resources like Korean traditional medicine, and also support the clinical usefulness of herbal medicine.