• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2010

Purpose: This report aims to administer methodologic issues around recently conducted multicenter study for evaluating the effects of acupuncture on menopusal hot flashes and discuss practical issues for further implementation of acupuncture clinical trial for hot flashes. Methods: Study process were mentioned, and issues related to avoiding risk of bias, designing appropriate control group, optimal outcome measurement, potential different effects of menopausal status on study outcomes, and suggestions for developing future clinical trials are discussed. Results: Shortcomings of our multicenter study include lack of allocation concealment and assessor blinding, subjective outcome measurement, short-term follow-up, and fixed acupuncture regimen despite pragmatic purpose of this study. Improving trial design, using objective or validated outcomes, assessing long-term effects of acupuncture, and individualizing acupuncture regimen are needed in future clinical trials. Conclusion: We expect these practical discussions to enable researchers to plan and develop future well-designed clinical trials for evaluating the effects of acupuncture on hot flashes or other women's health issues.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.75-88
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• 2007

Objectives : We investigated the effects of Hominis placenta Herbal acupuncture on rheumatoid arthritis. Methods : We investigated the Type II collagen-induced arthritis test, vascular permeability test, phenyl benzoquinone-induced writhing test, hot plate test, carbon clearance test, determination of prostaglandin $E_2$ content and cyclooxygenase-2 activity test. Results : Hominis placenta Herbal acupuncture suppressed Type II collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice and vascular permeability with 10.2% inhibition in ICR mice. We see the phenyl benzoquinone-induced writhing test and the hot plate test in the analgesic activity test. In the phenyl benzoquinone-induced writhing test, Hominis placenta Herbal acupuncture showed that it increased its analgesic effect more than the control(test?) by 85.5%. In the hot plate test, it was also shown that the analgesic effect increased more than the control(test) by 32.1%. In the carbon clearance test, the immuno-stimulatory effect showed more than the control(test) by 8.0%. The formation of prostaglandin $E_2$ was also reduced more than the control(test) by 10.1%. Finally, cyclooxygenase-2 activity was inhibitedwith 36.3%. Conclusions : Hominis placenta Herbal acupuncture may be useful for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after injection.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2021

Background: Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai (ASN) has been reported to have analgesic effects. In this study an animal model of pharmacopuncture using ASN (100-500 mg/kg) was examined. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n = 40) were randomly assigned to ASN-Low (1 mg/mL, 1.8 mL, ASN-L), ASN-Intermediate (5 mg/mL, 1.8 mL, ASN-M), ASN-High (10 mg/mL, 1.8 mL, ASN-H), negative control (0.2 mL normal saline), and positive control (0.2 mL 0.5% lidocaine) groups. All experiments were administered to the rats' left hind leg. The analgesic response was assessed by monitoring the physical (hot plate, and von Frey test) and chemical (formalin) responses to pain. Results: All ASN pharmacopuncture groups demonstrated significant differences in pain response to the hot plate test, von Frey test, and formalin test, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The response of the ASN-M group and ASN-H groups to the hot plate, the formalin, and the von Frey tests were significantly different, compared to the lidocaine group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: ASN pharmacopuncture had a significant analgesic effect on SD rats in response to physical and chemical models of pain.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2012

Objectives : The objective of this study is to study the effects of hot aqueous extract and ethanol extract from $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ on nitric oxide(NO) and prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ production in macrophage. Methods : $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ was extracted in two ways. One was extracted with distilled water(2L) for 4 h and the other one was extracted with 70% ethanol (2L) for 4h. The RAW 264.7 macrophage was subclutured. In order to evaluate cytotoxicity, MTT assay was performed. The concentrations of NO were measured by Griess assay. The concentrations of $PGE_2$ were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Results : 25, $125{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ hot aqueous extract from $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages significantly. 25, 125, $625{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ ethanol extract from $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages significantly. 150, $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ hot aqueous extract and ethanol extract from $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ inhibited $PGE_2$production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages significantly. Conclusions : This study suggests that hot aqueous extract and ethanol extract from $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ suppress NO and $PGE_2$ production. So hot aqueous extract and ethanol extract from $Lonicera$ $japonica$ $Flos$ may have an anti-inflammation effect.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.519-536
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• 1998

Purpose ; This Investigation was aimed to find out the Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Acupuncture of Epiphora(Watery Eye) in Oriental Medicine Methods ; 49 books were surveyed from to recent published books those referred to Epiphora. Results ; In Oriental Medicine, Epiphora is divided into two types; Cool Watery eye and Hot Watery eye. Both cool and hot type can be redivided into the mild and serious cases. The mild Watery eye means tears on the cheek with the wind; The serious Watery eye means tears on the cheek unrelated the wind from time to time. Conclusions ; The cause of Epiphora can be concluded with the shortage of functional division of Liver and Kidney(肝腎虛), and the chaos and fever of Liver meridian(肝經風熱). In Acupuncture agenst Epiphora, the acupuncture point at Bladder, Gallbladder and Liver meridian occupied the high level of the most often-used acupuncture point list; The acupuncture point at the portion of head and neck, upper extremities, lower extremities, and back, especially around orbit, were mainly used against Epiphora. Recently, beyond conventional acupuncture, Auricular- Acupuncture(耳鍼療法), Herb- Acupuncture(藥鍼療法), Bleeding-Acupuncture(潟血療法), Manipulation(手技療法) used against Epiphora.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2011

Objectives : The objective of this study is to study the effects of hot aqueous extract and ethanol extract from Paeoniae Radix Rubra on nitric oxide(NO) and prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ production in macrophage. Methods : Paeoniae Radix Rubra were extracted in 2 ways. one was extracted with hot aqueous for 4 hr in $100^{\circ}C$ and the other one was extracted with 70% ethanol for 4 hr in $70^{\circ}C$. RAW264.7 cells, a mouse macrophage lines, were incubated with different concentrations of the extract for 30 min and then stimulated with LPS at indicated times. Cell toxicity was determined by MTT assay. The concentrations of NO and $PGE_2$ were measured by griess assay and enzyme immunoassay(EIA). Results : The hot aqueous and ethanol extracts of Paeoniae Radix Rubra significantly inhibited the NO productions in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The hot water extract of Paeoniae Radix Rubra significantly inhibited the $PGE_2$ productions in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Conclusions : Our results demonstrated that Paeoniae Radix Rubra extract is able to significantly inhibit the production of NO, $PGE_2$ expression. Hot aqueous extract of Paeoniae Radix Rubra has more effective anti-inflammation than ethanol extract.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.65-80
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• 2008

Objective : In recent years, many investigators have questioned whether the analgesic effect of acupuncture is simply related to the stress-induced analgesia (SIA). However, there has been lack of studies on this issue. In this study, the stress levels induced by manual acupunctures are compared with the stress in animal experiment models. The experiments have been carried out with Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Method : For stress level evaluation, Hot plate test has been used. Maximum Possible Effect (MPE) has been measured by checking the pre-test time and post-test time. Cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results : In the hot plate test, MPE values of post-test time were significantly decreased after 10 minutes than after 5 minutes. Therefore, optimal time interval was chosen as 10 minutes. There was significant difference of MPE values between Suspension group and all other treatment groups. However, there were no significant differences of MPE values between Sham group and all other treatment groups. However, MPE values showed tendency to decrease when acupuncture needle diameter increased. MPE values of ST040, ST040(lido), NAP040(lido) groups were markedly decreased than that of Suspension group, while that of NAP040 group was substantially increased than that of Sham group increased in acupoint and nonacupoint models. Serum cortisol concentrations of treatment groups were not significantly different from that of Suspension and Sham groups. Serum corticosterone concentration of 0.25 mm group was substantially increased than that of compared with Sham group. Serum cortisol and corticosterone concentrations of treatment groups were not significantly different from those of Suspension and Sham groups in acupoint and nonacupoint models. Conclusion : From hot plate test and serum stress hormones concentrations, it is found that manual acupuncture treatment induces negligible stress or SIA on ST36. And the stress induced by manual acupuncture is more closely related to acupuncture point needlings than diameters of acupuncture needles.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.691-697
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• 2016

Methods: A stroke patient with hot flashes was treated for 4 weeks with acupuncture, herbal acupuncture, and herbal medicine. We then evaluated the frequency, intensity, and score (frequency×intensity) of the hot flashes, as well as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which shows subjective sleep quality. Results: After 4 weeks of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) treatment, the patient showed reductions in the frequency of hot flashes from a score of 7 to 4, the intensity of hot flashes from a score of 4 to 2, the scoring (frequency×intensity) of hot flashes from 28 to 4, and the PSQI from 13 to 4. Conclusions: This study validated the effect of TKM as a treatment for hot flashes in patients with stroke.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2017

Objectives : Alpiniae oxyphyllae Fructus (AOF) is an herbal medicine, which has been used for the treatment of fatigue, chills, and poor physical conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of AOF hot aqueous extract. Methods : The cytotoxicity of AOF extract was evaluated using the MTT assay. Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured by the Griess reaction. Prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production was measured by a commercial competitive enzyme immunoassay. Cytokine production (IL-1tion co6, and TNF- F- was measured by ELISA. The anti-oxidative effect of AOF extracts was measured by the DPPH method. Polyphenol and flavonoid contents were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu's phenol reagent and aluminum chloride, respectively. Results : AOF hot aqueous extract did not show toxicity at doses of 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}g/mL$. AOF extract significantly inhibited NO production at doses of 100 and $200{\mu}g/mL.PGE_2$ production was inhibited by AOF extract treatment at doses of 100 and $200{\mu}g/mL$. AOF extracts reduced IL-6 production in a dose-dependent manner. IL-1ent maTNF- F- 1ent mannerd IL-6 production in uction at doses of 100 and ${\mu}g/mL$. The DPPH free radical scavenging capability was above 50% at $200{\mu}g/mL$. Conclusion : This study suggests that AOF hot aqueous extract may exert anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects in a dose-dependent manner. Further studies are required for validating the safety and efficacy of AOF.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.153-161
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was designed to find out whether normal saline(NS) acupuncture is able to be constituted as an appropriate control group for Cervi Cornu Parvum herbal acupuncture(CC). Methods : NS and CC were injected into Quchi($LI_{11}$) of the subjects. The subjects completed a questionnaire rating the intensity of 21 kinds of acupuncture sensation(hurting, penetrating, sharp, aching, intense, spreading, radiating, tingling, pricking, stinging, pulling, heavy, dull, numb, electric, shocking, hot, burning, cool, pulsing, and throbbing) and side effects. We compared subjective evaluations of acupuncture sensation and side effects between two groups. Results : As for CC most of the acupuncture sensation items were not significantly different from NS especially in less acupuncture-experienced subjects(average 2, below 10 time experiences) rather than more acupuncture-experienced subjects(above 10 time experiences). Conclusions : We found that NS might be an appropriate placebo herbal acupuncture for CC in small amount of acupuncture-experienced subjects. Further study is needed for new placebo herbal acupuncture for CC in more acupuncture-experienced subjects.