• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.17-27
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• 2018

Objectives: Ukgan-san does not appear in Traditional Korean Medicine classics. However, it has been used in research and clinical applications in Korea. In this paper, we are aiming to examine the records concerned with Ukgan-san to the present, and announce the present usage state in Korea. Methods: We searched and summarized the contents of previous medical books about Ukgan-san. In order to investigate the current status of utilization of Ukgan-san in Korea, a bibliographic database of Korea, a database of clinical researches, and a database of pharmaceuticals of the Korea Food and Drug Administration were searched. Results: As a result of searching Ukgan-san related documents, Ukgan-san has been developed in China (Ming dynasty). However, its clinical application has been expanded by modern Japanese kampo medicine doctors. In Korea, cases of Parkinson's disease, other movement disorders, and psychiatric disorders have been reported, and randomized controlled trials had been done and planned. In addition, some extracts which are consisted of Ukgan-san are also available. Conclusions: In Korea, Ukgan-san has been influenced by Japan and has been used for clinical and research purposes. The utilization rate in Korea is still small, but the utilization rate will increase according to the results of clinical studies.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.66-96
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• 2024

Objectives This study aimed to establish a foundation for research on Korean medicine for epilepsy by analyzing its etiology, syndrome differentiation, and the use of herbal medicines. Methods Articles were extracted from five databases in Korea, Japan, and China: the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), Citation Information by the National Institute of Informatics (CiNii), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wangfang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP). The etiology, syndrome differentiation, and herbal medicines used for epilepsy were investigated. Results A total of 64 articles were selected, including seven clinical studies, 16 case reports, and 41 reviews. Epilepsy is a complex disease with various etiologies, and among the five viscera, syndrome differentiation mainly involved the liver, spleen, and kidney, with pathological factors that included phlegm, wind, and blood stasis. Frequently used herbal medicines included Modified Jeongganhwan, Sihogyejitang, Yukgunjatang, and Sihogayonggolmoryotang. Conclusions This study analyzed epilepsy's etiology, syndrome differentiation, and herbal treatments. Further evidence is needed to better understand the efficacy and safety of Korean herbal medicine for treating epilepsy.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-74
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• 2022

Objectives : Evidence supporting the cold-heat symptom and sasang constitution type, which are diagnostic items of traditional Korean medicine, is needed to manage sleep disturbances, which is a typical symptom of mibyeong (subhealth). This study examined the association between each cold-heat symptom and sleep disturbances according to each sasang constitution type. Methods : This research was a cross-sectional study of 5,793 subjects from the Korean Medicine Data Center (KDC) community cohort survey. The association between each cold-heat symptom and sleep disturbances was analyzed by logistic regression analysis adjusted for several demographic variables. Subgroup analysis was then performed for each type of sasang constitution. Results : The soeum and soyang types were 1.53 and 1.26 times more likely to have sleep disturbances than the taeum type. Sleep disturbances were associated with 'coldness of the abdomen', 'watery mouth' in the cold domain items, and 'body feverishness', 'flushed face and eye', 'thirst', and 'scanty dark urine' in the heat domain items. The soeum and soyang types were 1.55 and 1.39 times more likely to sleep less than five hours per night than the taeeum type. In addition, the associations of those showed a different pattern for each sasang constitution type. Conclusions : Sleep disturbances are associated with specific cold-heat symptoms, and the associated cold-heat symptoms differ according to the sasang constitution type. These results may help traditional medicine specialists select customized interventions for patients with sleep disturbances.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.25-41
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• 2022

Background & Objectives : As the government of South Korea implemented policies to strengthen health insurance coverage, the health insurance benefit for raw herbal medicines has been promoted. This study investigated the current status of the herbal medicines coverage in the Japanese national health insurance to secure reference data for the design of herbal medicines coverage in South Korea. Methods : Literature review was conducted to collect and analyze the history and current situation on herbal medicines coverage in the Japanese health insurance system. To supplement the contents not presented in the documents, on-site interviews were conducted at the medical institutions and pharmacies that prescribed or prepared herbal medicines in Tokyo, Japan. The contents of the survey included the background and progress of the herbal medicines coverage, the status of herbal medicines use, the payment system, and the safety management of herbal medicines. Results : Since the introduction of health insurance in the 1960s, Japanese insurance system has covered herbal medicines, and so far, it has been maintained without any additional restrictions. When the raw herbal medicines are prescribed to outpatients, the preparation fee is set higher than that of other medicines, but overall payment regulations and systems for herbal medicine are generally the same as other medicines. Conclusions : The case of Japan can be a useful references and implications for national health insurance policy on herbal medicines in south Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.238-246
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• 2020

Background: Dietary fat has been suggested to be the cause of various health issues. Obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and kidney disease are known to be associated with a high-fat diet (HFD). Obesity and associated conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are currently a worldwide health problem. Few prospective pharmaceutical therapies that directly target NAFLD are available at present. A Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang (GBHT), is widely used by diabetic patients to control glucose level or thirst. However, whether it has therapeutic effects on fat-induced hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome remains unclear. Methods: This study was conducted to examine the therapeutic effect of GBHT on fat-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice. Results: GBHT protected mice against HFD-induced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia compared with mice that were not treated. GBHT inhibited the expansion of adipose tissue and adipocyte hypertrophy. No ectopic fat deposition was found in the livers of HFD mice treated with GBHT. In addition, glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD mice was also improved by GBHT. Conclusion: GBHT prevents changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in a HFD mouse model. Our findings provide evidence for the traditional use of GBHT as therapy for the management of metabolic syndrome.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.729-735
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• 1999

Scopolia rhizome is mistaken as an atractylodes rhizome because of their similarities in shape. That is why atractylodes rhizome imported from China sometimes contain scopolia rhizome, which is very toxic. 8 persons were intoxicated atractylodes after taking imported atractylodes rhizome which is tainted. In kampo medicine prepared with such imported atractylodes rhizome, the level of tropane alkaloids ranged from 1.12∼4.34 mg/dose. In this study, we tried to investigate the tissue distribution of scopolia rhizome in rats. The extracts of scopolia was administered orally to rats (a single dose of 10mg/kg, 20mg/kg and 7 days repeated dose of 10mg/kg). Their blood was collected at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 hrs, and liver, kidney, lung and spleen were collected after 6 hrs. The tissue homogenate was applied to solid phase extraction column for the determination of tropane alkaloids. After the oral administration of 20mg/kg scopolia extracts, l-hyoscyamine was detected in rat blood to 2 hrs after dosing. The concentration of tropane alkaloids was the highest in liver followed by lung, kidney and spleen. However, lung, kidney and spleen were similar in amount.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.219-228
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze the clinical studies of traditional herbal medicine and acupuncture treatments for colorectal cancer patients searched in Pubmed and Cochrane library in English. We collected the clinical studies, including randomized controlled trial, case control study and cohort study, in the PubMed and Cochrane library using keywords 'Colorectal Cancer', 'Korean Medicine', 'Traditional Chinese Medicine', 'Kampo' and 'Acupuncture'. Then we analyzed them according to the objective of the therapy, i.e. improving therapy prognosis, reducing chemotherapy's adverse event and reducing operational adverse event. In case RCT, we evaluate the quality of the study with jadad scale. Total 18 studies were selected. There were 3 studies about improving therapy prognosis, 6 studies about reducing chemotherapy's adverse event and 9 studies about reducing operational adverse event. Traditional medicine might improve therapy prognosis in terms of the survival rate, relapse/metastasis rate, quality of life and immune function. The specific herbal formula, 'Goshajinkigan' might not be successful about reducing chemotherapy's adverse event, peripheral neurotoxicity. 'Hangeshanshinto' might reduce the duration of oral mucositis but it is not clear to reduce the incidence of that. 'PHY906' might reduce the incidence of diarrhea. Acupuncture might reduce operational adverse event such as gastrointestinal dysfunction and pain. And 'Daikenchuto' might not be successful in reducing operational adverse event, gastrointestinal dysfunction. Further studies are needed to clarify the efficacy of traditional herbal medicine and acupuncture for colorectal cancer patients.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.123-134
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• 2018

Today, knowledge itself has become a resource which must be protected by the pertinent community of its contributors and users, from being manipulated or distorted by third-party players. The preservation of knowledge in relationship to the cultural context of its origins, has been recognized by international organizations intent on maintaining authentic voice and perspective. Globally, the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) organizes the annual IGC (Intergovernmental Committee) meeting to address various issues associated with each country's utilization of intellectual and bio source property. Korean Medicine is the official name for the traditional medicine that has been inherited from the cultures of the Korean Peninsula. It is one of the four practices of East Asian Medicine including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) from China, Kampo Medicine of Japan, and Sino-Vietnamese Medicine in Vietnam. As a cultural treasure representing centuries of evolving knowledge, Korean Medicine is protected under intellectual property rights afforded by WIPO, and must be understood in relationship to, and distinct from, TCM. It is understood that China has a strong political purpose to claim all the traditional medicines of the East Asian region under the name of TCM, including Korean Medicine. In fact TCM was authorized as the representative name for all East Asian medicine by decisions made by the ISO (International Standard Organization) in 2015. This paper proposes a pilot study on how to protect the intellectual property of Korean Medicine from efforts by China to claim it under the umbrella of TCM. Using the Uibang Yuchui (醫方類聚, Classified Collection of Medical Formulas) this paper suggests establishing a Database of UBYC, which was published in 1477 by the Joseon Korea government. UBYC was the reorganized version of contemporary East Asian medical sources, and has already hundreds of year's rich indigenous and culturally specific medical history of Korea, from which Korean Medicine has been built.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.89-105
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was carried out to know the status of clinical utilization of Korean medical knowledge and the Korean medical knowledge system which Korean medical doctors want. Methods : Questionnaires were distributed to Korean medical doctors registered for the Association of Korean medicine via the email and 249 answered questionnaires were analyzed. Results : 50.6 % of Korean medical doctors utilized the textbooks for Korean medicine when they treated their patients. The reason why they did not utilize the textbooks for Korean medicine was mostly that 'it could not be applied directly into clinical application with only contents of textbook because clinical approach (diagnosis and treatment methods) was not clearly described in the textbook'. 48.6 % of Korean medical doctors utilized the EBM materials when they treated their patients. EBM materials that they referred included domestic articles, other EBM materials excluding papers and international academic papers based on PubMed in order. The reasons why they did not utilize the EBM materials were mostly that 'it was difficult to find the evidence' and 'EBM materials were not actually helpful for the clinical practice.' It was found that Korean medical doctors approached the disease in aspects of Korean and Western Medicine concurrently upon the diagnosis of patients and performed the diagnosis and treatment of Korean medicine on the diseases which seemed to be effective with Korean medicine. It was also found that they thought that they needed to know the Western medical knowledge as much as general doctors who have a doctor's license or family medicine specialists who comprehensively treat the general diseases know. Korean medical doctors wanted to have the systematic summary of modern research performance in fields of acupoint, acupuncture, herbal drugs and formula. They thought that constitutional medicine and Sa-am acupuncture therapy were representative characteristics in Korean medicine differentiated from Traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo medicine. Conclusions : Korean medical doctors wanted to establish the Korean medical knowledge system based on evidence focusing on clinical and practical contents. New Korean medical knowledge system should be established based on these requirements in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.124-152
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain what should be considered in the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer" by analyzing the existing guidelines and clinical trials. Methods: The development committee searched guidelines for herbal medicinal products for colorectal cancer that have already been developed. Then, clinical trials for colorectal cancer using herbal medicine were searched. The searched trials were analyzed in terms of inclusion and exclusion of participants, intervention, comparator, outcomes and trial design. Then, we compared the results of our analysis with the regulations and guidelines of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in order to identify the issues we will have to consider when making the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer". Several guidelines for anti-tumor agents and clinical trials with herbal medicinal products were searched on the national institution homepage. In addition, 12 articles were searched using a combination of the following search terms: 'colorectal neoplasms', 'herbal medicine', 'Medicine, Korean traditional', 'Medicine, Chinese Traditional', 'medicine, East Asian medicine', 'medicine, Kampo', etc. Results: The characteristics of participants were various, such as people with medical histories of surgeries or recurrent cancers or who complained of chemotherapy-induced side effects. The types of interventions were also various and included decoctions, powders, intravenous fluids, intraperitoneal injections and gargles. Comparators used included placebos and conventional treatments. The outcome measurements used in the studies were quality of life, symptom score, tumor response, and survival duration, etc. Safety was evaluated by recording adverse events. Conclusions: Findings were made by reviewing existing guidelines and comparing them with clinical trials for colorectal cancer and herbal medicinal products. These results will be utilized in the development of the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer".