• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1063-1066
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• 2016

Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) has been used as a traditional oriental medicine and possesses a number of physiological activities. In this study, we used cell-based herbal extract screening to identify longan fruit extract (LFE) as an activator of osteoblast differentiation. LFE up-regulated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, induced mineralization, and activated Runx2 gene expression in MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, treatment of MC3T3-E1 cells with LFE promoted the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (Erk1/2); however, abrogation of Erk1/2 activation with PD98059 resulted in down-regulation of the phospho-SMAD1/5/8 and Runx2 levels, which in turn reduced the ALP activity. Our findings suggest that LFE exerts its osteogenic activity through activation of the ERK signaling pathway and may have potential as an herbal therapeutic or a preventive agent for the treatment of osteoporosis.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.339-352
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• 1997

The oriental medicine based on the traditional chinese medicine has developed according to the historical and racial character respectively in China, Korea and Japan etcs. Particularly, the distinctive feature of Korea & Japan is characterized by the development of constitutional medicine compared with chinese medicine; Sasang Medicine of Korea and Ikkando Medicine of Japan. The constitutional medicines were so far developed by many clinical doctors, and in recent years much interest has centered on the application of these medicines in regarding originality, easiness and effectiveness etcs in treatment. Thus far only few attempts have been made at Ikkando medicine in Korea, what seems to be lacking, however, is practical application in clinic. Thus authors intend to help the clinical application by introducing Ikkando medicine to Korea oriental medicine through this paper. The Ikkando medicine was established by Dohaku Mori(1869~1931) and was known through the "Kampo Ikkando Medincine" which was published by his disciple, Kaku Yakazu(1893~1966), classified human beings into three types; type of blood stasis, type of stroke and type of allergy. The type of blood stasis may be responsible for factors which have occurred by a state of insufficient bleed circulation and blood stasis causing lesione of endothelial cells, and Tongdosan is mainly administrated. The predisposing factor of stroke's type is known as the excessive diet, and the prevalence of cerebrovascular accident is probably higher. In this type, it is likely that patients are prevented and cured with Bangpungtongsunsan. Allergy's type have three distinct types of childhood, adolescence and adult as to the age. Allergy's type of childhood predisposes patients such as these to upper respiratory infection and tuberculosis etcs, and Sihocheonggansan is frequently administrated. Allergy's type of adolescence has a tendency to rhinitis and infection of face legion etcs, and Heunggyeyeoungyotang is mainly administrated. Allergy's type of adult is subject to urogenital infection, and is more commonly treated with Yongdamsagantang. Judging from the above, we can say with fair certainty that Ikkando Medicine has considerable validity to clinical practice, though it should not be pushed too far.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2005

Doxorubicin is a powerful anticancer antibiotic extensively used in the treatment of several types of cancers. Long-term administration of this drug results in cumulative dose related cardiotoxicity due to enhanced production of free radicals leading to oxidative stress. Our earlier investigations have demonstrated significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumour properties of Ganoderma lucidum extracts. We extended our investigations to evaluate the protective effect of Ganoderma lucidum extract against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Administration of 3 doses of doxorubicin, 6 mg/kg body weights, i.p. per each dose, alternative days, showed dear signs of cardiotoxicity in rats. The drug enhanced serum creatine kinase (CK) activity and lipid peroxidation in tissue drastically. The drug also induced significant decrease in GSH level and activities of CAT, SOD and GPx. Administration of methanolic extract of G.lucidum (500 and 1,000 mg/kg body weight) significantly increased the level of GSH and activities of CAT, SOD and GPx. Activity of CK was significantly lowered in a dose dependent manner. The treatment also caused significant decrease in lipid peroxidation (MDA). The results thus indicated that methanolic extract of G.lucidum prevented oxidative stress caused by doxorubicin administration and the increase in serum CK activity and lipid peroxidation in the tissue. The experimental findings suggest the therapeutic potential of G.lucidum as adjuvant in cancer chemotherapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.41-58
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• 2023

Objectives: This retrospective observational study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Cheongpebaedok-tang, a traditional Korean herbal medicine, provided via telemedicine to patients with asymptomatic to mild COVID-19 in Korea. Methods: From February to April 2020, a retrospective analysis investigated COVID-19 patients treated via Korean telemedicine. The study involved asymptomatic to mild cases receiving Cheongpebaedok-tang more than three times, along with continuous Korean medicine care in convalescence. Diagnoses and treatment adhered to the telemedicine guidelines of the Association of Korean Medicine, with varied Cheongpebaedok-tang prescriptions based on symptom severity. Symptom evaluation involved a detailed assessment using a 15-item tool at initial and final sessions. Results: The study included 27 patients, with a mean age of 48.7 ± 2.3 years (mean ± standard error). Patients began self-administering oral Cheongpebaedok-tang for an average of 19.4 ± 1.8 days after the date of COVID-19 diagnosis confirmation and continued the medication for 15.8 ± 1.2 days. The reported side effects of the Cheongpebaedok-tang included palpitations (11.1%), insomnia (7.4%), dizziness (3.7%), and diarrhea (3.7%). All side effects disappeared after adjusting the prescription according to standard treatment guidelines. The occurrence of all COVID-19-related adverse symptoms, except fatigue and myalgia, decreased. Fatigue was the most common chronic symptom persisting after 6 months (51.9%), followed by ocular symptoms (37.0%) and sore throat (22.2%). Conclusions: This study implies Cheongpebaedok-tang may offer a potentially safe, symptom-alleviating approach for managing mild COVID-19 cases via telemedicine, although further comprehensive research is warranted.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.82-92
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• 1997

Cerebrovascular diseases in Korea is an important health problem since mortality and mobidity have been increased rapidly. It marked the 2nd cause of specific death rates in 1993. The subjects of the study were seventeen citizens who are using to the Oriental Medicine. The data were collected from Apr. to Oct. 1996. The researcher as a caregiver and volunteer made confidence of them and asked for their agreement on the purpose of the study. The subjects expressed their experience as openheartedly as possible. The researcher described closely the experiences of using to the Oriental Medicine with there words themselves and under the observation of the reseacher. A tape-recorder was used under the permission of the subjects to prevent the leakage of the spoken information and communication. The analysis of the data was made through the phenomenological analytic method suggested by Van Kaam, which is as follows; as an unit of description which include the subject' expressions and the researcher's observation. The conclusions of this study was as follows : one hundred eighteen descriptive expression found and they were grouped eighteen common factors. These are ${\ulcorner$to effect needle${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$to effect Chinese medicine${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$treatment method${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$attitude of herb doctor${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$recommendation of family and other person${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$what one sold to${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$traditional custom${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$experience of the past use${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$to be desolate${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$negative recognition${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$Ineffective drug${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$Unfaithful of doctor${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$positive recognition${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$Oriental medical hospital surroundings${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$to build up one's health${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$to be clear blood${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$economic burden${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$deficit of profession${\lrcorner}$ Finally. eighteen common factors were grouped under six highter categories. These are ${\ulcorner$Belief to oriental medicine${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$motivation of use${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$distrust to western medicine${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$stability of emotion${\lrcorner}$ ${\ulcorner$Alteration of positive physical function${\lrcorner}$.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.372-378
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• 2007

A well known Ayurvedic formulation Ashokarista, used for menstrual disorders has been studied in a single blind randomised placebo controlled clinical trial for the treatment of menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea. Dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia patients who were taking Ashokarista (20 ml twice daily) for 10 menstrual cycles had an increase in haemoglobin level. Menorrhagia treated group has shown to reduce the erythrocyte sedimentation rate level that has been increased in the menorrhagia control group. The platelet count, total count and differential count were observed unchanged in the study. The Ashokarista did not affect the SGPT and SGOT level, which signify its lack of toxicity in hepatic function. The treated menorrhagic patients showed an increase in serum albumin content and decrease in blood clotting time, whereas the serum protein content was observed unchanged. There was a significant increase in both serum cholesterol and triglyceride level, which usually associated with the use of oral contraceptives. No major side effects were observed by the clinicians during the study.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.66-85
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• 2002

Traditional herbal medicine is used extensively among the Korean populations, and other Asian countries employ similar therapies as well In recent years, extensive focus was laid on adulteration of the herbal medicine with heavy metals. This may be mainly due to a soil contamination by an environmental pollution. The objective of this study is to identify the contents of various heavy metals in the blood from OhJeokSan-Decoction (OD) treated-rats. For this study, 13 kinds of metals including essential and heavy metals, i.e. Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn were analyzed by a slight modification of EPA methods and the following results are obtained. ; 1. There is no significant difference between the OD-treated groups and control group in liver, kidney, bone, brain, weight, food intake. 2. The amount of each metal analyzed in the liver are as follows; Al ; $0.235{\sim}4.215mg／kg$, As ; $0.103{\sim}0.461mg／kg$, Cd ; $0.005{\sim}0.010mg／kg$, Co ; $0.017{\sim}0.046mg／kg$, Cr ; $0.137{\sim}0.403mg／kg$, Cu ; $1.736{\sim}4.827mg／kg$, Fe ; $54.472{\sim}381.447mg／kg$, Hg ; not detected, Mn ; $1.159{\sim}2.803mg／kg$, Ni ; $0.007{\sim}0.095mg／kg$, Pb ; not detected, Se ; $0.682{\sim}1.887mg／kg$, Zn ; $10.213{\sim}26.119mg／kg$, by groups, respectively. In control and other experimental group, several metal (Co, Cu, Mn, Zn, As, Cr) has a significant difference, but in experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, V groups, there are no significant difference. 3. The amount of each metal analyzed in the kidney are as follows; Al ; $1.712{\sim}31.230mg／kg$, As ; $0.062{\sim}0.439mg／kg$, Cd ; $0.010{\sim}0.062mg／kg$, Co ; $0.000{\sim}0.101mg／kg$, Cr ; $0.125{\sim}0.636mg／kg$, Cu ; $3.385{\sim}12.502mg／kg$, Fe ; $41.148{\sim}99.709mg／kg$, Hg ; $0.000{\sim}0.270mg／kg$, Mn ; $0.433{\sim}2.301mg／kg$, Ni ; $0.000{\sim}0.221mg／kg$, Pb ; $0.000{\sim}0.584mg／kg$, Se ; $0.540{\sim}1.600mg／kg$, Zn ; $8.775{\sim}17.060mg／kg$, by groups, respectively. The concentration of Cu, Se, Cr, and Hg are variated significantly in control and other experimental group, and Cu, Se, Cd, Cr are variated significantly in experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, V groups. 4. The amount of each metal analyzed in the bone(tibia and fibula) are as follows; Al ; $9.557{\sim}119.464mg／kg$, As ; $0.139{\sim}12.250mg／kg$, Cd ; $0.000{\sim}0.295mg／kg$, Co ; $0.022{\sim}0.243mg／kg$, Cr ; $0.239{\sim}1.999mg／kg$, Cu ; $0.000{\sim}2.291mg／kg$, Fe ; $240.249{\sim}841.956mg／kg$, Hg ; $0.000{\sim}0.983mg／kg$, Mn ; $0.214{\sim}7.353mg／kg$, Ni ; $5.473{\sim}11.453mg／kg$, Pb ; $0.000{\sim}8.502mg／kg$, Se ; $0.000{\sim}3.005mg／kg$, Zn ; $61.158{\sim}195.038mg／kg$, by groups, respectively. The concentration of Se, Cd are variated significantly in control and other experimental groups, and Se is variated significantly in experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, V groups. 5. Exceptionally several metal concentration is increased or decreased. but there is no significant harmful difference of metal concentration in the liver, kidney and bone, from the OD-treated-rats compared to those of the control group even if higher dosage($1{\sim}8$ times dosage of person) of OD was administered. Thus, it is expected that the herbal decoction in the traditional herbal medicine would not lay any burden on the body and the heavy metal toxins would not affect our physiological system. However, other kinds of herbal treatment, such as i.v. and i.p. should be considered in terms of metal toxicity in the body since the level of certain metal.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.286-294
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• 2008

We have studied the possible mechanism of anti-asthmatic action of ethanolic extracts of dried seeds of Lepidium sativum (EXLS, 400 mg/kg) using various experimental models. EXLS produced an increase in the Pre-Convulsion Dyspnoea time induced by histamine and acetylcholine aerosol, a significant reduction in the elevated leucocyte counts in the Broncho-Alveolar Lavage fluid of sensitized guinea-pigs and reduction in the paw edema volume as compared to the control rats. Treatment with EXLS also produced decrease in the elevated histamine release from the sensitized guinea-pig lungs. The anti-asthmatic anti-inflammatory responses of EXLS was supported by improvement in microscopic changes like infiltration of inflammatory cells, submucosal edema, epithelial desquamation and reduced lumen size of the bronchi. The $pD_2$ values of histamine in tracheal chain and taenia-coli were significantly greater and that in lung strip was lower in the sensitized animals as compared to control. Treatment of sensitized guinea pigs with EXLS significantly decreased $pD_2$ values of histamine in all three preparations. Our data suggest the prevention of hyper-responsiveness in bronchial smooth muscles and inhibition of the immediate hypersensitive reaction, histamine release in the lungs and the infiltration of various inflammatory cells as the possible mechanisms of anti-asthmatic activity of EXLS.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2003

The antidiabetic efficacy of Enicostemma littorale Blume (chhota chirayata) aqueous extract was examined in newly diagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients taking only the extract and was administered as two divided doses, half an hour before meal as 5g of aqueous extract per single dose. Out of the 20 patients volunteered, 11 successfully completed the 2 month trial and a significant decrease in fasting & postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were observed along with a significant improvement in the antioxidant parameters of the patients. There was also a significant increase in serum insulin levels in 7 patients after extract treatment as compared to levels before treatment. Serum total cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels were decreased significantly with a significant increase in serum HDLCholesterol levels. Other vital parameters remained stable and no side effects were observed. This is the first report showing the hypoglycemic, antioxidant and hypolipidemic properties of the aqueous extract of E. littorale Blume in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.151-163
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of herbal medicine for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in cases and to find the general tendency of herbal medicine treatment and to establish the primary treatment direction of Atopic dermatitis. Methods : In the domestic databases, Oriental medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System(OASIS), Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal(KTKP), National Discovery for Science Leader(NDSL), Research Information Sharing Service(RISS), we selected among the papers published in the last 20 years using search terms related to "Atopic dermatitis & Cases". Reports based on Sasang constitutional medicine and Six meridian pattern identification were excluded and a total of 21 papers were finally selected. Results : 113 herbal medicines were retrieved from 21 papers. The most commonly used herbs are Scutellariae Radix(黃芩), Rehmanniae Radix(地黃), and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(甘草). Atractylodis Rhizoma(蒼朮), Akebiae Caulis(木通), Smilacis Rhizoma(土茯?), Paeoniae Radix(芍藥) used mostly when Oozing exists, Trichosanthis Radix (瓜蔞), Asparagi Radix(天門冬), Persicae Semen(桃仁), Carthami Flos(紅花) used mostly when Dryness, Lichenification, and Pigmentation exist. The average score of SCORAD index was improved after Herbal medicine treatment. Conclusion : Through this study, we could find out the tendency of herbal medicine to treat Atopic dermatitis along with Symptoms.