• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.336-345
• /
• 1999

This study looks at the various alternative therapy methods used in day to day life by elderly, over 60 years of age. The elderly have come to know and practice these methods for the following reasons it is good for the health ; it is the method used in the of fen days when there wesn't modern medicine ; it has been passed down from generations ; it can be done at home without having the need to go to the hospital ; acupuncture or poulticing can be used ; it can be done at home, which was an important factor in rural areas where hospitals are few and far between ; and 〔herbal〕 medicine could be prepared at home at no cost ; it derives from experience ; it is impossible to ignore tradition passed down through the generations. Diet control and plants (herbs) are methods most often used. as they are easy to find and can be readily used in critical situations. Other methods include oriental medicine practices of moxibustion with moxa cone, negative therapy, hand and finger acupunture, finger press method. ordinary acupunture, manual healing methods of massage. diaphoretic therapy and meditation to reach a state of calm, and qigong dirigation. The reasons for its use are as follows ; it has been used before ; it is effective ; there is some improvement after the treatment ; it is not harmful to the body ; medicine cannot be obtained and it is the only thing available ; it is not good for an old person to go to the hospital everyday. the symptoms are not serious enough to go to a hospital : and acupuncture is for these things. The means that the elderly have come to practice these methods are : it has been used since the past ; it has been told by the elders ; they have been told by friends ; it was part of their knowledge ; and they have come to know by watching their mother. Further, to regain vitality lost through old age, the elderly have relied on hot soup. a hearty meal. brewed honey water, pumpkin, or ginseng. Humans, by instinct. would rub or massage the areas that caused pain. These actions, combined with a breathing technique have been recognized in Tong-Eui-Bo-Gam(the essential of eastern medicine), the complete work of early modern medicine, are a useful means to revive chi(기). This knowledge is thought to have greatly affected our heathy lifestyle. Furthermore, though the demand for medical services would increase with age, the elderly have not always been able to tend to their needs at the hospital for reasons economic or other. Hence, these alternative therapy methods seem to have been practiced as a temporary means of relief. The excellence of our traditional therapeutic custom has not received full recognition due to the argument relating to its scientific merits. As a result, it has become vital to prove their effectiveness through scientific and other experimental means. The potency of moxibustion with moxa cone and hand and finger acupunture have been proven scientifically. but diet and herbal methods appear to be practiced as a result of customs passed down from generations. In addition, it is submitted that the effectiveness of the traditional methods of disease control and our heathy lifestyle that are easily found in the nursing field must be verified.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.35 no.4 s.139
• /
• pp.384-387
• /
• 2004

Genus Alnus are deciduous board-leaved trees or shrubs found in the damp place and mountain and more than 17 species are growing in Korea. The bark of Alnus japonica has been used for the treatment of fever, hemorrhage and diarrehea in oriental traditional medicine. Quantitative analysis of diarylheptanoids which were characteristic components of Alnus species (A. japonica, A. hirsuta, and A. hirsuta var. sibirica), has been conducted by HPLC. The results showed that these plants were rich source of diarylheptanoids and the amount of oregonin and hirsutanonol which were major diarylheptanoids showed seasonal variation.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.439-444
• /
• 2015

This study analyzes the chicken-related prescription shown in the literature summarized by standing tradition deliberate aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of native chickens. Therefore, The old traditional medicine books of native chickens translate and organize the relevant prescriptions. The manuscript old documents is prescribed by the old central documents sourced directly from generation to generation descendants technical publishing contemporary situation sake of the development of this unique formulation not only contemporary who established himself through numerous trials and errors. Browse almost circular in traditional medicine prescription, which is scattered throughout the country is difficult, and because of the loss can not be confirmed even its existence. This study is to establish the analysis and separated by organized to establish a database on the basis of prescription and mixed herbs in a variety of functional foods developed through usability evaluation methods of treatment. Therefore, the management systems of native chickens related to lack of knowledge and information to foster the continued expansion and specialized training and knowledge of the future growth engine industry through the added value of cultural projects of national knowledge resources. Finally, convergence research and evaluate the usefulness of native chickens through interdisciplinary research systems, and practical measures of functional foods and alternative medicine are presented as well.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.161-167
• /
• 2014

Ganoderma lucidum L. (GL) is a traditional oriental medicine that has been widely used as anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-oxidant in Korea and other Asian countries. In this study, we investigated the ethanol extract of GL has neuroprotective effects in murine hippocampal HT22 cells. GL ethanol extract has the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamate-intoxicated cells by inducing the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in HT22 cells. GL ethanol extract increased JNK phosphorylation. Obviously, When we treated the GL extract with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125), HO-1 expression was reduced. Moreover, we found that GL treatment caused the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2. In conclusion, the ethanol extract of GL significantly protects glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2, JNK pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22. These results suggest that GL ethanol extract would be a good source for taking active compounds and may be a potential pharmaceutical products for brain disorder induced by neuronal damage and oxidative stress.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2019

Objectives : A traditional herbal prescription, Kyung-Ok-Ko (KOK), has long been used in oriental medicine as an invigorant for age-related diseases, such as amnesia and stroke. However, the beneficial value of KOK for immune responses is largely unknown. Based on the above mentioned effects of KOK, other previous reports, and its use in traditional medicine, we hypothesized that KOK displays beneficial effects against methotrexate (MTX)-induced immune suppression. Methods : We investigated the effects of KOK (0.6 g/kg/day, oral (p.o.)) on deteriorated immunity caused by MTX (2 mg/kg/day, p.o.) in an immune suppression mouse model. MTX was fed to mice once a day for 7 days. After the immune responses of the mice deteriorated by MTX treatment, KOK in water was fed to the mice once a day for 14 days. We then measured the expression levels of various cytokines, such as T helper cell (Th1, Th2) cytokines, and the number of immune cells, such as spleen T cells, B cells, and macrophages. Results : The data showed that MTX decreased Th1 profiles (interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12) and the number of immune cells, and increased Th2 profiles (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13), which were normalized significantly by post-administration of KOK. However, there was no significant difference in body-weight gain between MTX- and KOK-treated mice. Conclusion : These results indicate that KOK has immune-enhancing functions and reduces immunotoxicity of MTX, suggesting that supplementation with KOK will improve immune responses clinically and be useful for the prevention of immune-related diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 2010

Bear bile has been used as a therapeutic for cerebral and coronary thrombosis, convulsion, hepatitis, jaundice, and abscess in traditional oriental medicine. In recent decades, the effects of bile acids on cancer, cholestasis, and liver injury have been investigated in many studies. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of whole bear bile (WBB) and its two major components, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), on rectal inflammation in rats. Bile acids in WBB were quantitatively analyzed by HPLC. Rectal inflammation was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by insertion of croton oil-saturated cotton tips. WBB, UDCA or CDCA solution was orally administered to rats one hour after induction of rectal inflammation. Rats were sacrificed 4 or 24 hours after induction of rectal inflammation. The evaluation included measurement of weight and thickness of rectum and histopathologic examination of rectal tissue. Furthermore, we examined the inhibitory effect of WBB, UDCA or CDCA against NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The contents of UDCA and CDCA in WBB were $39.26{\mu}g/mg$ and $47.11{\mu}g/mg$, respectively. WBB treatment significantly reduced the weight and thickness of rectum compared with UDCA or CDCA treatment. The inhibition of NO production by WBB, UDCA and CDCA in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was much higher than that by the control. And, WBB treatment suppressed the induction of NO synthase in rectum homogenates. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of WBB is related to the suppression of NO synthase induction and the inhibition of NO production by UDCA, CDCA and other bile acids of WBB.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.243-249
• /
• 2012

Bee venom (BV), well known as a traditional Oriental medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of some immune-related diseases. However, the anti-allergic effect of BV have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the antiallergic effect of BV on triphasic cutaneous reaction (TpCR) and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA). Our results indicated that BV suppress ear swelling and vascular permeability on IgE mediated type I hypersensitivity response. Increase in ear thickness was significantly inhibited by BV in this model. BV also blocked the infiltration of immune cells into the ear. Moreover, BV suppressed expression of HDAC3, Tryptase, MCP-1 in ear tissue. These results demonstrated that BV has a suppressive effect on allergic reaction.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2010

The leaves of Madhuca (M.) indica J.f.Gmel. (Sapotaceae) have been used traditionally in folk medicine due to its astringent properties and are effective in treatment of eczema and snake bites. Methanolic extract of M. indica is rich in tannins and has been proven experimentally to possess antibacterial activity. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-ulcer and antioxidant activity of M. indica in rats. The methanolic extract of leaves of M. indica was tested at various doses (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) for its effect on gastric secretion and gastric ulcers in pylorus-ligation and on ethanol- induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. The significant reduction in ulcer index in both the models along with an increase in the pH of the gastric fluid and mucin content of stomach, and the acid secretory parameters such as total acidity and volume of gastric fluid were also significantly reduced along with reduction in the pepsin activity in pylorusligated rats proved the anti-ulcer activity of M. indica. The increase in the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione and decrease in lipid peroxidation in both the models proved the antioxidant activity of M. indica. Thus it can be concluded that M. indica possesses anti-ulcer activity, which can be attributed to its antioxidant mechanism of action.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.125-138
• /
• 2002

Learning and memory are essential requirements for every living organism in order to cope with environmental demands, and cholinergic systems are known to be involved in learning and memory. Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) and Gastrodia elata (GE) as a traditional Oriental medicine have been clinically used to treat or prevent memory deficits, including Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of SB and GE on learning and memory in the Morris water maze task and the central cholinergic system of the rats with excitotoxic medial septum lesions. In the water maze test, the animals were trained to find a platform at a fixed position over 6 days and then received a 60-s probe trial in which the platform was removed from the pool on the 7th day. Ibotenic lesion of the medial septum (MS) impaired their performance in the maze test (latency of acquisition test on the 3rd day, $27.6{\pm}$4.4 sec vs. $61.7{\pm}17.7$ sec; retention test, $7.9{\pm}1.3%$ vs. $5.7{\pm}1.0%$: sharn vs. ibotenic lesioned groups, respectively) and reduced choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) - immunoreactivity in the MS and the hippocarnpus, which is a marker for degeneration of the central cholinergic system (number of cells, $21.1{\pm}1.1$ vs. $13.2{\pm}1.3$: sham vs. ibotenic lesioned group). Daily administrations of SB (100mg/kg, p.o.) and GE (100mg/kg, p.o.) for 21 consecutive days produced significant reversals of ibotenic acid-induced deficit in learning and memory. These treatments also reduced the loss of cholinergic immunoreactivity in the MS and the hippocarnpus induced by ibotenic acid. These results demonstrated that SB and GE ameliorated learning and memory deficits through effects on the central nervous system, partly through effect on the acetylcholine system. Our studies suggest an evidence of SB and GE as treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 1997.04a
• /
• pp.90-90
• /
• 1997

Natural products, which have been used for the treatment of hypertension, diuresis and nephritis in traditional oriental medicine, were selected for the screening of nitric oxide (NO) production in endothelial cells and kidney tissues in vitro as well as in vivo by measuring the conversion of [$\^$14/C]-L-arginine to [$\^$14/C]-L-citrulline, a coproduct of the enzyme reaction with NO. Confluent monolayer of endothelial cells were used for the screening of 16 natural products. Among the natural products, Zizyphus jujuba and Codonopsis pilosula stimulated endothelial NO synthase activity. Thus, both confluent monolayer of endothelial cells and kidney homogenates (glomeruli, cortical tubules, meudllae) were treated with Zizyphus jujuba and Codonopsis pilosula (final concentration 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$) and NO releases were compared with those by receptor - dependent agonists, bradykinin and ADP and receptor - independent calcium ionophore A23187 in vitro. In rat experiment, NO releases in glomeruli, cortical tubules and medullae and plasma renin activity were assessed after intraperitoneal injection of Zizyphus jujuba and Codonopsis pilosula (10 mg/kg/day for 4 days). As a result, both Zizyphus jujuba and Codonopsis pilosula significantly increased NO releases in cultured endothelial cells, kidney tissues in vitro as well as in vivo. Stimulation of NO releases by Zizyphus jujuba and Codonopsis pilosula was similar to those by receptor - dependent agonists, bradykinin and ADP and receptor - independent calcium ionophore A23187 in cultured endothelial cells. However, plasma renin activity was not influenced by these two natural products. In conclusion, stimulatory effects of Zizyphus jujuba and Codonopsis pilosula on NO release in kidney may contribute their hypotensive effects and antinephritic action possibly by increasing renal blood flow.