• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.7-13
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• 2014

Objectives : Anti-obesity drugs that have been developed so far have limited efficacies and considerable adverse effects affecting tolerability and safety. Therefore, most anti-obesity durgs have been withdrawn. We tried to develop anti-obesity agent by combinations from herbs that are used in food ingredients as well as in traditional medicines. Methods : The 80% (v/v) ethanol extracts from Bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescence) leaf (BL) and Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) and their 1:1 combination (BLSB) was evaluated on high fat diet induced obese mice compared to Omega-3 as a positive control. The mice were divided into six groups (n=5), one group fed a normal diet (ND), and the others fed a high fat diets for eight weeks. Two weeks after starting feeding the diets, the high fat diet groups were orally administered vehicle and Omega-3, BL, SB, and BLSB at dosage of 200 mg/kg/day for six weeks. All groups were assayed for body weights, food efficiency ratio, blood biochemistry parameters, and organic tissue weights. Results : BLSB group showed significant reductions in body weight gain and fat weights of liver and epididymal adipose tissue compared to BL or SB alone as well as control. Total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels significantly decreased, and HDL-cholesterol level increased. In liver tissue, macrovesicular steaotisis was remarkably improved and its fat cell size was also significantly decreased. Conclusions : These results suggested that a combination preparation of bamboo leaf and S. baicalensis has anti-obesity effect and have synergistic effect compared to bamboo leaf or S. baicalesis.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.697-705
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• 2012

This research was planned and executed to evaluate how the composition of Yack-sun (oriental diet therapy) tea can effect the health conditions of people who are suffering from diet-related diseases such as being overweight, obese and hyperlipidemic, by taking Yack-sun tea in a form of nutritional supplement with daily meals. We produced Kangjieum with Lycense Mill., Polygonum multflorum Thunb, Cassia tora L., Crataegus pinnatifida Bge and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. We evaluated the effects of this tea on serum lipids, on homocysteine concentration, and on active oxygen contents, oxidative stress by clinical practices. We have determined that this tea has a significant effect on decreasing body fat content, decreasing total cholesterol, decreasing LDL-cholesterol, and decreses triglyceride and homocysteine concentrations. In addition, blood active oxygen content and oxidative stress were significantly decreased. We think that scientific and objective evaluation was performed on the components of Kangjieum prescription. We concluded that we could apply the components, not only in a form of tea, but also in other forms of various foods. The information we received from this conclusion will be basic information on how we can apply oriental medicinal resources into other food and will be a steppingstone for medicinal herbs to place a foot in the field of functional food research, which already draws sizable attention world-wide.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.550-569
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of herbal medicine treatment for patients with migraine and to suggest research methods for herbal medicine treatment on migraine. Methods: In this study, a search was conducted through several academic sites using a combination of terms '편두통', 'Migraine', '한약', '한약치료', 'Herbal medicine', 'Herbal medicines', 'Herb', 'Traditional Chinese Medicine', and 'TCM'. Randomized controlled trials using herbal medicine treatments for adult patients with migraine were selected. Results: Ultimately, 46 papers were selected and analyzed. A statistically significant improvement was noted in the treatment group in terms of clinical migraine symptoms and other migraine evaluation tools before and after the herbal medicine treatment. Herbal medicines were administered in decoction, pill, and granule formulations. Many kinds of medicinal herbs, such as 解表藥類, 補益藥類, 淸熱藥類, 活血祛瘀藥類, and 平肝藥類, have been used for migraine. Among them, 川芎, belonging to 活血祛瘀藥類, is mentioned 36 times and is the most frequently used medicine. Herbal medicine was used safely for migraine treatment, without major adverse reactions, and the recurrence rate was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. Conclusions: In conclusion, the herbal medicine treatment for patients with migraine showed a statistically significant improvement in 46 papers. Future studies should utilize standardized and objective evaluation tools, along with appropriate experimental design. The relevant articles should be increased to a significant level to verify the effect of herbal medicine treatments on migraine.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.31-46
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• 2004

This report describes 61 studies related to the use of Semen Armeniacae Amarum main blended prescriptions from Donguibogam. The following conclusions were reached through investigations on the prescriptions that use Semen Armeniacae Amarum as a key ingredient. Semen Armeniacae Amarum blended prescriptions are utilized for 16 therapeutic purposes, for example, in symptoms of cough, excrements, wind, and pediatrics. In particular, 52.46% of the prescriptions appear in the chapter of cough, and 9.84% of those appear in the chapter of excrements. Prescriptions that utilize Semen Armeniacae Amarum as the main ingredient are used in the treatment of cough, asthma, lung disease, and constipation, and they are also used for treating 15 different types of diseases. Semen Armeniacae Amarum is used in pathogenic factors such as wind, wind with cold, and wind with moisture, in pathologies related to lung and digestive systems, and in those related to weakness, extravasated blood, and alcoholic drink-food. The actual amount of Semen Armeniacae Amarum blended has ranged at a wide variety of amounts from 5 pun to 5 don. 47.62% of the prescriptions used 1 don. When Semen Armeniacae Amarum is combined with base prescriptions such as Samyotang, Banhaenghwan, ljintang, etc and Herba Ephedrae, Rhizoma Pinelliae, and Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, it ceases cough and asthma. In addition, when Semen Armeniacae Amarum is combined with Fructus Ponciri Seu Aurantii and Fructus Cannabis, it brings a relief in constipation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2015

This paper researches the features of blood stasis theory of Wangqingren, who wrote 『Yilingaicuo』 that greatly contributed in the development of blood stasis theory at Qing dynasty period. And the disease cause, disease mechanism of blood stasis and scope of modern diseases related with blood stasis are studied by research on clinical papers which used 33 prescriptions in 『Yilingaicuo』 in modern times. Research on the features of blood stasis theory of Wangqingren is proceeded by referring to the annotations of 『Yilingaicuopingyi』 and the papers which related with blood stasis from Korea and China. And clinical papers are searched in China Academic Journals(CAJ) of China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) to analyse the scope of modern diseases related with blood stasis. The features of blood stasis theory in 『Yilingaicuo』 expanded the range of existing theory. Wangqingren thought that chronic disease, weird disease, the disease of no effect from normal treatments were related with blood stasis. And he attached great importance to qi and blood and thought that the main pathogenesis of blood stasis was qi deficiency. And a lot of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge were combined in many prescriptions to reinforce qi. He also used different herbs according to the location of the disease. Musk and Allium fistulosum were used for the disease located at head or upper part of the patient's trunk. Bupleurum falcatum L., Aurantii Fructus Pericarpium and Platycodon grandiflorum A. De Candolle were used for the disease located at thorax. Cyperus rotundus L., Linderae Radix and Aurantii Fructus Pericarpium were used for the disease located at the stomach or below the costal angle. Foeniculi Fructus and Corydalis remota were used for the disease located at belly or lower part of the patient's trunk. Trogopterorum Faeces, myrrha, Cyperus rotundus L. and Cnidium officinale were used for the disease located at extremity or joint.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.25-56
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• 2000

Trace element are involved in enzymatic activities, immunological reactions. physiological mechanisms. Deficiency in some trace elements, such as iron and iodine. is still an important health problem, The role of trace elements deficiency is suspected in various clinical situations and is now confirmed by well designed supplementation studies. However, the importance of trace elements as chinese herbal constituents is not sufficiently appreciated by the oriental medical profession, although in recent years a significant increase of new finding on their essential character in chinese herbal medicine occurred. It is well known that herbal medicine contains a variety of trace elements which would show therapeutic effects with active components in herbal medicine . In china, recent work showed some positive correlation between trace element and traditional chinese medicine (TCM) in terms of therapeutic effects even if their role in therapeutic effects is still obscure. In korea, not much attention has been on the therapeutic importance of trace element contained in herbal medicine Here, the therapeutic effects of trace element in TCM were reviewed and summarized. 1. Iron, copper, zinc and manganese are mainly contained in TCM. In addtion, chromium, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, alminium, cobalt, arsenic and selenium has been studied for their therapeutic effects 2. Zinc, is decreased in patients who have deficiency of kindney(腎虛) and chronic disease. Fe is decreased in patients who have deficiency of blood(血虛). However copper is increased in patients who have chronic disease and hepatic disease.3 Iron concentration is high in herbs used for tonifying and nourishing yin or blood(補陰補血藥) Zinc concentration is high also in herb used for tonifying kidiney and vital essence(補腎補精藥). In addition. copper concentration Is high in herb used for replenishing qi(補氣藥) 4 In herbal drugs, the therapeutic substances in TCM are not only organic but also inorganic. It seems that trace elements would be one of components in herb for its therapeutic effects. This indicates that therapeutic effects of TCM should be extended not only to herb itself, bur also to trace elements contained in herb.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2009

Complex microbial communities play an important role in the human health and co-evolved with human in the form of symbiosis. Many literatures provide new evidences that the increased prevalence of obesity cannot be attributed solely to changes in the human genome, nutritional habits, or reduction of physical activity in our daily lives. The intestinal flora was recently proposed as an environmental factor responsible for the control of body weight and energy metabolism. A number of studies suggest that the modulation of gut microbiota affects host metabolism and has an impact on energy storage and demonstrated a role for the gut microbiota in weight gain, fat increase, and insulin resistance. Variations in microbiota composition are found in obese humans and mice and the microbiota from an obese mouse confers an obese phenotype when transferred to an axenic mouse. As well, the gut microbial flora plays a role in converting nutrients into calories. Specific strategies for modifying gut microbiota may be a useful means to treat or prevent obesity. Dietary modulations of gut microbiota with a view to increasing bifidobacteria have demonstrated to reduce endotoxemia and improve metabolic diseases such as obesity. The fermentation of medicinal herbs is intended to exert a favorable influence on digestability, bioavailability and pharmacological activity of herbal extract. Therefore we also expect that the fermented herbal extracts may open up a new area to treat obesity through modulating gut microbiota.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.45-54
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• 2005

GST, an extract from 16 herbs, has been formulated and prescribed for the treatment of human rheumatoid arthritis(hRA) for many years. The present study was done to investigate whether GST has suppressive effects on activation of fibroblast-like sinoviocytes isolated from an RA patient. In tumor necrosis factor-a(TNF-a)/interleukin-1b(IL-1b) treated human sinoviocytes, The mRNA expression of molecular indicators related to pathologic changes of the sinoviocytes were examined using quantitative real-time PCR. The treatment of GST($100\;{\mu}g/ml$) suppressed the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-8 compared with the control. The mRNA level of intracellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) which is known to increase in the activated sinoviocytes of RA patients, was slightly decreased by GST. The expression of NOS-II was considerably reduced, which was accompanied by a decrease in the production of nitric oxide(NO). In addition, GST considerably increased the mRNA levels of tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1), while those of matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3) were decreased. Taken together, these data suggested that GST might suppress the activation of sinoviocytes in hRA.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.40-61
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• 1995

This study was performed to investigate concept, systoms, causes of disease, pathogenic mechanisms, therapies and precriptions about senile constipation through the successive medical literature, recent chinese medical literature and chinese medical joumals. Senile constipation seems to be applicable to dryness syndrom and constipation of insufficiency type, have something to do with kidney(the most), lung, spleen and large intestine. The most principal cause of disease is yin-fluid, the rest deficiency of qi, insufficiency of yang, stagnation of qi and retention of fever etc. There are enriching the blood and moistening dryness in principal therapy, the rest are invigorating qi and loosing the bowel, warming and invigorating the spleen and kidney, regulating the flow of qi and promoting the stagnancy of qi and expelling the pathogenic heat etc. In prescriptions there are Yunjangtang, Jengaektang, Hwanggitang, Jechunjeon, Yukmatang and Majainhwan as the causes of disease, meanwhile are Yungjang-tang, Jechunjeon and Majainhwan in the vulgaris prescriptions. And in medical herbs there are nourishing yin medicines as Rhizoma rehmanniac, Radix ophiopogonis and Radix scrophulariae etc., invigorating qi medicines as Radix astragali, Radix codonopsitis and Radix polygoni multiflori etc, invigorating yang medicines as Caulis cistanchis and Semen psoraleae etc., promoting qi circulating medicines as Radix saussurea, Lignum aquilariae and Radix linderae etc., and reducing fever and therapeutic method to keep the adverse qi flowing downward medicines as Semen cannabis, Rhizoma rhei, Fructus immaturus ponciri, and Cortex magnoliae etc.. Meantime Rhizoma rehmanniae, Radix ophiopogonis, Caulis cistanchis, Radix angelicae gigantis, Semen cannabis, Semen biotae, Semen pruni japonicae and Semen persicae in principal herb-medicines. In clinical reports the process of disease was between 10 to 20 years, the evacuation cycle between 4 to 7 days, generally possessed chronic diseases as hypertension, diabetes, arteriosclerosis and cerebro- vascular disorders etc. and the efficiency rate was more than 90%. The senile constipation is occured in succession or promoted by chronic diseases as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, arteriosclerosis. hrperlipemia, cerebro- vascular disorders etc., so diet-regulating, adequate exercise, proper evacuation-habit and psychologic rest etc. are important more than medicine-treatments.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

Objectives : The Present study was carried out to investigate the preventive effect of Anti-diabetic prescription 1(AD-1) on streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy. Methods : AD-1 consists of eleven herbs that have an effect on diabetes mellitus. AD-1 was given to rats with the combination of oral administration and herbal-acupuncture stimulation. The experimental animals were divided into 3 groups : normal group of rats, control group of STZ-induced diabetic rats, sample group with AD-1 treatment. Experimental diabetes was induced by the injection of STZ(60mg/kg) to e rat via the peritoneum. The effect of AD-1 on STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy was observed by measuring the serum level of creatinine and BUN. Urine secretion of albumin for 24 hours and urine level of glucose measures too. Anti-oxidative stress of AD-1 administration in living body was estimated by measuring lipid peroxide and GSH content in cortex of kidneys. Results : STZ induced increase of serum creatinine, BUN and albumin secretion were lowered by AD-1 treatment. Conclusion : The AD-1 treatment showed protective effect on rat diabetic nephropathy model, and action mechanism of the effect was thought to be concerned with anti-oxidative stress.