• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.454-484
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• 1996

There are many factors to evoke pain, for example cold, heat, seven emotion, digestion, fatigue, venemous worms, deficiency of blood etc., and its pathogenesis is complicated. Treatments for pain in oriental medicine are as follows. 1. Pharmacotherapy is a method to treat pain by different effects of herbal medicine, for example, regulating vital energy, activating blood circulation, eliminating phlegm, and dispelling the cold evil etc. 2. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy is a kind of external application, it has a distinct effect in relieving pain. Recently its operation method has been more developed, so new acupuncture therapies are used in clinics. There are electroacupuncture, auricular acupuncture and injection of drugs at an acupuncture points etc. 3. Oriental physiotherapy is a treatment method to stimulate acupuncture points and meridians. (1) Hot pack, Paraffin bath, Microwave, Ultrasound, Short wave, Infra-red etc. are used to treat cold syndrome by dispersing cold by warming the channels. (2) E.S.T., I.C.T., T.E.N.S., S.S.P., cupping treatment etc. are used to treat disorders of vital energy. (3) Health ion, Carbon, T.D.P., etc are used to treat conic and deficiency syndrome.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.439-447
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to isolate and identify the chemical structure of a biosurfactant produced by Nocardia farcinica strain BN26 isolated from soil, and evaluate its in vitro antitumor activity on a panel of human cancer cell lines. Strain BN26 was found to produce glycolipid biosurfactant on n-hexadecane as the sole carbon source. The biosurfactant was purified using medium-pressure liquid chromatography and characterized as trehalose lipid tetraester (THL) by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Subsequently, the cytotoxic effects of THL on cancer cell lines BV-173, KE-37 (SKW-3), HL-60, HL-60/DOX, and JMSU-1 were evaluated by MTT assay. It was shown that THL exerted concentration-dependent antiproliferative activity against the human tumor cell lines and mediated cell death by the induction of partial oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. These findings suggest that THL could be of potential to apply in biomedicine as a therapeutic agent.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2020

Objectives: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent and chronic, pruritic inflammatory skin condition that can influence all age groups. AD is associated with a poor health-related quality of life. This randomized clinical trial was performed to compare the effectiveness of Olivederma (combination of aloe vera and virgin olive oil) or betamethasone regarding disease severity, quality of life, serum IgE and eosinophil count. Methods: Thirty-six AD patients were randomly allocated to topical Olivederma or betamethasone, and were followed for 6 weeks. Results: Total SCORAD severity scores showed significant decrease in both groups, while it was more prominent in Olivederma group (64.5% improvement in Olivederma vs. 13.5% improvement in Betamethasone, p-value < 0.001). Quality of life (DLQI questionnaire) of AD patients was significantly improved after 6 weeks treatment with Betamethasone (22.3%, p < 0.001) and Olivederma (60.7%, p-value < 0.001). Olivederma group showed a significantly lower DLQI score in comparison with Betamethasone treated patients after 6 weeks of therapy (p < 0.001). Improvements in eosinophil count and serum IgE was observed. Conclusion: In summary, this study shows that Olivederma is superior to topical Betamethasone after 6 weeks of therapy with regard to disease severity, quality of life and eosinophil count.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.503-513
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• 2019

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative articular disorder. Formation of bone spurs, synovial inflammation, loss of cartilage, and underlying bone restructuring have been reported to be the main pathologic characteristics of osteoarthritis symptoms. The onset and progression of osteoarthritis are attributed to various inflammatory cytokines in joint tissues and fluids that are produced by chondrocytes and/or interact with chondrocytes, as well as to low-grade inflammation in intra-articular tissues. Disruption of the equilibrium between the synthesis and degradation of the cartilage of the joint is the major cause of osteoarthritis. Hence, developing a promising pharmacological tool to restore the equilibrium between the synthesis and degradation of osteoarthritic joint cartilage can be a useful strategy for effectively managing osteoarthritis. In this review, we provide an overview of the research results pertaining to the search for a novel candidate agent for osteoarthritis management via restoration of the equilibrium between cartilage synthesis and degradation. We especially focused on investigations of medicinal plants and natural products derived from them to shed light on the potential pharmacotherapy of osteoarthritis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.342-348
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• 2019

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) can be defined as an ectopic ossification in the tissues of spinal ligament showing a hyperostotic condition. OPLL is developed mostly in the cervical spine and clinical presentations of OPLL are majorly myelopathy and/or radiculopathy, with serious neurological pathology resulting in paralysis of extremities and disturbances of motility lowering the quality of life. OPLL is known to be an idiopathic and multifactorial disease, which genetic factors and non-genetic factors including diet, obesity, physical strain on the posterior longitudinal ligament, age, and diabetes mellitus, are involved into the pathogenesis. Up to now, surgical management by decompressing the spinal cord is regarded as standard treatment for OPLL, although there might be the risk of development of reprogression of ossification. The molecular pathogenesis and efficient therapeutic strategy, especially pharmacotherapy and/or preventive intervention, of OPLL has not been clearly elucidated and suggested. Therefore, in this review, we tried to give an overview to the present research results on OPLL, in order to shed light on the potential pharmacotherapy based on molecular pathophysiologic aspect of OPLL, especially on the genetic/genomic factors involved into the etiology of OPLL.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2019

Quitting smoking helps smokers maintain their health and extend their lifespan by 10 or more years. Treatment strategies for smoking cessation should be tailored to individual smokers with special needs based on their specific circumstances. It is recommended that pregnant women adopt smoking cessation through counseling and behavioral interventions because the safety of medications has yet to be established. Counseling is the main strategy for smoking cessation in adolescents and nicotine replacement therapy can be used with caution in individuals with serious nicotine dependence. It is important for smokers with psychiatric diseases to quit smoking following accurate assessment of their depression status. Nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion can be used for smoking cessation in smokers with psychiatric disorders. The incidence of cardiovascular disease decreased according to the smoking status and the duration of smoking cessation. In smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who used a combination of counseling and pharmacotherapy the quitting rate was more than twice as high as subjects who used behavioral interventions alone. Varenicline can be used as the most effective anti-smoking drug by most smokers including those with psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular disease, and COPD.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.336-351
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• 2022

Background: Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder. To improve the health deterioration of PWS, investigating optimal treatment options for PWS is required. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacotherapies compared with supportive care or placebos in patients with PWS. Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were used to search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in PWS patients. Only RCTs that evaluating the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in PWS patients were retrieved. Results: A total of 26 studies were included to evaluate body composition, hormones, glucose levels and hyperphagia behavioral status. Pharmacological treatment group showed a significant decrease of body fat (mean difference (MD): -6.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): -10.58 to -2.06, p=0.004), a significant increase of lean body mass (LBM) (MD: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.43 to 2.30, p<0.00001) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels (MD: 241.62, 95% CI: 68.59 to 414.64, p=0.006) compared with the control group. Nevertheless, based on other outcomes evaluated by the current systematic review, pharmacological options showed different efficacy in treating PWS. Conclusion: Pharmacological therapies were effective to decrease significantly in body fat and increase significantly on LBM and IGF-1 levels in patients with PWS. However, still, individualized therapies should be considered in real-world practice in PWS treatment.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2014

Objective : Despite the high prevalence and clinical importance of panic disorder, studies on the clinical characteristics and course of panic disorder are relatively rare. This study is a multi-center, and retrospective study to examine the clinical characteristics and course of Korean panic disorder patients who visit university hospital. Methods : The study subjects were panic disorder patients who had visited the psychiatric outpatient clinics of 8 university hospitals in South Korea from January to December in 2008. Finally, 238 panic patients were included in this study. Their medical charts were retrospectively reviewed and reassessed by experienced psychiatrists to examine their clinical characteristics, demographic data and clinical course in repose to pharmacotherapy. Results : Among the 238 patients (121 males vs. 117 females), the mean age of disease onset was $41.3{\pm}12.7$ years and female patients showed 5 years older age of disease onset, compared with male patients. The mean score of PSR scale was $4.5{\pm}1.0$ at the first visit, reflecting a 'marked' level of severity of illness and impairment in functioning. Only 110 patients (46.4%) completed the whole follow up visits, whereas 128 patients (53.6%) dropped out during the treatment. After $17.7{\pm}0.5$ months of mean follow up period, the mean score of PSR scale at the last visit was reduced into $2.1{\pm}0.9$, reflecting a 'residual' severity of illness and impairment in functioning. The cumulative recovery rate was 62.1% in the completer group, whereas that of the drop-out group was 47.7%. Conclusions : The mean age of disease onset in Korean panic disorder patients who had visited university hospital was about 10 years older than that of Western panic disorder patients in previous studies, and the Korean panic disorder patients who had visited university hospital showed a relatively higher cumulative recovery rate. These differences might result from an ethnic difference in clinical characteristics and course in response to pharmacotherapy of panic disorder.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2008

Objective : Due to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the relative limitations in the treatment of patients with PTSD, a variety of medications and treatment algorithms for PTSD have been investigated. This study was conducted to investigate the trends in the pharmacotherapy used in the treatment of inpatients with PTSD at a single university hospital in Korea. Methods : Data from 75 patients diagnosed with PTSD according to the DSM-IV criteria from January 1998 to December 2007 were collected. Demographic data and clinical data, including medications prescribed, were investigated. Results : Thirty-three of the 75 subjects included in this study were male, and 42 were female. Considering psychiatric comorbidity, depressive disorder, cognitive disorder, psychotic disorder and anxiety disorder were reported in order. Approximately 97% of the subjects were treated with antidepressants, including paroxetine in 54.7%, and 24% of the subjects were treated with two different kinds of antidepressants. In addition, atypical antipsychotics were prescribed in 33.3% of patients, mood stabilizers in 17.3%, and anxiolytics in 94.7% of the subjects. Conclusion : In our study, various kinds of antidepressants were prescribed for most patients with PTSD. Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers were added to the treatment regimens of some subjects, and anxiolytics were added to the treatment regimens of most subjects. Despite its many limitations, this study shows the prescription pattern and trends in PTSD treatment in Korea. We hope that these preliminary data would be helpful for the development and integration of a practical guideline for the treatment of PTSD in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.156-161
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• 1996

Many pregnant women have to receive psychotropic medication during pregnancy and lactation period, despite the proven and assumed risks to the fetus ar neonate. A brief summary of drug metabolism and pharmacodynamics is given. Principles and quidelines of using psychotropic agents during pregancy and lactation period are presented for psychotic disorders, bipolar affective disorders. depression and anxiety disorders, with due consideration for relative benefits and risks of choosing among psychotropic drugs and alternative treatments.