Literature Review of Herbal Medicines on Treatment of Obesity Since 2000;Mainly about Ephedra Herba

2000년 이후 비만치료에 사용되는 처방(處方) 및 본초(本草)에 대한 문헌연구;마황(麻黃)을 중심으로

Objectives : This study has been done to know which herbs and herbal formulae are frequently used for the treatment of obesity in Korea and overseas since 2000. Methods : We conducted a computerized literature search in KISS (Korean studies Information Service System), Pubmed, Journal of Oriental Association for Study of Obesity ,and Journal of Oriental Rehabilitation Medicine(2000 -Apr. 2006) using search key words obesity, obese, weight loss, weight control combined with herb, herbal formula. Result and conclusion : Seventy-two studies have been identified(50 Korean papers and 22 pubmed papers) and 81 herbs have been found. In USA it was mainly used as single herb for food, but in Korea it was mainly used as herbal formula. For single herb, ephedra(麻黃) was the most studied single herb both in Korea and the USA. For herbal formulae, Sasang Constitutional Medicine(SCM, 19times) was the most frequently used herbal formula, in which the herbs for Tae-eum type person like Taeyeumjowui-tang(太陰調胃湯, 7times) and Choweseungcheng-tang(調胃升淸湯, 5times) were mainly prescribed. The next was Chegameuiin-tang(體減薏苡仁湯, 11times) and Bangpungtongsungsan( 防風通聖散, 3times). Calculating each herb consisted in each herbal formula, Coicis Semen(薏苡仁), Angelicae gigantis Radix(當歸), and Glycyrrhizae Radix(甘草), Raspberry Ketone, Cnidii Rhizoma(川芎), and Ephedra Herba(麻黃) turned out to be the most frequently used herb.