• 대한한의학회지
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.176-184
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• 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to report the effect of acupotomy for patients with headache. Methods: Four patients with headache were treated with acupotomy. The improvement of symptoms was evaluated by numeric rating scale(NRS), Headache impact test-6(HIT-6) and headache attack frequency. Results: The numeric rating scale score and headache attack frequency decreased throughout the treatment period. No side effects were observed during treatment. Conclusion: Acupotomy had shown a positive clinical effect in the treatment of a headache in this case series. Further studies are required for its application on various headache.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.345-378
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the recent trends of clinical research on acupuncture using electroencephalogram (EEG) as the outcome measurement. Methods: Nine domestic and foreign databases were searched to collect related studies published up to November 3, 2021. The participants, intervention, outcomes, results of the included studies were extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 18 studies were selected. Neurological diseases and mental disorders were included in most studies, and vascular dementia were most frequently investigated. Electroacupuncture and body acupuncture intervention were most frequently conducted in seven studies. The most commonly used outcomes using EEG was EEG abnormality. However, in most studies there was accurate description of the EEG measurement. Most studies showed significant difference in EEG outcomes after intervention. The quality of included studies was poor. Conclusions: EEG as diagnostic markers and outcome measurements is increasingly studied. Standardized EEG measurement and the consistent EEG finding for specific diseases are needed to perform the future rigorous studies on EEG as diagnostic and outcome tools.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.34-42
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• 2022

Objectives : Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by dopaminergic neuronal death in the substantia nigra pars compacta. PD is known to be linked with mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. In this study, anti-cytotoxic and anti-oxidative effect of 12 herbal formulae were compared. Methods : According to experts' advice, 12 types of herbal formulae (Gamisoyosan, Galgeuntang, Galgeunhaegitang, Banhabaekchoolcheonmatang, Bojungikgitang, Boheotang, Sihogyejitang, Sihosogantang, Sihocheonggantang, Ojeoksan, Cheongsanggyeontongtang and Palmultang) were selected from 56 types of herbal formulae covered by the National Health Insurance Service in Korea. To detect anti-oxidative effect, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was performed, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed to detect anti-cytotoxic effect of 12 herbal formulae using SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Results : In DPPH assay, anti-oxidant activity was increased in a dose-dependent manner and half maximal inhibitory concentration was highest in the order of Galgeuntang, Gamisoyosan, Galgeunhaegitang, Ojeoksan, Palmultang, Sihogyejitang, Sihosogantang, Cheongsanggyeontongtang, Sihocheonggantang, Bojungikgitang, Boheotang and Banhabaekchoolcheonmatang. In MTT assay, concentration of 80% cell survival was highest in the order of Sihosogantang, Cheongsanggyeontongtang, Sihocheonggantang, Sihogyejitang, Bojungikgitang, Galgeuntang, Ojeoksan, Boheotang, Palmultang, Galgeunhaegitang, Banhabaekchoolcheonmatang and Gamisoyosan. Formulae with more than 50% DPPH radical scavenging activity at concentrations for 80% cell survival were Sihosogantang, Cheongsanggyeontongtang, Sihogyejitang, Galgeuntang and Sihocheonggantang. Conclusions : Sihosogantang, Cheongsanggyeontongtang, Sihogyejitang, Galgeuntang and Sihocheonggantang extracts can be candidate medicines for PD, but the effect should be validated in PD models.

• 척추신경추나의학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.17-25
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of manual therapy for knee meniscus injuries. Methods We searched seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CAJ, Wanfang, RISS, ScienceON, and OASIS) to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using the keywords "manual therapy OR chuna OR tuina" and "meniscus injury." Results Eleven RCTs were selected based on the inclusion criteria, and all studies were conducted in China. Five studies were meta-analyzed. The systematic review revealed a positive effect of manual therapy for knee meniscus injury. Low risk of selection, attrition, and reporting bias were demonstrated in all studies. Ten studies had a high risk of performance bias. Conclusions The systematic review reported favorable results using manual therapy for knee meniscus injury. However, this study has several limitations because of the high risk of bias. Further clinical studies and reviews with higher levels of evidence are warranted.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.199-204
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Korean medicine treatment (including acupuncture, herbal medication, and pharmacopuncture) for postoperative pain after cervical surgery in a patient with a cervical (C2) extension teardrop fracture. We measured the patient's cervical range of motion, neck disability index score and numerical rating scale score to evaluate the effects of Korean medicine treatment on postoperative pain after cervical surgery. After 43 days of inpatient treatment, the patient's neck disability index score decreased from 75.5 to 46.67 and the numerical rating scale decreased from 6 to 2. Furthermore, recovery was observed for cervical range of motion. In conclusion, this case suggests that Korean traditional medicine treatment may effectively reduce postoperative pain after cervical surgery for cerviecal extension teardrop fracture.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.126-131
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• 2022

Objectives : Electroacupuncture (EA) is a procedure in which pulses of weak electrical current are sent through acupuncture needles into acupuncture points in the skin, and Joksamli (ST36) is one of the most used acupoints. This study was designed to analyze the trend of research articles on ST36 EA published in Korea. Methods : Articles on EA at ST36 in Korean journals were searched in Korean databases and analyzed focusing on the number of publications by year, research subject, research topics, institutes, and journals. Results : Total 66 articles were included in this study, which were 51 basic researches, 12 clinical researches, and 3 reviews. Since 2000, the number of articles has gradually increased, reaching the highest level in 2007, and rapidly decreased since 2012. Kyung Hee University is the organization that published the most articles, and the journal that published the most articles is Journal of Acupuncture Research, followed by Korean Journal of Acupuncture. Conclusions : A lot of ST36 EA studies in Korean journals are basic experimental researches using rats, and the research topics are closely related to the diseases of patients visiting Korean medicine clinics. The number of papers by institution is related to the number of professors, and researchers tend to prefer publishing in acupuncture journals.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.132-141
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• 2022

Objectives : Some acupoints are commonly utilized to treat a variety of diseases. The acupoints appear to have a wide range of effects caused by several mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to investigate into the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the multipotent effects of individual acupoint stimulation. Methods : We examined the miRNA expressions in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of neuropathic or inflammatory pain rats following ST36 and GB34 electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation. Neuropathic pain was induced by L5 spinal nerve ligation. Inflammatory pain was induced by knee joint injection of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). EA was given under gaseous anesthesia with the same parameters (1mA, 2Hz, 30 min) in 5 consecutive days. Pain behaviors and miRNA expressions were analyzed. Results : In rats with neuropathic and inflammatory pain, EA treatments significantly enhanced the paw withdrawal threshold and weight-bearing force. After nerve injury, 36 miRNAs were upregulated in the DRG of neuropathic rats, while EA downregulated 10 of them. Furthermore, 14 miRNAs were downregulated following nerve damage, while one was increased by EA. 15 miRNAs were increased in the DRG of inflammatory rats following CFA injection, while 5 were downregulated by EA. Furthermore, 17 miRNAs were downregulated following CFA injection, while 7 were increased by EA. The miRNAs rno-miR-335, rno-miR-381-5p, rno-miR-1306-3p, and rno-miR-1839-3p were regulated by EA in both models. Conclusions : In two pain models, EA applied to ST36 and GB34 regulated miRNA expression differently. There appeared to be both acupoint-specific and non-specific miRNAs, and miRNA regulation of differential protein expression may modulate a variety of EA mechanisms.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제36권6호
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• pp.213-220
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• 2022

We investigated the current status of research using extracorporeal shock waves on the basis of meridian and acupoint theory. By March 2022, five foreign databases (CAJ, Pubmed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) and six Korean databases (Dbpia, RISS, KMBASE, scienceON, KISS, NDSL) were searched with the terms using 'Extracorporeal shock wave' and '(Acupoint or Acupuncture point)'. The search terms were adapted according to the language of the database. There were no restrictions on the study design. As a result of the search, twenty-seven papers were selected for analysis. One study was searched in English database, and the remaining twenty-six studies were searched in Chinese database. There were nineteen pain-related diseases, four obsterics and gynecology diseases, two bone-related diseases, and two other diseases. The most frequently used acupoints were GB34, ST36, and KI3. A total of six adverse events were reported in five papers. The use of extracorporeal shock wave on the basis of meridian and acupoint theory is considered to have sufficient meaning in Korean Medicine. It is expected to use extracorporeal shock wave as a new treatment method for Korean Medicine doctors in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.142-151
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• 2022

Objectives : Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder threatening the quality of life and highly occurred in over 65 years old. Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB), a traditional medicine used for the treatment of headache and convulsion, has been reported to have neuroprotective effect. This study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of GEB and the proteomic changes in the substantia nigra (SN) of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mice. Methods : Male eleven-week-old C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 30 mg/kg of MPTP at 24-h intervals for 5 days. Two hours after the daily MPTP injection, the mice were orally administered 800 mg/kg of GEB extract, which continued for 7 days beyond the MPTP injections, for a total of 12 consecutive days. Two hours after the final GEB administration, the brain samples were collected, and dopaminergic neuronal death and proteomic changes in the SN were evaluated. Results : GEB prevented the MPTP-induced dopaminergic neuronal death and regulated the expression of 11 proteins including thimet oligopeptidase, T-complex protein 1, glycine tRNA ligase, and pyruvate kinase isozymes M1. Conclusions : GEB prevents MPTP-induced dopaminergic neuronal death by regulating the proteins in the SN.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.25-31
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• 2023

Strabismus is a vision disorder in which the eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at an object and it can negatively affect the quality of life. This case is a report on a strabismus patient who received Korean medicine treatment including scalp acupuncture. Scalp acupuncture, body acupuncture, and herbal medicine were performed on a patient diagnosed with strabismus and diplopia. The improvement of symptoms was evaluated by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Scott and Kraft Score (SK score), and change of symptoms and progress of diplopia. NRS decreased by more than 85%, and the SK score gradually changed from -4 to 0, which means strabismus mostly recovered, and the symptom and progress of diplopia were reduced. In this study, it is considered that Korean medical treatment including scalp acupuncture is useful for strabismus patients.