• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.183-193
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• 2016

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of Postural Yinyang Correction of TMJ(Functional Cerebrospinal Therapy; FCST) on Bell's palsy. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of 41 patients who were treated for Bell's palsy at the Dept. of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dong-Eui University from January $1^{st}$, 2016 to August $31^{st}$, 2016. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A(n=21), and Group B(n=20). Patients in Group A were treated by Korean Medical Treatments with FCST using ABA(Accurate Balancing Appliance), a standard intra-oral appliance. Patients in Group B were treated by Korean Medical Treatments without FCST. To estimate the efficacy in recovering palsy, we analyzed the House-Brackmann Grading Scale and Yanagihara's Unweighted Grading System. Results : In both groups, H-B grades were improved significantly during each period except the period from the first visit to one week later(P01). The improvement of H-B grade during each period in Group A is higher than Group B except the period from one week later to two weeks later, but statistically insignificant. In Group A, Y-score was significantly improved during each period except during P01. In group B, Y-score was significantly improved during each period except during P01 and the period from the first visit to two weeks later. The improvement of Y-score during each period in Group A is higher than Group B, but statistically insignificant. Conclusions : FCST using Standard Intraoral Appliance may be helpful in treating Bell's Palsy, but the further researches are needed.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.241-250
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• 2017

Objectives : This study was performed to examine the toxicity of Aconitum ciliare Decaisne pharmacopuncture(ADP). Methods : The toxicity was evaluated for lethal dose for 50 percent kill(LD50), single dose and repeated dose for 4 weeks. Toxic symptoms, weight measurement, hematological test, blood biochemical test, visual examination and weight measurement of major organs and histopathological test were observed for 4 weeks. Dose of 300, 600, 1,200, 2,400, 3,600, 4,800, 6,000, 7,200 mg/kg in the LD50 experiment, 300, 600, 1,200 mg/kg/day in the single experiment, 150, 300, 600 mg/kg/day in 4 weeks experiments were injected into BALB/c mice. The ADP was injected into ST36 of the right leg. Normal saline solution of same volume was used for control group. In 24 hours after the last treatment, blood samples were taken after anesthesia by inhalation of ethyl ether. After that, the BALB/c mice were euthanized. Their heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and reproductive organs were removed and weighed. Histopathological evaluation was also performed. Results : ADP's LD50 was measured at 6,000 mg/kg. In both single and repeated dose toxicity test, no BALB/c mouse died during the experiments. ADP treatment for 4 weeks did not show any significant changes in toxic symptoms, weight measurement, hematological test, blood biochemical test, visual examination and weight measurement of major organs and histopathological test. Conclusions : As a result, ADP's LD50 was 6,000 mg/kg and repeated dose at a concentration of 600 mg/kg or less is considered to be not harmful for clinical treatment.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.265-270
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• 2017

Objectives : The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture(EA) applied to the brook point of the Liver meridian in the rat model of inflammatory pain and to investigate involvement of endogenouse opioid in the EA-induced analgesia. Methods : Knee arthritis was induced by injection of $125{\mu}l$ of complete Freund's adjuvant into the knee joint cavity unilaterally. To examine the level of pain, weight bearing forces(WBFs) of affected limb was measured. EA treatment was given at the LR2, LI4 or non-acupoint on the contralateral limb with frequency of 2 Hz and intensity of 2 mA under gaseous anesthesia. Results : After induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected hindlimb due to a painful knee. EA applied to the LR2 point on the contralateral hind limb produced a significant improvement of stepping force of the hind limb lasting for at least 2 h, and this effect was equivalent to that obtained by 5 mg/kg of oral indomethacin. The effect of EA was specific to the acupoint since it could not be mimicked by EA applied to the LI4 point or the arbitrary non-acupoint. The analgesic effect was blocked by pretreatment with naltrexone(10 mg/kg, i.p.). Conclusions : These results suggest that acupuncture applied to LR2, brook point of Liver meridian suppresses inflammatory pain in a rat model of knee arthritis and this effect seems to be mediated by endogenous opioid systems.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.63-78
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• 2002

Kupunggibodan(KU), Gamisamul-tang(GA) and Whangryunhaedok-tang(WH) are clinically the most popular prescriptions as an herbal medicine in the treatment of ischemia. In order to compare and evaluate their protective effects on the ischema-induced cognitive deficits by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we examined its ability to improve ischemia-induced cell loss and impairements of learning and memory in the Morris water maze and eight-arm radial arm maze. Focal cerebral ischemia produced a marked cell loss, decrease in acetylcholinesterase(AchE) reactivity in the hippocampus, and learning and memory deficits in two behavioral tasks. Pretreatment with WH (100 mg/kg, p.o.) produced a substantial increase in acquisition in the Morris water maze. Pretreatment with KU increased the perfomance of the resention test in the Morris water maze. WH, KU and GA caused a significant improvement in choice accuracy in radial arm maze test. WH was superior to KU and GA in perfomance of the radial arm maze test. Consistent with behavioral data, staining with cresyl violet showed that pretreatments with WH, but not KU and GA significantly recovered the ischemia-induced cell loss in the hippcampal CA1 area. In addition, pretreatments with WH and KU recovered the ischemia-induced reduction of AchE reactivity in the hippocampal CA1 area. These results demonstrated that KU, GA and WH have protective effects against ischimea-induced learning and memory impairments and that the efficacy was the order of WH>KU>GA in tratment of ischemia induced memory deficits. The present studies provide an evidence of KU, GA and WH as putative treatment of vascular dementia. Supported by a fund from the Ministry of Health and Welfare(HMP-00-OO-04-0004), and the Brain Korea 21 Project from Korean Ministry of Education, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.35-47
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• 2003

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of the Oriental medical treatment using He-Ne laser with low energy intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood(ILIB) through the superficial venules. Methods : The investigation of details connected with the superficial venules in the literature is performed. The investigation of details connected with the pricking blood techniques through the superficial venules in the literature is performed. The classification of the pricking blood techniques through the superficial venules by the blood-letting puncture methods in the literature is performed. The arrangement of domestic clinical treatises on the effectiveness of medical treatment using He-Ne laser with low energy ILIB through the superficial venules is performed. The consideration on the methodology for the improvement of the clinical effectiveness of He-Ne laser with low energy ILIB through superficial venules is performed. Results and Conclusions : The superficial venules are small arteries, veins and capillaries in the superficial region of the human body. In the pricking blood techniques, there are the blood-letting puncture using the implement of acupuncture to the Jing points, Extra points and superficial blood vessels and the acupuncture using the Hirudo. The methods of the blood-letting puncture are classified into the venous blood-letting puncture, the pricking , the picking out white fiber-like substances from the subcutaneous tissue, the cluster needling, the scattered needling, the blood-letting puncture of the tready collateral branch of the large channel and the blood-letting puncture of skin. The He-Ne laser with low energy ILIB through the superficial venules belongs to the Oriental medical treatment as the method of the blood-letting puncture in the vein of cubital fossa. The He-Ne laser with low energy ILIB has an effect on hyperfibrinogenemia, hyperlipidemia, speech and motor dysfunction in the case of cerebral infarction, headache, dizziness, pain and numbness. It is considered that fundamental research on the biological change of the human body, the experimental animal and the unicellular animal, and research on the effectiveness and the safety, and the development of He-Ne laser with low energy ILIB of an effective wavelength range are necessary.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.61-80
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• 2003

Objectives : Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been used to prevent and treat the cerebrovascular accident, such as a stroke, and many studies of acupuncture and moxibustion concerning to the stroke have been undertaken in the human and various animals. Recently, the new therapeutic tool, that is herbal acupuncture, has been developed since the 1950' and applied to various diseases including the cerebrovascular accident. The main characteristics of herbal acupuncture are a combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine. It was not well known the therapeutic effect and the mechanism of herbal acupuncture on transient forebrain ischemic injury, although it has been used frequently in clinics. Methods : In this study, effects of folium Artemisiae Argyi and moxa tar' herbal acupuncture on the $GV_{20}$, named Baek-Hue, on neuroprotection after the transient forebrain ischemia were investigated in Sprague-Dawely rats. Expressions of cFos, FosB and BDNF protein in the hippocampus and cortex were observed at 2 hrs and 48 hrs after transient forebrain ischemia by immunohis- tochemistry and ELISA technique. Results : Expression of cFos protein was increased slightly in the hippocampus and cortex at 2 hrs after transient forebrain ischemia, but FosB protein was increased highly comparing to cFos protein. However, pretreatment with folium Artemisiae Argyi or moxa tar' herbal acupuncture on $GV_{20}$ significantly increased expression of cFos protein and significantly decreased expression of FosB protein compared to control group, respectively. These features were observed in the motor cortex and retrosplenial granular cortex as well as the hippocampus. Also, pretreatment with folium Artemisiae Argyi and moxa tar' herbal acupuncture on$GV_{20}$ significantly increased the expression of BDNF protein in the hippocampus and the cortex compared to control group at 48 hrs after transient forebrain ischemia, respectively. Conclusions : These results suggest that pretreatment with folium Artemisiae Argyi or moxa tar' herbal acupuncture on $GV_{20}$ has neuroprotective effect on transient forebrain ischemia and theherbal acupuncture on $GV_{20}$ may be related to antioxidative function.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.59-76
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• 2004

Objectives : The usage of acupuncture has gained popularity for certain chronic pain conditions. However, the efficacy of acupuncture in various diseases has not been fully established and the underlying mechanism is not clearly understood. In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) applied to yangno$(SI_6)$ on the neuropathic pain was examined. Methods : A common source of persistent pain in human is a neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain was induced by tight ligation of L5 spinal nerve. When rats developed pain behaviors, EA was applied for 30 min. under enflurane anesthesia with repeated train stimuli at the intensity of 10X of muscle twitch threshold. The foot withdraw latency of the hind limb was measured for an indicator of pain level after each manipulation. Results : EA increased the mechanical threshold of the foot in the rat model of neuropathic pain significantly for the duration of 1 hr. suggesting a partial alleviation of pain. EA applied to SI6 point produced a significant improvement of mechanical sensitivity of the foot lasting for at least 1 h. However, $ST_{36}$ point did not produce any significant increase of mechanical sensitivity. The improvement of mechanical threshold was interpreted as an analgesic effect. The analgesic effort was specific to the acupuncture point since the analgesic effect on the neuropathic pain model could not be mimicked by EA applied to a point, $ST_{36}$. In addition, this analgesic effect of EA is mediated by a adrenergic mechanism of descending control of spinal cord from the brain. Conclusions : The data suggest that EA produces a potent analgesic effect on the neuropathic pain model in the rat; and 2) that EA-induced analgesia is mediated by a adrenergic mechanism of descending control in a point specific manner.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.21-38
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• 2004

Objectives : Moxibustion has been become very useful tool to prevent and treat various diseases with acupuncture in oriental medicine. Expecially, moxibustion combining the heat stimulation and chemical stimulation of Artemisiae Argyi has a non-invasive characteristics comparing to the other therapeutic tools. However, because the moxibustion makes the patient's skin be burn by the combustible feature of moxibustion, most of people have been scared of being scald. Methods : In this study, we have developed new non-combustible moxibustion tools in collaboration with company (Hana Medical, co. and ICURE, co.) and tested the efficacy through effects of moxibustion of Cheon-chu $(ST_{25})$ on the abdominal thermography of health subject. The non-combustible moxibustion has main characteristics of controlled heating to inhibit being scald and heat stimulation lasting over 1 hrs. Also, to induce the chemical stimulation, the bottom contacting with skin was coated by the extract of artemisiae argyi. The volunteers who participating in this study had taken rest for 20 - 30 mins in room temperature $(23-25^{\circ}C)$ before the examination and informed them what to prohibit smoking, drinking and administration of drug for the previous day The thermography of abdomen including a below part of the chest was taken using Infra-Red Imaging System (IR 2000, MEDI-CORE Co., Korea) by time interval of 15 minutes. Results : The results showed that moxibustion of Cheon-chu $(ST_{25})$ had more potencies of changes on all the ROIs of abdominal thermography than those of control group. Also, it was observed that the quantities of thermal changes following moxibustion of Cheon-chu $(ST_{25})$ been increased significantly comparing that of control group at all the ROIs (region of interest). Observed the thermography classified by ROI, however, moxibustion of Cheon-chu $(ST_{25})$ could modulate ipsilateral specific areas concerning to the abdominal pathway of Stomach Meridian. Conclusion : These results suggest that new non-combustible moxibusion has some similarity as like as the conventional moxibustion and moxibustion of Cheon-chu $(ST_{25})$ may modulate thermal changes of abdominal areas.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the effect acupuncture by needle manipulation at acupoints, SP3 HT7, on the blood pressure and renin and atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) in plasma, cardiac hypertrophy in hypertensive rats induced by two kidney one clip (2K1C). Materials and Methods : The experiments were performed on twenty-five Sprague Dawley rats, 2K1C hypertension model was prepared by constricting the left renal artery with a sliver clip. Animals were divided into five groups, control, AC-1a and AC-2a(acupuncture at SP3 HT7 bilaterally and the needle was twirled and rotated forward with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand 6 times), AC-3a(acupuncture at SP3 HT7 bilaterally and the needle was inserted in the opposite direction(body direction) as the channel runs), AC-4a(acupuncture at SP3 HT7 bilaterally and the needle was inserted in the opposite direction(body direction) as the channel runs and the needle was twirled and rotated forward with the forefinger of the right hand 6 times). The treatments were started on the 4 week after inducing 2K1C, and they were performed two times a week for 3 weeks in rats. Results : The results are that The blood pressure was significantly decreased at 4 times in Acu-1a, The cardiac hypertrophy was significantly decrease in Acu-2a and Acu-3a. The activity of plasma renin was decreased in all groups without control and Acu-1a, and that of plasma ANP was decrease in Acu-2a and Acu-3a than control group. Conclusions : These results suggest that acupuncture on SP3 HT7 mostly cause significant changes on controlling renal hypertension induced by 2K1C in the rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.59-75
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• 2011

Objectives : The Aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of male and female patients who have been suffered from headaches. The investigation was undertaken based on Qi-section(Methods of prescribing oriental herbal medicine) from DongEuiBoGam(東醫寶鑑). Methods: A statistical survey was conducted to compare the difference in clinical characteristics between male and female patients experiencing headaches. Oriental medical Diagnosis was used to classify all parients under the following categories Qi-deficiency (氣虛), Jing-dificiency (精虛), Food-stagnation (食積), Damp-accumulation (痰飮), Qi-stagnation (氣滯). Patients were treated using acupuncture therapy and herbal medicines. Results : 1. The ratio between male and female patients was about 1:3. 2. It showed that periods of illness were longer in female patients than in male patients. 3. The total number of treatments received was higher in female patients than in male patients. 4. Statistically, most female patients had Metopodynia and Migraines(Rt.), while male patients suffered mostly from Laryngalgia. 5. Male patients had feelings of strain in the head and female patients had splitting headaches. 6. Musculo-skeletal System and General Symptoms were frequently observed in male patients. Digestive System and Nervous System were frequently observed in female patients. 7. Results from oriental medical Diagnosis showed that male patients mostly had Qi-deficiency, ling-deficiency while the majority of female patients had Food-stagnation, Damp-accumulation, Qi-stagnation. 8. The recovery time for male patients was shorter than it was for female patients. The recurrence rate of the headaches were higher for female patients. Prognosis was better than in female patients in comparison to male patients. Conclusions : The statistical survey conducted was based on Qi-section of DongEuiBoGam. It had significant differences in clinical characteristics between male & femal patients.