• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.655-659
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• 2007

Purpose : The aim of this study was to document the causes of chronic abdominal pain in children referred to a hospital setting and evaluate the frequency and characteristics of functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) classified by Rome III criteria. Methods : One hundred thirty two patients with chronic abdominal pain were evaluated. Examinations were performed in order to find organic causes in patients when organic disease was suspected. Results : Among the 132 patients, 20 patients (15.2%) had organic diseases and 112 patients (84.8%) were diagnosed as having FGIDs. Functional dyspepsia was the most common cause of FGIDs, followed by irritable bowel syndrome. Overlap of some FGIDs was observed in seven patients (5.3%). Conclusion : FGIDs are the main causes of chronic abdominal pain in children and functional dyspepsia was the most prevalent disorder.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 2014

Dried Citrus unshiu peels (Aurantii Nobilis Pericarpium; ANP) are used as a traditional folk medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders in East Asia, including Korea. In the present study, an ethanolic extract of ANP (ANP-E) exhibited no significant toxicity in mice, even at an oral dose of 5 g/kg. The effects of ANP-E on GI motor function were investigated by measuring the intestinal transit rate (ITR) of Evans blue in normal mice and mice with experimental GI motility dysfunction (i.e., peritoneal irritation by acetic acid; PIA). In normal mice, ANP-E significantly increased the ITR in a dose-dependent manner. The ITR in the PIA mice was significantly retarded compared to that in the normal mice. However, ANP-E significantly inhibited this retardation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in all the models, the potency of ANP-E appeared to be same or higher than that of cisapride, which was used predominantly for the treatment of various GI motility disorders in humans in the 1900s but was removed from the market in 2000 due to fatal side effects. The results suggest that ANP-E has potential as a new prokinetic agent that could be used as a substitute for cisapride.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.130-141
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• 2002

Objectives : Stress induces alteration of gastrointestinal function in which interleukin (IL) and hypothalamo-pituitary-axis are involved. Depression again is associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) and interleukins. The author attempted to look into the role of interleukins in the FGID also the association of depression and stress in this context. Methods : Entered were 20 patients with FGID, diagnosed by Rome IT criteria and 20 healthy controls. Depression was measured by Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), and stress of the last one year by Schedule of Recent Experience (SRE). Serum levels of IL-$1\beta$, IL-2, IL-6 were measured by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay and serum cortisol by Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay. The results were as follows : Results: 1) Serum levels of IL-$1\beta$, IL-2 were significantly lower in the patients with FGID than those in the controls, but level of IL-6 did not differ between two groups. 2) The patient group showed significantly higher level of serum cortisol as well as higher degrees of depression and stress. 3) Positive correlation was noted between depression and serum cortisol, and between depression and IL-2. A trend of negative correlation was seen between depression IL-$1\beta$. Positive correlation was noted between SRE and IL-6 and IL-6 and serum cortisol. Conclusions : It was concluded that FGID might be related to depression and stress. Changes of the interleukins might be involved with elevated cortisol level.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1253-1258
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• 2016

Although major advances have been achieved in our understanding and treatment of diseases in many areas of medicine, relatively few improvements have been made in the area of gastrointestinal (GI) motor function. The dried root of Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. (CP) has been used as a traditional folk medicine for improving poor GI function in East Asia, including China and Korea. In the present study, neither aqueous (CP-W) nor ethanolic (CP-E) extracts of CP showed significant toxicity, even at an oral dose of 5 g/kg to mice. The effects of CP-W and CP-E on GI motor function were investigated by measuring in vivo the gastric emptying rate (GER) and intestinal transit rate (ITR) in mice. In normal mice, the ITR was significantly increased by CP-W in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the GER was not significantly affected by any CP extracts. The ITR was significantly retarded in the mice with experimental GI motility dysfunction (i.e., peritoneal irritation by acetic acid) compared with that in normal mice. However, the retardation was significantly recovered by the pre-treatment of CP-W in a dose-dependent manner. The above results suggest that CP-W might be a potential prokinetic agent preventing or alleviating GI motility dysfunctions in human patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.120-132
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• 2009

Purpose: We diagnosed pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders in Korean children and adolescents using Rome III criteria and investigated the clinical validity of QPGS-Rome III. Methods: Diagnosis based on QPGS was compared with the physician's diagnosis based on Rome III criteria. One hundred and thirty eight children and their parents completed the QPGS. Agreement rates were measured using Kappa method. Results: In physician's diagnoses, the most prevalent disorders were functional dyspepsia (39.1%), irritable bowel syndrome (38.4%), and functional abdominal pain (18.8%). Among QPGS based diagnoses, the most prevalent disorders were irritable bowel syndrome (39.1%), functional dyspepsia (29.7%), and functional abdominal pain (21.7%). The agreement rate was substantial (${\kappa}$=0.72, p=0.00). Diagnostic disagreements probably resulted from different patient responses to bowel movement form and bowel frequency. Conclusion: Functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, and functional abdominal pain were the most common disorders by Rome III criteria in the Korean pediatric and adolescent patients. The agreement rate between physician's diagnoses and QPGS based diagnoses supported the validity of the QPGS-Rome III in Korean pediatric and adolescent patients. QPGS seems to be useful in diagnosis of patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders by Rome III criteria.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 2012

The pathophysiology of functional gastrointestinal disorder(FGID) is not completely understood, but the importance of the 'Brain-Gut Axis(BGA)' model in FGID is being increasingly recognized. The BGA model is a bidirectional, hard-wired and homeostatic relationship between the central nervous system(CNS) and the enteric nervous system(ENS) via neural, neurohormonal and neuroimmunological pathways. In addition, the BGA model would provide a rationale for the use of psychotropics on FGID. The authors experienced two cases in which duloxetine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, was effective in relieving FGID symptoms as well as psychiatric symptoms such as depression and hypochondriacal anxiety. Therefore we discuss the vignettes from the perspective of BGA theory. Duloxetine showed efficacy in these two patients by reducing visceral hypersensivity (bottom-up regulation) and by relieving depression and anxiety(top-down regulation).

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.145-158
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• 1999

Objective : To observe Sagunjatanghapchangchuljiyutang in rectifying the digestive dysfunctional spleen deficiency syndrome caused by chronic diarrhea. Methods : Sagunjatanghapchangchuljiyutang was chosen to treat the digestive dysfunctional spleen deficiency syndrome caused by chronic diarrhea. The model was induced by Rhei Radix and castor oil. The effects on the gastric secretion ability(gastrin, secretin, volume of gastric juice, free acidity, total acidity, pepsin activity) and nutritional condition(protein, albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, total lipid, BUN, creatinine, RBC, WBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit) were observed in vivo. Results : The group induced chronic diarrhea by Rhei Radix and castor oil had lower gastric secretion ability and nutritional condition was lower than that of the normal group. The figures for group given Sagunjatanghapchangchuljiyutang showed improvement, especially gastrin, total lipid and hematocrit. Conclusion : Sagunjatanghapchangchuljiyutang have an effect on the digestive dysfunctional spleen deficiency syndrome caused by chronic diarrhea. And experimental study syndrome could be proceed.

• The Monthly Diabetes
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• s.256
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• pp.34-35
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• 2011

대부분의 환자들이 당뇨합병증으로 위나 장의 기능에 문제가 생겨 위장장애가 발생한다는 사실을 모르는 경우가 많다. 당뇨병과 동반된 위장관질환은 전체 당뇨인의 약 10~35%에서 나타날 만큼 매우 흔하며 고혈당에 의한 위장관계 자율신경 합병증에 의해 발생한다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.37-38
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• 2003

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2009

Purpose: Chronic abdominal pain is a common complaint encountered in pediatric clinics. This study aimed to investigate chronic functional abdominal pain in Korean children and adolescents by applying the Rome III criteria. Methods: A prospective study on chronic abdominal pain in 194 patients was conducted between July 2006 and August 2007. The parents of the subjects were asked to respond to a questionnaire based on the Rome III criteria. These responses were evaluated by pediatricians, and subsequently, the patients were clinically evaluated. Results: On the basis of the results of the medical evaluation, 167 of the 194 patients (86.1%) were diagnosed with functional gastrointestinal disorders, i.e., no organic causes of chronic abdominal pain were detected during the medical evaluation. Of these 167 patients, 89.8% of the patients satisfied one of the Rome III criteria, while 10.2% of the patients did not satisfy any of the Rome III criteria for chronic abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (functional dyspepsia, 29.3%; irritable bowel syndrome, 25.7%; abdominal migraine, 7.8%; childhood functional abdominal pain, 27.0%; and childhood functional abdominal pain syndrome, 12.6%). Compared to other symptom subtypes, children with childhood functional abdominal pain experienced an earlier onset and a shorter duration of symptoms. Conclusion: The Rome III criteria are more comprehensive; the use of these criteria will provide more accurate information and better diagnoses for children and adolescents with chronic abdominal pain.