• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.11-23
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• 2003

Objective: In this study, the analgesic effect of gold injection aqua-acupuncture on CFA induced arthritis in rats was inverstigated. Furthermore, to determine the antinociceptive mechanism of gold injection aqua-acupuncture, naloxone and yohimbine were administrated intraperitoneally 15min prior to the gold injection aqua-acupuncture. Methods: The experimental groups were divided into 6 groups. Control group, NSI, AMI, AMI+SL : AMI+Nx, AMI+Yb. Thereafter we measured the chages of TFL between control and experimental groups. Results: 1. The tail flick latency induced by CFA was significantly increased on AMI as compared with the NSI group. 2. Effect of sodium aurothiomalate aqua-acupuncture in TFL on CFA was decreased after application of naloxone. The anti-nociceptive effect of AMI was completely antagonized by naloxone(an opioid receptor antagonist). 3. Effect of sodium aurothiomalate aqua-acupuncture in TFL on CFA was decreased after application of yohimbine. The anti-nociceptive effect of AMI was completely antagonized by yohimbine(${\alpha}2$-adrenoceptor antagonist). Conclusions: According to the results, gold injection aqua-acupuncture has significant analgesic effects on adjuvant induced arthritis in rats and the effect of anti-nociception was mediated by opiodergic system and ${\alpha}2$-adrenergic system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.23-35
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• 2005

Objective : The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on ST36 to modulate immune reaction in BALB/c mice immunized intraperitoneally with 2,4-dinitrophenylated keyhole limpet protein(DNP-KLH). Methods : Experimental mice were divided into four groups : 1) Normal group was not performed by any operation. 2) IM(Immunized) group was immunized intraperitoneally with DNP-KLH and aluminum hydroxide without electro-acupunture stimulation. 3) IM-EA(immunized-elctro- acupuncture) group was performed by successive electro-acupuncture on the ST36 acupoint after immunization. 4) IM-NA(immunized-naloxone) group was performed by immunization and electro-acupuncture with same method, but naloxone was injected intraperitoneally 30 minutes before eletro-acupuncture to inhibit the opiate receptor in spleen. Serum total immunoglobulin I(IgE) and antigen-specific IgE was measured in each group. The expression of interferon-${\gamma}$ and interleukin-4 mRNA in spleen was researched by real-time RT-PCR Results : Serum total-IgE and antigen-specific IgE were significantly decreased only in IM-EA group. The expression of interleukin-4 in spleen cell was significantly reduced not only in IM-EA group, but also in IM-EA group. Conclusions : Above results indicate that the mechanism of immunomodulatory effect of electro-acupuncture is related to opioid system especially in B-cell immune reaction. Further research on the T-cell immunity is necessary to explain the mechanism of immunomodulatory effect of electro-acupuncture.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.121-132
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the prevention of pre- or syncope by acupuncture of "Geum Chim Mae Hwa Si Cho" Methods : 1. The authors reviewed "Geum Chim Mae Hwa Si Cho" and several literatures related with pre- or syncope by acupuncture. 2. We investigated the causes and signs of pre- or syncope by acupuncture, and the mechanism and clinical usefulness of the prevention of pre- or syncope by acupuncture. Results and Conclusions : 1. Pre- or syncope by acupuncture is a kind of Myung Hyun phenomenon resulted from patients' failure of reception of acupuncture treatment. 2. "Geum Chim Mae Hwa Si Cho" said not to be confused by pre- or syncope, and suggested 8 items for prevention of pre- or syncope by acupuncture. 3. "Geum Chim Mae Hwa Si Cho" especially argued to give doctor's whole mind to patients, and relax the mental tension of patients. 4. Yang Myoung meridian occupies the biggest part in acupoints used for the first aid.

• 경락경혈학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2006

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2003

Backgrounds : It has been investigated about ageing theory. However, ageing mechanism still remains to be unknown. Since Harman proposes that ageing and ageing related diseases might be due to oxidative damage and these are modifiable by genetic and environmental factors. For designing an optimal nutritional countermeasure against ageing and ageing related disease, it is necessary to understand the ageing mechanism and other reactive species. Objectives : Schizandra Chinesis has been clinically used to treat brain disease, respiratory or inflammatory disease etc. in Oriental medicine. The purpose of this study is to investigate the scavenging effect of Schizandrae Fructus herbal-acupuncture solution(SFHA) on NO, DPPH and IL-4. Results : The results are summarized as follows; (1) There is a significant scavenging effect of SFHA on NO in 0.1, 1, 10mg/ml group after 24hrs. (2) There is a significant scavenging effect of SFHA on DPPH in 1, $10{\mu}g/ml$ group. (3) There is a significant inhibitory effect of SFHA on IL-4 in 1, 10, $100{\mu}g/ml$ group. Conclusions : These findings indicate that SFHA can be used as antioxidant or antiimflammatory drug. But further study is needed about the effect of SFHA.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2006

Objectives : Human chondrocytes co-treated with Buthus martensi Karsch herbal acupuncture solution(BMK-HAS) extract produced significantly less NO compared with chondrocytes stimulated with $IL-1{\beta}$ alone Methods : Activation and translocation of and NF-kB DNA binding activity were determined by Western blotting and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results : The inhibition of NO production correlated with the suppression of induction and expression of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) and activation protein-1 (AP-1)-dependent gene. BMK-HAS inhibited the activation and translocation of NF-kB to the nucleus, indicating that BMK-HAS inhibits the $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ production of NO in human chondrocytes by interfering with the activation of NF-kB through a novel mechanism. In addition, BMK-HAS reduced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)production in mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, whereas no influence on the activity of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) or cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) was observed. My data, therefore, suggest that BMK-HAS may be a therapeutically effective inhibitor of $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ inflammatory effects that are dependent on NF-kB activation in human OA chondrocytes. Conclusion : The results indicate that BMK-HAS exerts anti-inflammatory effects related to the inhibition of neutrophil functions and of NO and PGE2 production, which could be due to a decreased expression of iNOS and COX-2 through the transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2010

Objectives : This study will broaden understanding of acupotomy therapy through comparison of side effects and complication which can be caused by the mechanism of treatment, surgical methods, and procedure by acupotomy therapy and epidural neuroplasty. Moreover, through an in-depth analysis of headache affected by two procedures, this research is supposed to find prospective cures for headache after acupotomy therapy. Methods : To compare acupotomy therapy with epidural neuroplasty this research was done using a comparative analysis eight theses about acupotomy therapy since 1995, as well as eleven theses about epidural neuroplasty since 2000. Other theses and data were used as references in the process of comparative analysis. Results : Acupotomy therapy and epidural neuroplasty, new treatments of damaged discs in the spine and stenosis made in 1990s, have the mechanism of treatment in common in that adhesion, a node or scar caused by the soft tissue damage is removed by putting catheter or acupuncture into the lesions. Epidural neuroplasty has additional injection into the lesions, which is different from acupotomy therapy in the process of surgical procedure. There are various reports of positive effects about curative effect in these two treatments. The two procedures may cause various complications. Headache may be a complication after surgery. The headache after acupotomy therapy is characterized as being an ache in the body, which is similar to that of post-dural puncture headache in the outbreaks and symptom. Headache after percutaneous epidural neuroplasty appears in general, which is similar to a headache as a result of the increased pressure of the brain spinal cord regardless of posture. Conclusions : Although they are alike in the mechanism of treatment, surgical methods and side effects, and complication after they are carried out as a result of analyzing theses related to acupotomy therapy and percutaneous epidural neuroplasty, there is a difference in aspects and mechanism of headaches experienced after the procedure.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2006

Objectives : Deer antler Herbal-Acupuncture (DHA) solution represents one of the most commonly used medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis. But, mechanisms of its antiarthritic activities are still poorly understood. Identification of common DHA aqua-acupuncture capable of affording protection or modulating the onset and severity of arthritis may have important human health implications. Results : We determined if DHA could prevent the binding of $IL-1{\beta}$ to its cellular receptors. DHA addition to rat chondrocytes treated with $IL-1{\beta}$ or with reactive oxygen species(ROS) prevents the activation of proteoglycan synthesis. After treatment with $IL-1{\beta}$, DHA increased the expression of mRNA encoding the type II $IL-1{\beta}$ receptor. These results emphasize the potential role of two regulating proteins of the $IL-1{\beta}$ signaling pathway that could account for the beneficial effect of DHA in osteRArthritis. The present study also identifies a novel mechanism of DHA-mediated anti-inflammatory activity. Conclusion : It is shown that DHA inhibits both $IL-1{\beta}-$ and $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ NO production in normal human articular chondrocytes. The observed suppression of IL-1-induced NO production is associated with inhibition of inducible NO synthase(iNOS) mRNA and protein expression. In addition, DHA also suppresses the production of IL-1-induced cyclooxygenase-2 and IL-6. The constitutively expressed cyclooxygenase-1, however, was not affected by the sugar. These results demonstrate that DHA expresses a unique range of activities and identifies a novel mechanism for the inhibition of inflammatory processes.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.208-221
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to investigate the current status of clinical studies of acupuncture treatment for depression using neuroimaging method, focusing on SCI papers. Methods: We searched for clinical trial studies of acupuncture treatment for depression using neuroimaging method in the MEDLINE (Pubmed), OASIS, and RISS database. Once the online search was finished, studies were selected manually by the inclusion criteria. Finally, we analyzed the characteristics of selected articles and reviewed the neural substrates of acupuncture treatment in depression. Results: Total eight studies were included in this study. The most frequently utilized modality was functional MRI. The most frequently selected acupoint for depression was GV20. Several studies revealed that acupuncture treatment could improve the symptoms of depression. In this manuscript, we demonstrated that neuroimaging techniques could capture the neural substrates associated with depression and acupuncture treatment may modulate the activation of brain areas which were impaired in depression in a different way from sham acupuncture. Conclusions: Utilizing neuroimaging methods to explore neural mechanism of acupuncture treatment on depression would be helpful in clinical trials and more efforts should be needed in this fields.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.329-343
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• 2023

Recently, acupuncture has demonstrated extraordinary clinical results in the treatment of several categories of health conditions worldwide. The mechanisms of action of acupuncture (including immune mechanisms) have been investigated by biomedical studies over the last few decades. The immune mechanisms of representative clinical conditions and their clinical effects were thoroughly assessed, with a comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms of action of acupuncture (including immune responses) in this study. Conditions such as stroke, migraine, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, lower back pain, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, sepsis, and allergic diseases were meticulously examined. This in-depth analysis aims to ensure a foundational understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in acupuncture, thereby serving as an initial step toward integrating the impact of acupuncture on the immune system.