• Journal of Life Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 1995

Alcoholic liver disease is defined by the development of three types of liver damage following chronic heavy alcohol consumption, namely, alcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis, The clinical features and laboratory tests often do not distinguish among these types of liver injuries. In addition, a considerable number of the patients who have clinical and laboratory features compatible with alcoholic liver disease are diagnosed on liver biopsy to have chronic viral hepatitis or other lesion. Because of these factors, liver biopsy is frequently needed to arrive a definite diagnosis of the disease, its activity, and its chronicity. Fatty liver is usually a benign and reverible condition that disappears on abstinence from alcohol. However, alcoholic hepatitis is usually regarded as a precursor of cirrhosis. The principle factors in the development of alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis are the quantity and length of ingestion of alcohol. women are much more susceptible than men to hepatic injuries. Since only 10 - 20% of alcoholics develop cirrhosis, however, it is conceivable that other factors, either genetic, environmental, or nutritional may contribute in the genesis of liver injuries. The most important factor in the treatment of alcoholic liver disease is prolonzed abstinence from alcohol, since abstinence by itself improves clinical status and survival, Nutritional support in patients with nutritional deficiency, and specific drug therapies such as corticosteroid or anabolic steroids for hospitaliged patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis also play an important role in devreasing morbidity and improving survival. Liver transplantation is a newer treatment modality in the patients with advanced cirrhosis, not responsible to medical treatment.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effectiveness of Korean medicine, especially Galhwahajung-tang and Yijintang-gamibang on patient with acute alcoholic hepatitis and renal dysfunction. The patient in this case had suffered from pantalgia and dizziness with nausea. He was diagnosed as acute alcoholic hepatitis. Based on related symptoms and blood-test, we could diagnose acute alcoholic hepatitis. We treated him with Korean medicine, involving herbal decoction, acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. We used visual analogue scale and blood-test for assessment. After 31 days of treatment, the pantalgia and dizziness with nausea were disappeared and liver function test was in the normal range. According to this study, Korean medicine, including Galhwahajung-tang and Yijintang-gamibang are an effective treatment for the cure of acute alcoholic hepatitis with renal dysfunction which occurs on crapulence.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.345-351
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• 2010

Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute and severe liver disease associated with high mortality rate. This study was conducted to develop the instrument of criterion for symptoms improvement after temperance. We made the symptoms improvement questionnaire for alcoholic hepatitis patients through reviewing traditional oriental medical literatures and got advices from the advisor committee with delphi technique. The advisor committee on this study was organized by 10 professors of internal medicine of oriental medical colleges nationwide. The questionnaire was composed of questions about 10 symptoms - fatigue, pain, anorexia, abdominal bloat, heaviness of the body, itch, nausea, sleep, dryness in the mouth and stools. We named it Alcoholic Hepatitis Symptoms Improvement Questionnaire(AHSIQ). We surveyed 65 male alcoholic hepatitis patients and checked liver function profile and AHSIQ before and after temperance four times for six weeks. As a result of factor analysis the scales of AHSIQ had content validity and construct validity. And internal consistency reliability was good(Cronbach's alpha=0.768-0.871). The total scale scores were statistically significant in gamma-GTP related validity. We suggest that AHSIQ would be effective for measuring symptoms improvement degree in alcoholic hepatitis patients through further investigations with larger clinical trials.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.444-455
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to report a case of alcoholic hepatitis with megaloblastic anemia that improved with Korean medicine treatment. Methods: A 27-year-old woman with alcoholic hepatitis and megaloblastic anemia was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. The responses before and after treatment were evaluated using blood tests, ultrasound imaging, the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS), and the numerical rating scale (NRS). Results: Post-treatment, blood tests showed improved liver function test, lipid test, and anemia work-up. Ultrasound imaging showed improvement in the superoinferior diameter of right lobe, from 13.02 to 11.09, and the fatty liver improved. The CIS score decreased from 107 to 55. Fatigue diminished from NRS 10 to NRS 3, and dizziness dropped from NRS 5 to NRS 1. The abdominal distension slightly decreased, from NRS 7 to NRS 5. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment might be effective for treating alcoholic hepatitis with megaloblastic anemia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.958-963
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• 2009

I Alcoholic hepatitis is a serious liver disease that may lead to cirrhosis and carcinoma, and the short-term mortality rate is fairly high in severe patients. This study was conducted to develop the instrument of pattern identification for alcoholic hepatitis. We made the pattern identification questionnaire and symptoms indicator through reviewing traditional oriental medical literatures and got advices from the advisor committee with Delphi technique. The advisor committee on this study was organized by 10 professors of internal medicine of oriental medical colleges nationwide. The questionnaire was composed of questions about 6 pattern identification - dampness, heat, liver, spleen, cold and dryness. We gave importance to each symptoms of 6 pattern identification which had been scored on a 5-point scale. We surveyed two groups: 36 male alcoholic hepatitis patients whose Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test(AUDIT) scores were over 12 and who drank alcohol over 40 g per day were allocated to the hepatitis group. Forty three men who did not drink alcohol were allocated to the normal group. Alcoholic hepatitis had relativities to dampness, heat among cause of disease and liver, spleen among viscera. There were statistical significances between the hepatitis group and the normal group in dampness, heat, liver questionnaire. As a result of this study we suggest that the questionnaire would be effective instruments of pattern identification for alcoholic hepatitis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.823-837
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• 2024

Objectives: This case report aims to present the long-term clinical progression of a patient diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, which subsequently advanced to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma over a 15-year period. The report highlights the impact of continued alcohol consumption on the progression of alcoholic liver disease and provides a clinical analysis of the course of the disease. Methods: A single patient diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis was analyzed retrospectively. The patient was treated with both traditional Korean medicine and conventional medicine over multiple hospitalizations between 2012 and 2021. Clinical outcomes were monitored through blood chemistry, imaging studies, and Child-Pugh scores. Results: Despite consistent treatment, the patient's continued alcohol consumption accelerated the progression from alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis and, eventually, hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient's condition remained classified as Child-Pugh B throughout the follow-up, and he ultimately expired in 2023. Conclusion: This case emphasizes that alcohol cessation is crucial in preventing the rapid progression from alcoholic hepatitis to liver cancer. Early detection through noninvasive fibrosis tests such as FibroScan, proactive management of complications, and the use of prognostic tools such as Maddrey Discriminant function (MDF), in addition to patient education, are essential for better outcomes.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.291-298
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• 2001

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the effects that Injinsugunomija Extract affected Liver function test of Alcoholic liver disease and Viral hepatitis patients. Methods: We adminstered eighty packets of Injinsugunomija Extract to some kinds of liver disease patients for one month. And we investigated the changes of their liver function test. Results: The results from this study were summarized as followed. In the 10 patients of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD), 3 cases improve prominent and 4 cases improve effective and 3 cases are ineffective. Then 70% 01 ALD patients has improved by Injinsugunomija Extract In the 9 patients of Viral hepatitis, 1 case improves prominent and 4 cases improve effective and 1 case become worse and 1 case become worst and 2 cases are ineffective. Then 55.6% of Viral hepatitis patients has improved by Injinsugunomija Extract. Conclusions: From these results, Injinsugunomija Extract showed the meaningful effects on improving liver function test of ALD patients and Viral hepatitis patients.

• Korean Journal of Family Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.360-363
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• 2018

Background: Acute alcoholic intoxication patients (AAIP) are a common public health problem. The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive laboratory analysis for these patients to investigate the co-morbid medical problem. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed laboratory findings of AAIP who were transferred to the emergency department (ED) from January 2017 to June 2017. Results: A total of 160 male patients were enrolled. Sixteen patients (16/160, 10.0%) and three patients (3/160, 1.9%) had macrocytic anemia and microcytic anemia, respectively. A total of 33 patients (33/160, 20.6%) showed thrombocytopenia ($<150{\times}10^9/L$). Twelve patients (12/159, 7.5%) showed low serum albumin level (<3.5 g/dL). Three patients (3/160, 1.9%) had chronic kidney disease stages 3-4 based on estimated glomerular filtration rate. Six patients (6/27, 22.2%) had high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level (>7.0%). Positive rates of hepatitis B surface antigen and antiHBs antibody (anti-HBs Ab) were 3.5% (5/141) and 49.0% (68/141), respectively. Conclusion: Patients with AAIP who were transferred to ED had various laboratory abnormalities (anemia, thrombocytopenia, high HbA1c). They had low positive rate of anti-HBs Ab. This might be a public health problem, suggesting the need of hepatitis B virus vaccination program for AAIP. Our data suggest the need of further nationwide studies.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 1990

In order to study the effect on liver diseases, Saenggan-tang has been applied to 26 patients of chronic hepatitis, 9 patients of liver cirrhosis, 5 patients of acute hepatitis, 8 patients of alcoholic liver diseases, 1 patient of hepatoma total 49 patients visiting the first internal medicine department of the hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University. The Saenggan-tang was taken every 4 weeks (ecept acute hepatitis every 2 weeks). 1. Saenggan-tang had decrease on activity of SGOTF SGPT, with the passage of time, 4, 8, and 12 weeks, showing statistically significant effect. 2. Saenggan-tang revealed sharp decrease on levels of total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase no showing significance in relation to a few cases 3. Serum protein total and albumin levels were in normal limit before or after Saenggan-tang treatment 4. Triglyceride level was lowered remarkably after Saenggan-tang treatment, showing significance in alcoholic liver disease group whereas no significance in chornic hepatitis Judging from above results, it is proved that Saenggan-tang has curative effect of liver diseases such as acute, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, alcobolic liver diseases and so on.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.450-455
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• 2017

Chronic liver disease, one of the most common diseases, typically arises from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, there is a pressing need for improved treatment strategies. Korean Red Ginseng has been known to have positive effects on liver disease and liver function. In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge on the beneficial effects of Korean Red Ginseng on chronic liver disease, a condition encompassing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, as supported by experimental evaluation and clinical investigation.