• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the treatment pattern of patients with neuropathic pain (NeP) in Korea through computerized database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS) over three years' period from 2003 to 2005. The results showed that the numbers of treatment visits were the highest for diabetic neuropathy (DN), followed by postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in order. Top 3 specialties for treatment visits due to NeP conditions were neurology, neurosurgery and anesthesiology. While cost of a treatment visit was higher in anesthesiology and emergency clinics compared to other clinics, there was a tendency to increase costs for visits to clinics of rehabilitation medicine and family medicine over the three years. Cost of dental visits was relatively high for TN, atypical facial pain (AFP) and atypical odontalgia (AO). Surgeries frequently applied to patients with NeP were sympathetic plexus or ganglion block, block of peripheral branch of spinal nerve and cranial nerve or its peripheral branch block. Most common prescribed medication were anticonvulsants, anti-inflammatory analgesics and anti-psychotic drugs while anti-inflammatory analgesics were overwhelmingly frequently prescribed for AO and glossodynia. Based on the results of this study, NeP disorders more relevant to dentists were AO, TN and AFP, TN of which seems to be the most important in terms of patients' number and cost for treatment visits. This indicates that dentists, especially oral medicine specialists should actively participate in management of TN, AO and AFP and share relevant information with patients and community.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.275-280
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• 2015

Among the naturally occurring antioxidants, polyphenols are widely distributed in various fruits, vegetables, wines, juices, and plant-based dietary sources and divided into several subclasses that included phenolic acid, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans. As part of our continuing search for bioactive food ingredients, the antioxidant and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the aqueous ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of Ainsliaea acerifolia were investigated in vitro. The antioxidant properties were evaluated via radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ($ABTS^+$) radicals. In addition, the anti-diabetic effect of A. acerifolia extracts was tested via ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory assay. Furthermore, the total phenolic contents were determined using a spectrophotometric method. All the tested samples showed dose-dependent radical scavenging and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities. In particularly, the ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory and radical scavenging properties of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble portion from the aerial parts of the A. acerifolia were higher than those of the other solvent-soluble portions. These results suggest that A. acerifolia could be considered a new potential source of natural antioxidants and antidiabetic ingredients. More systematic investigation of the aerial parts of A. acerifolia will be performed for the further development of anti-oxidative and antidiabetic drugs.