• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.124-152
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain what should be considered in the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer" by analyzing the existing guidelines and clinical trials. Methods: The development committee searched guidelines for herbal medicinal products for colorectal cancer that have already been developed. Then, clinical trials for colorectal cancer using herbal medicine were searched. The searched trials were analyzed in terms of inclusion and exclusion of participants, intervention, comparator, outcomes and trial design. Then, we compared the results of our analysis with the regulations and guidelines of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in order to identify the issues we will have to consider when making the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer". Several guidelines for anti-tumor agents and clinical trials with herbal medicinal products were searched on the national institution homepage. In addition, 12 articles were searched using a combination of the following search terms: 'colorectal neoplasms', 'herbal medicine', 'Medicine, Korean traditional', 'Medicine, Chinese Traditional', 'medicine, East Asian medicine', 'medicine, Kampo', etc. Results: The characteristics of participants were various, such as people with medical histories of surgeries or recurrent cancers or who complained of chemotherapy-induced side effects. The types of interventions were also various and included decoctions, powders, intravenous fluids, intraperitoneal injections and gargles. Comparators used included placebos and conventional treatments. The outcome measurements used in the studies were quality of life, symptom score, tumor response, and survival duration, etc. Safety was evaluated by recording adverse events. Conclusions: Findings were made by reviewing existing guidelines and comparing them with clinical trials for colorectal cancer and herbal medicinal products. These results will be utilized in the development of the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer".

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2011

Background: Type I allergy is involved in allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis which are accompanied by an acute and chronic allergic inflammatory responses. Rehmannia glutinosa is a traditional medicine in the East Asian region. This study examined whether a Rehmannia Glutinosa pharmacopuncture solution (RGPS) had anti-allergic or anti-inflammatory effects in antigen-stimulated-RBL-2H3 cells. Methods: We determined the effect of RGPS on cell viability using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazolyl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. We also examined the effect of RGPS on the release of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase and the secretion of IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ using ELISA. In addition, we evaluated the effect of RGPS on the mRNA expression of various cytokines; IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-${\alpha}$ using RT-PCR. Furthermore, we assessed the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}$B using Western blotting after RGPS treatment. Results: We found that RGPS ($10^{-4}$ to $10^{-1}$ dilution) did not cause any cytotoxicity. We observed significant inhibition of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release and suppression of the protein secretion of IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ and mRNA expression of multiple cytokines in antigen-stimulated-RBL-2H3 cells after RGPS treatment. Additionally, RGPS suppressed not only the phosphorylation of MAPKs, but also the transcriptional activation of NF-${\kappa}$B in antigen-stimulated-RBL-2H3 cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that RGPS inhibits degranulation and expression of cytokines including IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ via down-regulation of MAPKs and NF-${\kappa}$B activation in antigen-stimulated-RBL-2H3 cells. In conclusion, RGPS may have beneficial effects in the exerting anti-allergic or anti-inflammatory activities.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.11-18
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• 2015

Objectives : Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Jeokhasuo in Korean) is a Oriental traditional herbs widely used in East Asian countries. Overconsumption of fructose results in hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and impaired glucose tolerance which have documented as a risk of cardiovascular diseases. This experimental study was designed to investigate the beneficial effects of an ethanol extract from Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) in high-fructose (HF) diet-induced metabolic syndrome rat model. Methods : Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups; Control group, receiving regular diet and tap water, HF group, and HF + PMR group both receiving supplemented with 65% fructose (n=10), respectively. The HF + PMR group initially received HF diet with PMR (100 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Results : PMR significantly prevented the metabolic disturbances such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance. Chronic treatment with PMR significantly decreased body weight, fat weight and adipocyte size, suggesting a role of anti-obesity effect. PMR led to improve the hyperlipidemia through the increase in HDL cholesterol level as well as the decrease in triglyceride and LDL cholesterol level. In addition, PMR suppressed adhesion molecules and endothelin-1 (ET-1) expression in aorta resulting in the decrease of hypertension. In muscle tissue, PMR significantly recovered the HF-induced insulin resistance through increase of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), p-$AMPK{\alpha}1/2$, and p-Akt expression. PMR improved HF-induced metabolic disorders and its action was caused by energy metabolism-mediated insulin signaling activation. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that PMR may be a beneficial therapeutic for metabolic syndrome through the improvement of hyperlipidemia, obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.564-577
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to address differences between mental health according to sasang constitution and ego state among college students. Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were collected by administration of questionnaires eliciting Woo's ego state scale, QSCC II for the sasang constitution classification, and SCL-90-R for mental health to 393 college students. Analysis was performed using IBM SPSS (version 19.0). Results: The Free Child ego and Adapted Child ego differed significantly among sasang types. The ego-gram pattern of So-eum type exhibited the N pattern (Nurturing Parent (NP)>Adapted Child (AC)>Adult (A)>Free Child (FC)>Critical Parent (CP), AC-high type), however, the ego-gram pattern of other constitution types showed the M pattern (NP>FC>A>AC>CP). No statistically significant differences in mental health were observed among sasang types, however, among ego states, AC and CP showed negative correlation with mental health status. Between So-eum type and So-yang type, AC was the factor predicting mental health. Between Tae-eum type and undefined type, AC and CP were factors predicting mental health. Conclusion: These findings suggest that sasang constitution could be an important factor in understanding the ego state and mental health status. We conclude that sasang constitution should be considered in interpretation of mental health status presentation in clients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.611-618
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• 2023

Rhizome of Alisma orientale has been used as a traditional medicine for treating kidney diseases in East Asian countries. Its inhibitory effects on hypersensitivity responses have been reported for methanol extracts, with alisol B 23-acetate (AB23Ac) being the most active constituent among six terpenes in inhibiting the direct passive Arthus reaction. However, whether AB23Ac has efficacy against allergic asthma has not been tested to date. The in vivo efficacy of AB23Ac in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma mouse model was evaluated by administrating AB23Ac before OVA sensitization or OVA challenge in BALB/c mice. AB23Ac suppressed antigen-induced degranulation of RBL-2H3 mast cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The administration of AB23Ac both before OVA sensitization and OVA challenge greatly lowered pulmonary resistance and the increase in immune cell counts and inflammatory responses around the peribronchial and perivascular regions. In addition, the inflammatory cytokine levels of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid decreased in the AB23Ac-treated groups. AB23Ac reduced the number of PAS-stained cells in the lungs. Furthermore, a computer modeling study indicated that AB23Ac can bind tightly to spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). These results suggest that AB23Ac may ameliorate allergic asthma by suppressing immune responses in dendritic cells during sensitization and in mast cells during challenge periods.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2014

Haw (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge) has been used in traditional medicine for treating various ailments such as obesity and digestive trouble in Far East countries, including Korea. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of feral haw on hepatic functional enzymes in dyslipidemic rats. Four groups of male rats (Sprague Dawley strain) were fed different diets for 5 weeks: NND (normal-nondyslipidemic diet) group, NNDH (normal-nondyslipidemic diet + haw extract) group, CDD (control-dyslipidemic diet) group and DDH (dyslipidemic diet + haw extract) group. ALP (alkaline phosphatase), LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) activities were significantly higher in the CDD group than the NND group. However, haw extract supplement significantly reduced hepatic functional enzyme activities compared to the CDD group. Lipid deposition of the DDH group decreased compared to the CDD group. The size of adipose tissue decreased significantly in the DDH group compared to the CDD group. These results suggest that feral haw could be used as a food resource and functional food material.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.227-237
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• 2023

Objectives: Pharmacopuncture is considered a unique new type of acupuncture in Korean medicine (KM). This study was performed to investigate the research trends regarding pharmacopuncture through a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched for this study. The search terms were pharmacopuncture and pharmaco-puncture. The search was conducted on May 23, 2023, and 185 studies retrieved up to this date were included. Software VOSviewer version 1.6.19 was used to perform the bibliometric analysis. After data clearing, keyword co-occurrence and cooperation pattern analyses were performed. Results: The number of studies on pharmacopuncture have gradually increased since the mid-2000s, with the most published in 2020 (46 studies). The quality of the studies has also steadily increased, and recently, several randomized controlled trials of pharmacopuncture have been conducted. Moreover, this treatment has been investigated in the context of KM clinical practice guideline development in Korea. The scope of pharmacopuncture studies to date seems to be limited to musculoskeletal pain and bee venom pharmacopuncture. The researchers from Jaseng Medical Foundation have been the core researchers in the field of pharmacopuncture in Korea. They collaborated with researchers from universities or government-funded research institutes. However, small-scale research teams from KM clinics and university researchers were also identified as independent clusters. Conclusion: Pharmacopuncture research has grown both quantitatively and qualitatively, but the scope needs to be further expanded. There is also a gap between the use of pharmacopuncture by KM doctors in clinical settings and pharmacopuncture research. Based on these findings, some suggestions for future studies in this field are discussed. Furthermore, these findings may be used as data to expand and globalize pharmacopuncture research in the future.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.47-68
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• 2013

Objectives : This research aimed to develop a new etiologic classification for traditional Korean Medicine in order to respond to the social and environmental change. Methods : We reviewed the existing theories on etiological classification for East Asian Medicine thoroughly and discussed the problems and limitations. Based on the experts' consensus, we abstracted disease factors and etiologic items. Results : The disease factors are classified into three parts: the human body, the environment, and the interaction between the human body and the environment. We defined them as the inner factor, the external factor, and the interaction between the inner and the external factors. The inner factor is free from the influence of the environment, and it causes diseases solely from the components of the human body. It is divided into genetic factors. The external factor is defined as a case when a disease occurs due to a factor outside the human body and includes external injuries, environmental pollution, and natural disasters. The interaction between the inner and the external factors is a disease factor that causes diseases by the interaction of the human body and the environment and includes emotions, habits, and social environment. As a result of the analysis, it was possible to see the meanings at a single glance as the scattered and fractional meanings were integrated with focus on medicinal herbs, but the increasing number of analyzed medicinal herbs tended to more and more complicate their relationships, thus, requiring additional work like filtering. Conclusions : The new etiologic classification of Korean Medicine fully reflects the perspectives on life in Korean Medicine while embracing the changes in modem society. Also, by avoiding the usage of ambivalent terms and wrong classification methods, the new classification system constructs intuitive and concise etiology and improves usability in clinical medicine.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2013

Objective : Syndrome differentiation(辨證) has clinical importance in East Asian Traditional Medicine. There are several ways for Syndrome differentiation. However, Eight Principle Pattern Identification(八綱辨證) is the base of other Syndrome differentiations. Of the physicians focused on Eight Principle Patterns(八綱), I have researched for Eight Principle Pattern Identification concerning with Zhang Jie-Bin(張介賓), Cheng Guo-Peng(程國彭), and Jiang Han-Tun(江涵暾) in Ming(明) and Qing(淸.) Method : Applying to Eight Principle Pattern Identification, I have researched comparatively for 3 kinds for. First, Zhang Jie-Bin's Jingyuequanshu(景岳全書) that involves Yinyangpian(陰陽篇), Liubianbian(六變辨), Biaozhengpian(表證篇), Lizhengpian(裏證篇), Xushipian(虛實篇), and Hanrepian(寒熱篇), secondly, Cheng Guo-Peng's Yixuexinwu(醫學心悟) Hanrexushibiaoliyinyangbian(寒熱虛實表裏陰陽辨), at lastly Jiang Han-Tun's Bihuayijing(筆花醫鏡) Biaolixushihanreyinyangbian(表裏虛實寒熱辨). Results : All of sick cases can be explained totally by Eight Principle Patterns. Of Eight Principle Patterns, Yin(陰) and Yang(陽) include last Six Principle Patterns(六綱 : 表裏, 寒熱, 虛實). Six Principle Patterns can be divided normally by 6 pulses(六脈 : 浮沈 遲數 虛實). In all of pain cases, feeling comfortable(可按) or discomfortable(拒按) to palpation can be important foundation for distinguishing Xu(虛) from Shi(實). Physical constitution(體質) for Hanre Xushi(寒熱 虛實) and tongue-diagnosis(舌診) for Biaoli Hanre(表裏 寒熱) are used effectively. Related with tongue-diagnosis, tongue-coating(舌苔) for Biaoli and tongue status(舌質) for Hanre are used effectively. Symptoms should be divided following this sequence, Biaoli ${\rightarrow}$ Hanre ${\rightarrow}$ Xushi and lastly should be summarized of Yinyang. Conclusion : Diagnosing with Eight Principle Patterns, digestive function, urine, and feces should be checked at first. In addition, the pulse, tongue, physical constitution, and good or bad from palpation(觸診), these should be checked and give a result. And then the result can be an important evidence of syndrome differentiation. As a result, it would be the best to diagnosis that discriminating the sequence as Biaoli Hanre Xushi and summarizing with Yinyang.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.63-68
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• 2015

Objectives : We applied the term weighting method used in the field of data search to quantify relevancy between symptoms and medicinal herbs, and, based on this, we aim to introduce a method of visualizing the characteristics of medicinal herbs. Methods ： We proposed HF-IFF, an adaptation of TF-IDF, which is a term weighting measurement method adapted in the field of data search. Using this method, we deduced relevancy between symptoms and medicinal herbs In Cheongkangeuigam that was published in 1984 by organizing the medical theory of Cheongkang, Kim Younghoon, and visualized this as a graph in order to compare the characteristics of medicinal herbs used for different symptoms. Results ： HF-IFF is the product of HF and IFF, where HF is the frequency of the relevant medicinal herb for a set of symptoms, and IFF is the inverse of the number of formulations (FF) containing that herb. A total of 251 types of medicinal herb are used in Cheongkangeuigam, and 1538 formulations are classified according to 67 types of symptom. The overall mean for HF-IFF was 0.491, with a maximum of 4.566 and a minimum of 0.013. Conclusions ： In spite of several limitations, we were able to use HF-IFF to measure relevancy between symptoms and medicinal herbs, with formulations as an intermediate. We were able to use the quantified results to visually express the characteristics of the herbs used for symptoms by bubble chart and word-cloud from HF-IFF.