• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.57-74
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• 2005

Objective : Frutus gardeniae, seed of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis is one of the crude drugs used for the treatment of inflammatory condition in oriental medicine. Methodes : The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect and anti-inflammatory effect of Frutus gardeniae extract (FGE) on a rat model of ankle sprain pain, and the relations between FGE-induced effect and endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord. As a chronic pain model, ankle sprain pain model was used to test the effect of FCE injection applied to acupuncture point. After the induction of ankle sprain, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. FGE dissolved in normal saline was injected several acupoints. Results : After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 8 hours. FGE produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the ankle sprain lasting at least 4 hours. FGE produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, FGE injection showed inhibitory effect on the paw edema induced by ankle sprain. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by ankle sprain were suppressed by FGE. FGE on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the ankle sprain than either FGE or EA did. The present study suggest that FGE produces a potent analgesic effect on the ankle sprain pain model of the rat and that FGE-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.83-104
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• 2005

Objectives : DaeBangPungTang(DBPT) is one of the prescriptions used for the treatment of knee arthritis in oriental medicine. The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect of DBPT on a rat model of carrageenan-induced arthritis, and the relations between DBPT-induced analgesia and endogenous nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord. Methods : Carrageenan-induced arthritis rat model was used to test the effect of DBPT as a chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least tile next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee, since oral infection of indomethacin produced temporary improvement of weight bearing. DBPT dissolved in normal saline was minted several acupoints. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 12 hours. Results : DBPT produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 9 hours. The magnitude of this improvement was equivalent to that obtained after an oral injection of 3mg/kg of indomethacin and this improvement of stepping force was interpreted as an analgesic effect. DBPT produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by DBPT. DBPT on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis than either DBPT or EA did. Conclusion : The present study suggest that DBPT produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic hee arthritis pain model in the rat and that DBPT-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-85
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• 2006

Obiecnves : The purpose of this study was to examine the analgesic effect of moxi-tar on a rat model of carrageenan-induced arthritis and the relations between moxi-tar-induced analgesia and endogenous NO and iNOS, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord. Methods : Carrageenan-induced arthritis rat model was used to test the effect of moxi-tar as a chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee, since oral injection of indomethacin produced temporary improvement of weight bearing. Moxi-tar dissolved in ethyl alcohol was injected several acupoints. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 12 hours. Results : Moxi-tar produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 9 hours. The magnitude of this improvement was equivalent to that obtained after an oral injection of 3 mg/kg of indomethacin and this improvement of stepping force was interpreted as an analgesic effect. Moxi-tar produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by moxi-tar. moxi-tar on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis than either moxi-tar or EA did. Conclusion : The present study suggest that moxi-tar produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and that moxi-tar-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.155-163
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluated the effect of electro acupuncture on Heart Rate Variability of Patients with functional voiding disease. Methods: Subjects were voluntarily recruited by newspapers and internet. Electro acupuncture was performed three times a week for 3 weeks. Acupuncture point for EA group was B32, Electrical stimulation frequency was 2Hz, duration 20min, and intensity was up to pain threshold according to patients. The patients' Heart Rate Variability was measured before, after 3 weeks of treatment for 5 minutes. Results : In time domain analysis, There were significant increase of SDNN and RMSSD(p<0.05) after 3 weeks treatment. In frequency domain analysis, There were significant increase of LF and LF /HF ratio(p<0.05) after 3 weeks treatment. There were no significant changes in other components of heart rate variability. Conclusion : This study suggests that electroacupuncture treatments can be applicable to improve autonomic nervous system in patients with functional voiding disease.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the trends in acupuncture research on Internet addiction disorder. Methods: Clinical research papers on acupuncture treatment were searched and selected. Seven databases, including English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean databases, were searched systematically. Non-clinical, non-acupuncture, and unpublished studies were excluded. The characteristics of the included articles were described, and these articles were assessed by the Risk of Bias (RoB) tool or the Risk of Bias Assessment for Non-randomized Studies (RoBANS) tool. Results: Ten clinical studies on Internet addiction disorder were finally selected, and all of these studies were published in China. The electroacupuncture (EA) method was used in most of the acupuncture treatment studies. Most of the psychotherapy studies used cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the control group. Most of the studies showed effective results. The results of this study suggest that the combination of acupuncture and psychotherapy is more effective than either treatment modality alone. However, the quality of these clinical studies was low. Conclusions: According to this study, acupuncture treatment seems to have excellent effects in Internet addiction disorder. However, the quality of most studies was low. Therefore, higher quality research on Internet addiction disorder is required.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.58-74
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of urinary incontinence treatment using catgut embedding therapy. Methods: Using electronic databases including Pubmed, EMBASE, and CAJ, we looked for randomized controlled trials that treated urinary incontinence with catgut embedding that were published between January 2000 and December 2023. The chosen clinical studies' interventions and outcomes were examined. Results: Ultimately, eight randomized controlled trials met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Treatment group was treated with catgut embedding alone in 3 studies, and with Biofeedback Electrical Stimulation Therapy (Biofeedback EST), Kegel exercises, Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture Injection in 5 studies. Control group was treated with Biofeedback EST, Kegel exercises, Herbal Medicine, Vitamin B, Electroacupuncture (EA), Denitine Tolterodine Tartrat with Bladder Drill, Tension-free Vaginal Tape Obturator (TVT-O) and Acupoint Injection Therapy. Outcome measures are total efficacy rate, Urine pad test, Urinary frequency, Maximum bladder capacity, VRP, POP-Q, etc. 關元 (CV4) was the most frequently used acupoint in catgut embedding therapy. In all of 8 studies, treatment group was more effective for urinary incontinence than the control group. Conclusions: According to this study, catgut embedding may be useful in enhancing the therapeutic outcome for urine incontinence, either by itself or in conjunction with standard medical treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to report possibility of acupuncture or moxibustion for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) by reviewing literature about its effectiveness. Methods : In this review, PubMed, SCOPUS, Science Direct and CINAHL of EBSCOhost were used to search medical journals, using keywords "Parkinson's disease and acupuncture" and "Parkinson's disease and moxibustion". The search range included randomized controlled trials (RCT) about Parkinson's disease combined with another disease and other treatments with acupuncture or moxibustion. Non-randomized controlled trial (nRCT), case study, animal experiment, human experiment, review, survey, essay, letter, and protocol for review were excluded. Results : From 311 studies, 111 were selected during the title and the screening. Finally, 16 RCTs (15 for acupuncture research and one for moxibustion) were included in this review, after scanning and matching the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The number of patients varied between 5 and 88. A total of 12 studies using electroacupuncture (EA) were classified into acupuncture studies. The body acupuncture studies numbered 4, scalp acupuncture 4, body and scarp acupuncture mixed studies 4, and bee venom, ear and abdomen acupuncture were each one study. In evaluation methods, total effective rate method was used in 9 studies, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was used in 8, and the Webster score in 2. In addition, the Berg balance scale (BBS), 30 m walking time, steps to walk 30 m, PD motor function score, and Motor Performance Series by Schoppe (MLS) method were used for evaluation. In 15 of the 16 studies, the verum acupuncture group showed significant improvement compared with the control. In 9 studies using total effective rate method, the effective rate was reported as 80.0-97.3% in verum acupuncture groups and 52.6-86.4% in controls. Conclusions : Acupuncture may be a plausible alternative method to care for the long term symptoms and treat movement impairment of Parkinson's disease. However, to confirm this result, high quality studies including randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trials are warranted.