• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.226-229
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• 2004

We investigated the comparative effect with different frequency and duration time of electroacupuncture(EA) for suppression of pain. Inflammation was induced by an intraplantar injection of 1 % carrageenan into the right hind paw. Bilateral EA stimulation with 2 Hz, 15 Hz and 120 Hz were delivered at those acupoints corresponding to Zusanli and Sanyinjiao in man via the needles in carrageenan-injected rats. The paw and tail thermal hyperalgesia were measured in 30-minute intervals after carrageenan injection using hot plate and tail flick analgesia meter, respectively. The significant difference was found between the control and any of EA frequencies examined. Especially 2 Hz EA presented more effective inhibitory effects compared with other frequency of EA in tail flick latency. The hyperalgesia induced by carrageenan was strongly inhibited by 2 Hz EA from 5 min post and reached sufficient effects from 20 min post EA treatment. These results suggest that EA treatment might be a useful therapy for mitigation of inflammatory pain.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.149-174
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study is to establish a base for further research by reviewing studies on electroacupuncture (EA) for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods: Clinical studies concerning the effects of EA for SUI, were obtained from Cochrane Library, PubMed, CNKI, RISS, NDSL, KISS and OASIS. Results: Forty-five studies met the criteria, which included 33 RCTs, 1 pilot RCT, 4 non-randomized Clinical Trials, 6 Case studies and 1 Orthogonal design study with 3638 patients. There was only one article published in Korea. In these study, the most common primary outcome measurement was the pad test. Most of the studies showed the group treated by EA effects compared to the control group. Also, many interventions that combined with EA were found and all complex therapy group had significantly better than control group. 7 studies observed adverse events (AEs), four of which referred to EA related AEs among them. And 4 studies reported no AEs associated with EA. Conclusions: Despite several limitations, various studies to prove limited yet effective EA on SUI provides much significance. Subsequent studies conducted by the complementary systematic review of the studies and well-designed clinical trials using the methodological quality will be needed to more firmly validate the therapeutic effect of EA on SUI.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.143-158
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to observe the anti-oxidative effects of electroacupuncture at GB34(Yangreungcheon) in rats. Methods : The authors performed several experimental items including measurements of body weight, relative liver weight, levels of albumin, total bilirubin, LDL-cholesterol, LDH, GOT and GPT in blood serum, levels of SOD, glutathione, catalase, NO and MDA in liver, and histological analysis of liver. The conclusions are as follows. Results : 1. In the GB34-EA group, liver index was lower than those of the control group and the holder group. 2. In the GB34-EA group, the levels of albumin and total bilirubin in serum were increased significantly compared to those of the control and the holder group. LDL-cholesterol level was decreased significantly compared to those of the control group and the holder group. 3. In the GB34-EA group, liver SOD, glutathione, catalase activity were increased, and NO concentration in liver was decreased significantly compared to those of control and the holder group. 4. In the GB34-EA group, the density of liver tissue was more similarly maintained to that of the normal group compared to those of the control group, holder group and sham-EA group. Conclusions : These results suggest that electroacupuncture at GB34 may have an antioxidant effect in rat.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.145-160
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to observe the anti-oxidative effects of electroacupuncture at Wijung (BL40) in rats. Methods : The author performed several experimental items including measurements of body weight, liver index, levels of albumin, total bilirubin, LDL-cholesterol, LDH, GOT and GPT in blood serum, and levels of SOD, glutathione, catalase, No and MDA (malondialdehyde) in liver, histological analysis of liver. Results : 1. In the BL40-EA group, liver index was decreased significantly compared to those of the control group, the holder group and the sham-EA group. 2. In the BL40-EA group, the albumin level was increased significantly compared to those of the control and holder group. LDL-cholesterol and GOT level were increased significantly compared to those of the control group and the holder group. 3. In the BL40-EA group, the SOD activity & the Catalase activity were decreased significantly compared to those of the control group and the holder group. 4. In the BL40-EA group, the density of liver tissue was more similarly maintained to the normal group compared to those of the control group and the holder group. Conclusion : These results suggest that electroacupuncture at BL40 has an antioxidant effect in human, and hereafter continuous study & clinical application is needed.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.141-161
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• 2007

Objectives & Methods : The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-oxidative effects of electroacupuncture at Hyunjong (GB39) in rats. The author performed several experimental items including change of body weight, relative liver weight, level of albumin, total bilirubin, LDL-Cholesterol, LDH, GOT and GPT in blood serum, level of SOD, glutathione, catalase, NO and MDA in liver, histological change of liver. Results : 1. In the GB39-EA group, body weights were decreased in the early stages, but increased later on gradually. 2. In the GB39-EA group, the level of LDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in comparison with that of the holder group, sham-EA group and GB39-NR group. 3. In the GB39-EAgroup, liver SOD, glutathione, catalase activity were increased, and NO density was decreased in comparison with those of the holder group, sham-EA group and GB39-NR group. MDA activity was significantly decreased in comparison with that of the holder group. 4. In the GB39-EA group, the density of liver tissue was more similarly maintained to the normal group in comparison with that of the holder group and sham-EA group. 5. The results of the GB39-EA group showed similar tendency with those of the GB39-EA group, but the effects were lower than those of the GB39-EA group. Conclusions : These results suppose that electroacupuncture at GB39 has an anti oxidative effect in human.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2002

In oriental medicine, manual-acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA) have been widely utilized to cure several inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. We designed this experiment to find neurochemical mechanism related to electroacupuncture induced anti-inflammatory effect on mouse air pouch model. EA with both low frequency (1 Hz) and high frequency (120 Hz) was treated after induction of inflammation in air pouch using injection of zymosan. To verify the role of opioid system in electroacupuncture-induced anti-inflammatory effect, naloxone (10 mg/kg) was pretreated. In addition, idazoxan (5 mg/kg) was pre-treated to evaluate the possible effect of endogenous adrenergic system in autonomic system on EA induced anti-inflammatory effect. As results of this study, naloxone pretreatment did not change the anti-inflammatory effect evoked by high frequency EA, while low frequency EA(1 Hz) induced anti-inflammatory effect was dramatically suppressed by naloxone pretreatment. These data indicated that endogenous opioid system might be extensively involve in anti-inflammatory effect evoked by not high frequency, but low frequency EA. However, idazoxan pretreatment did not produce any modulatory effect on both low and high frequency EA induced anti-inflammatory effect, suggesting that EA induced anti-inflammatory effect was not mediated by endogenous adrenergic system. In conclusion, these data strongly suggested that EA induced anti-inflammatory effect is mediated by endogenous opioid system, not endogenous adrenergic system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.43-57
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• 2010

Objectives : To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture on parameters related to obesity in adults with abdominal obesity. Methods : A three arm randomized single blind pilot study was conducted from Jan 4 to March 25, 2010 in Kyung Hee Oriental Medical Hospital. The subjects were 39 adults with abdominal obesity and were randomly divided by computer generated random table into 3 groups; EA(electroacupuncture), sham EA(sham electroacupuncture) and waitlist groups. Acupuncture points located at abdomen($CV_{12}$, $CV_6$, $ST_{25}$, $SP_{15}$, $SP_{14}$) and extremities($LI_4$, $LI_{11}$, $ST_{36}$, $ST_{44}$) were inserted by disposable stainless steel needles and were stimulated 30 minutes with 24Hz, 0.27~1.3mA(tolerable strength), asymmetric biphasic continuous pulse wave form by STN-111 Stratek device in EA group. Two treatment sessions per week for 5 weeks(10 sessions in total) were done in EA and sham EA groups. The primary outcome measurement was WC(waist circumference), and the secondary outcome measurements included WHR(waist hip ratio), ASF(thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat), and inbody measurements of BW(body weight), BMI(body mass index), BFR(body fat ratio) and VFA(visceral fat area), and also scores of BULIT-R(bulimia test revised), KoQoL(Korean obesity of QoL) and BSQ(body shape questionnaire). Results : All of 39 subjects were included in ITT(intention-to-treat) analysis. There were significant reductions in WC, WHR and ASF after 5-week electroacupuncture treatments and the percentage reductions were significantly greater than sham EA or waitlist group. There were no significant differences between groups in percentage reductions of other parameters(BW, BMI, BFR, VFA, BULIT-R, KoQoL and BSQ). But, there were continuous reductions in BW, BMI, BFR and VFA at 3 weeks after the end of treatment and there was significant reduction in BW compared with the baseline value in EA group. No seriously adverse effects were reported during the period. Conclusions : Electroacupuncture was more effective than sham electroacupuncture or no intervention on the reduction of WC, WHR and ASF in adults with abdominal obesity.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.25-34
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fixed-intensity and varied-intensity electroacupuncture in pain and sensory threshold concerning parameters visual analogue scale(VAS), brief pain inventory(BPI) and quantitative sensory testing(QST), among chronic tension headache patients. Methods : Thirty patients with chronic tension headache were randomly assigned to three groups and received different kinds of electroacupuncture at $ST_{36}$ and $ST_{37}$. Group A received fixed-intensity electroacupuncture(fixed-EA), group B received varied-intensity electroacupuncture (varied-EA), and group C received only acupuncture treatment without electrical stimulation as a control group. The intervention was given three times per week, and continued in two weeks. All the experiments were conducted blindly. Results : Fixed-EA group showed a significant decrease of VAS and BPI compared to the baseline measurement, while both varied-EA and control group did not. Of the parameters of QST, subtraction of heat pain threshold(HPT) and cold pain threshold(CPT) slightly increased in all groups, but this was not significant. Conclusions : These results suggest that fixed-EA reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with chronic tension headache and that acupuncture may regulate patient's pain sensitivity through changing sensory threshold.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.236-246
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• 2010

The 3-Acetylpyridine(3-AP) induces cerebellar injury which is chemoablation of the inferior olive nucleus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise(Ex) and electroacupuncture(EA) on muscle activity of hindlimb and serum brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) in the ataxia rats by the 3-AP. 12-week-aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the 5 groups: Control, 3-AP, 3-AP+Ex, 3-AP+EA and 3-AP+Ex+EA groups. Maximal Height Vertical Jump(MHVJ) was significantly decreased in the 3-AP compared with control group, and it was increased in Ex, EA and Ex+EA groups than 3-AP group. The muscle activity of hindlimb was significantly increased in the 3-AP groups than control group, also it was most decreased in Ex+EA group. The concentration of BDNF of the serum was significantly decreased in the Ex, EA and Ex+EA groups than 3-AP group. The results of this study showed that dynamic exercise and electroacupuncture have a positive effect on functional recovery and in the ataxia rats by the 3-AP.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.29-36
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• 2007

Electroacupuncture(EA) is known to affect various autonomic functions such as blood pressure regulation, immune modulation and the improvement of disorders concerning autonomic functions. The aim of the present study was to establish whether EA has an immune-enhancing effect. ICR mice weighing 20 to 25g were divided into four groups: Group I(n=6), blank; Group II(n=6), control; Group III(Zusanli, n=6), low frequency-EA(10Hz of electrical stimulation), and Group IV(Zusanli, n=6), high frequency-EA (100Hz of electrical stimulation). For this study, we investigated expressions of spleen heat shock protein (HSP)70, HSP90 and secretions of cytokines. A Forced Swimming Test(FST) was performed as a model of activity test in mice. After three days of the FST, 10Hz EA($114.8{\pm}7.27s$) and 100Hz EA($147.5{\pm}1.29s$) immobility time significantly decreased compared with the control group($157.2{\pm}1.48s$). After seven days, 10Hz EA($124{\pm}1s$) and 100Hz EA($141{\pm}4.24s$) also significantly decreased immobility time compared with the control group($168{\pm}7.93s$). 10Hz EA and 100Hz EA increased the expression of HSP70 but did not change that of HSP90. 100Hz EA increased secretions of IL-6 and IL-12 compared with the control group however, 10Hz EA failed to change those of IL-6 and IL-12. The present results suggest that EA may be useful for down-regulated immune diseases.