• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.181-190
• /
• 2009

It is important to establish the safety of herbal medicine because of its frequent and widespread use in Korea. Several studies on the safety of herbal medicine have been performed and there have been rare serious adverse drug reactions from those reports in Korea. However, the results are not strongly supported because of not adopting appropriate enough research methodology as to make the safety issue clear. For improving the quality of the safety research on herbal medicine. including investigations of drug induced liver injury (DILl). the aim of this study was to suggest herbal medicine-induced liver injury investigation forms for performing reasonable safety research. After a systematic review of the preceding studies regarding herbal safety in Korea was performed in 2008, we assessed the quality and the limitations of the primary studies. Two investigation forms for herbal safety research were made as a following step. one a basic investigation form for herbal safety research and the other an advanced investigation form for suspected DILl cases, Those forms include the essential informations and data needed to make an appropriate assessment of whether DILl occurred during or after the use of herbal medicine. Guidelines for using those forms and other recommendations were also suggested. More rigorous studies are required for answering the safety issue of herbal medicine as well as the efficacy issue. We hope for wide use and improvement of those investigation forms in the study of herbal safety by many researchers for establishing better evidences in Korea.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.189-200
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the current state of quantitative literature evidence for the prescription of 56 herbal medicines covered by health insurance that have been studied in Korea for the past 30 years, to evaluate the reliability of the evidence, and to find out the research direction of herbal medicine prescription in the future. Methods: 56 kinds of herbal medicine prescriptions were searched in domestic literature search databases OASIS, DBpia, and overseas PubMed, classified into chemistry, toxicity, cells, animals, clinical cases, and clinical trial studies, and built into an EBM pyramid structure. Results: When classified according to research contents, there were 61 cases (7.5%) of physicochemical analysis to identify constituent substances, 80 cases (9.8%) of toxicity evaluation, and 672 cases (82.7%) of efficacy evaluation. The efficacy evidence was classified according to the evidence-based medical pyramid structure: 196 cell trials (29.1%), 372 animal trials (55.4%), 89 case and case reporting series (13.3%), 7 comparative case studies (1.1%), and 8 randomized control clinical trials (1.2%). In the pyramid composition, the basis for the validity of 56 kinds of herbal medicines prescribed was 568 cases (84.5%) in cell and animal units, which could not be said to be highly reliable. There was no relationship between the ranking of quantitative literature evidence for herbal medicine prescriptions and the ranking of salary administration. Conclusions: In an era that continues to require scientific evidence for herbal medicine, traditional herbal medicine should secure the basis for safety validity even for the 10th most frequent prescription among 56 herbal medicine prescriptions for consumers. In particular, traditional herbal medicine should increase the quantitative and qualitative level of case reports on related herbal medicine prescriptions, focusing on each clinical society, and move toward comparative case studies and randomized clinical trial so that traditional herbal medicine is positioned as Evidence-based medicine.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this report was to provide the information packaging of herbal medicines by analyzing papers. We investigated the packaging materials, packaging methods and expiration date of herbal medicines by analyzing papers of the Korea, Japan and China. Methods : We survey herbal medicine-related law and crude drug monograph of compendium in each three country, we purchased herbal medicine of the Korea, Japan and China in the market and verify the expressed-item in packing paper. In case of Japan, we examine packaging materials, packaging methods, and expiration date of herbal medicine in pharmaceutical company. Results : The pharmaceutical company in japan used the methods of nitrogen gas pouring, vacuum packing for the herbal medicine packaging. The expiration date of the herbal products in Japan is generally 3 to 5 year after packaging. And packaging materials were aluminium and polyethylene. In Korea, pharmaceutical company used airtight packing for the herbal medicine packaging and expiration date of the herbal product were generally 3 year after packaging. Packaging materials were polyethylene, nylon or polyethylene-nylon mixed materials. In China, pharmaceutical company also used airtight packing for the herbal medicine packaging, and the expiration date were generally 5 year after packaging. Packaging materials were polyethylene, wrapping paper-used parcel or tea leaves filter paper. Conclusion : This results can present the basic data for expiration date and preservation methods of the herbal roots in Korea.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.17-25
• /
• 2012

Objectives : The objectives of this study lie in theoretical establishment of formulas for purging five viscera for curing the sthenic syndrome of five viscera through analyzing the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera, and furthermore, maximizing the clinical use of them. Methods : This study analyzed the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera based on the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines from the "Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine", the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine, and the five elements doctrine. Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera are Sagantang, Saseemtang, Sabeetang, Sapyeotang, and Pyeongshintang. Results : There are three methods for curing the sthenic syndrome of five viscera according to the five elements doctrine : in case of Sagantang purging the liver, purging the heart and invigorating the lung ; Saseemtang, purging the heart, purging the spleen and invigorating the kidney ; Sabeetang, purging the spleen, purging the lung and invigorating the liver ; Sapyeotang, purging the lung, purging the kidney and invigorating the heart ; Pyeongshintang, purging the kidney, purging the spleen and invigorating the spleen. Conclusions : First, to cure the sthenic syndrome of five viscera, the methods of purging five viscera, and invigorating five viscera should be used according to the five elements doctrine. Secondly, herbal medicines appropriate for those treatment methods should be chosen according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicine and thirdly, the combination of those herbal medicines should be carried out according to the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine. As a good example, Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera are combined according to the above theories. In conclusion, this formula was created by applying to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.113-126
• /
• 2009

Objective : This research aimed to investigate and analyze the opinions of Oriental Medical Doctors (O.M.D.) on covering herbal medicines into National Health Insurance scheme. Methods : Structured questionnaires were e-mailed to the O.M.D.s listed on member's DB of the Association of Korean Oriental Medicine. Collected data were analyzed with the SPSS 12.0 program. Results : The insurance coverage for herbal decoctions was supported by 80.8% of the responders, the median reasonable price for daily herbal decoctions was \9,517, the minimum price median of daily herbal decoctions considering its costs was \8,080, and the daily technical fee median was \4,379. On health insurance coverage for herbal decoctions, O.M.D.s were specially considering the standardization of herbal medicines. Conclusion : In this study, majority of O.M.D.s assented to health insurance coverage for herbal decoctions, but considered standardization of herbal medicines and optional prescription fee. It needs to prepare plan for insurance coverage of herbal decoctions that reflect the character of oriental medicine and oriental medical institutions.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2012

Objectives : To provide the information of preservation method for herbal decoction, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects according to preservation temperature and period of Pyungwi-san (PWS, Ping wei-san) decoction. Methods : The anti-inflammatory activity of PWS was investigated by carrageenin-induced paw edema in SD rats. At 0 month, PWS extract was administrated 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg/day orally for seven days prior to induction of edema. Edema was induced by subcutaneous injection of 1% carrageenin into the right hind paw. The paw volume was measured at 4 hr following carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats. At 6 and 12 months, PWS extracts according to preservation temperatures (room temperature, $4^{\circ}C$ and $-20^{\circ}C$) were administrated in rats and then carrageenin-induced paw edema volume was measured. Results : PWS showed inhibitory effect on carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats and the optimal dose was 1000 mg/kg/day at 0 month of storage. At 6 month of storage, PWS storaged at $4^{\circ}C$ and $-20^{\circ}C$ were inhibited paw edema but that storaged at room temperature was not reduced paw edema in rats. Conclusions : These results suggest that PWS decoction pouch has anti-inflammatory activities at both $4^{\circ}C$ and $-20^{\circ}C$ during 6 month storage.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.64-78
• /
• 2009

Objectives: To research Korean oriental medical doctors' use of uninsured herbal extracts and how to bring about the insurance coverage of such herbal extracts. Methods: We surveyed Korean oriental doctors about the following issues from October 17th to November 15th, 2008: (1) Korean oriental medical doctors' knowledge about herbal extract insurance and the circumstances of oriental medicine in Korea, (2) their opinion on the coverage of currently uninsured herbal extracts and the dispensing of herbal extracts from pharmacies rather than from their clinics, (3) their use of herbal extracts, and (4) how to bring about insurance coverage of uninsured herbal extracts. Results: Over 70% of the respondents said that herbal medicine prescriptions have been reduced recently and that the existence of herbal medicine is in danger. In addition, 63.64% respondents agreed with expanding insurance coverage to include currently uninsured herbal extracts in spite of the fact that patients might have to obtain herbal extracts from pharmacies rather than from Korean oriental medical clinics. The average patient number per month of uninsured herbal extracts was 13.64 people, the average dosage was 5.64g, the average cost per day was 3,859 won, and the average prescription period was 2.65 days. Korean oriental medical doctors asked an average of 12,486 won for the medical examination-prescription fee and 3,292 won in fees for prescriptions obtained outside the hospital. If insurance coverage expands to include these herbal extracts, their usage is expected to increase 2.31 times. Conclusions: This study shows Korean oriental medical doctors' use of herbal extracts and their opinions about execution of herbal extracts' insurance. A periodic study such as this one will hopefully aid in establishing polices for uninsured herbal extracts' insurance.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.12-35
• /
• 2011

Objectives: The two criteria to clarify the toxicity of a herbal diet are well known. Although mechanical analysis of effective ingredients, a western approach, is widely used, the toxicity presence classification through the herbal analysis from a viewpoint of a theory of the herbal medicine properties has been disregarded. This study is for the safe use of a herbal diet through classification and study of toxicity presence in the herbal diet from the view of a theory of herbal medicine properties, one of the methods of Oriental Medicine. Methods: We classified and studied the toxicity presence in four kinds of herbal diets, waters and grains, animals groups, fruits and vegetables, and herbs and trees, excluding mineral natural drugs, of 1,400 kinds of medicines in 16 chapters of Tang-aec-pyeon, Dong-ui-bo-gam, for which the herbal analysis from a viewpoint of the theory of the herbal medicine properties has been used. The criteria of the toxicity presence in the herbal diet have been largely classified into the toxicant and the non-toxicant, and the toxicant is in turn classified into the insignificant, the medium and the significant. The category to clarify herbal diet has been limited to simultaneous utilization of food and natural drugs. The main text is Dong-ui-bo-gam, although diverse other references have also been used. Results: There are toxicant diets: a kind of tortoise meat of animals groups; five kinds of grains part in fruits and vegetables: aengdo, peach, oyat, small apple and gingko nut; and 12 kinds of vegetables part in fruits and vegetables: ginger, oriental cabbage, lettuce, chongbaek, onion, garlic, leek, fern, houttuynia cordata (myeol), pyeongji, geundae, and spinach, which should be prohibited from long-term use both as food and medicine. Conclusion: If herbal diet is used as health food supplements or food, the toxicity presence should be considered on the grounds of an Oriental Medicine theory of the herbal medicine properties.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.385-396
• /
• 2016

It is a fact that the existing pharmacological research method is difficult to explain the effect and mechanism of action of herbal formula of Korean medicine. We are now very pleased with the development of modern science and the development of a methodology for studying herbal formula characterized by network targets and multi-component therapeutics over the human body. In this review, systems pharmacology or network pharmacology is demonstrated how these are applied to explain the effectiveness of herbal medicine. The post-genomic era provides a unique opportunity for the two fields to understand and benefit from each other. In particular, recent research trends, research methodology, useful databases and results of research on herbal formula are introduced. China already has a policy of scientific development of traditional chinese medicine (TCM) and the development of Chinese medicine industry with a focus on herbal formula research at national level, and in Korea, it is urgent to support and nurture the methodology appropriate to the characteristics of the herbal formula in order to study the safety and efficacy of Korean medicine.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.129-153
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effectiveness and safety of herbal medicine treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Methods: Researchers searched papers through 5 online databases including The Cochrane Library Central, Pubmed, China Academic Journal (CAJ), Oriental medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS) and Korean studies Information Service System (KISS). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used herbal medicine as treatment were included. Results: Twenty three studies were selected by the selection and exclusion criteria. The treatment group was treated with herbal medicine alone or with herbal medicine and conventional medicine. The control group was treated with conventional medicine. Most common evaluation index was Bone Mineral Density (BMD) followed by total efficacy rate and level of bone metabolism markers, level of sex hormones, etc. Compared with the control group, the treatment group was more effective and safer in all of 23 studies. Conclusions: Herbal treatment alone could be an effective and safe option in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis. Moreover herbal treatment with conventional medicine could improve its therapeutic effect on postmenopausal osteoporosis as well.