• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.562-577
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• 2023

Objectives: This is a five-year survival and complete response (CR) report on pancreatic cancer treated with western medicine and Korean traditional medicine. Method: A 59-year-old woman diagnosed with pancreatic cancer visited ○○ Korean traditional medicine hospital after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. She was treated with Korean traditional medicine, including acupuncture, abdominal moxibustion, wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine, which was based on integrated medicine therapy (IMT), from March 2018 to September 2022. The tumor size was measured by scanning with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and positron-emission tomography/CT. Adverse events were evaluated using laboratory conclusion and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Result: During four years and three months of treatment, IMT maintained safety. The patient finally reached five-year survival without any recurrence or complication (CR) on October 26, 2022. Conclusion: We suggest that an integrative approach including Korean traditional medicine can be a meaningful treatment option for pancreatic cancer. Further studies should be performed to establish the proper treatment protocol of integrative medicine for pancreatic cancer.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2020

Background: Parkinson's disease(PD) affects not only motor symptoms, but also nonmotor symptoms. This study is a clinical trial to determine whether Qigong and acupuncture affect nonmotor symptoms of PD. Methods: A 2-arm parallel and randomized trial was performed with 21 participants who had received either Qigong meditation only [control group (CG)] or acupuncture and Qigong meditation [experimental group (EG)]. The participants' levels of the discomfort in nonmotor symptoms from Parkinson's disease were evaluated by using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scales (UPDRS 1) and Test of Smell Identification (TSI) before and after 12 treatments at baseline and 1 month after 12 treatments. Results: The both CG and EG showed improvements in the UPDRS 1 score after treatment by 5.6 ± 5.15 (p= 0.003; 74%) and 4.8 ± 3.80 (p = 0.004; 79%), respectively. The both CG and the EG did improvements in the TSI after treatment by 10.3 ± 4.37 (p < 0.001; 84%) and 12.6 ± 1.77 (p = 0.022; 100%), respectively. However, statistical differences were not observed between the CG and the EG using the UPDRS 1 and the TSI scores. Conclusion: The combination of Qigong and acupuncture and Qigong alone was shown to improve the nonmotor symptoms and olfactory function of PD. In the future, large-scale clinical studies on alternative treatment for PD and studies on mechanisms affecting nonmotor symptoms of acupuncture and Qigong are needed.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.23-32
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this research is to develop the clinical pathway for optimizing the integrative medical service (oriental-western integrated medical service) and to analyze the clinical pattern of the integrative patients who received the oriental-western integrated medical service. Methods : This research developed the clinical pathway by interviewing with doctors, nursing and experts at K Medical Center. To analyze the clinical patterns, this research used 860 integrative patients and 6345 non-integrative patients at K Medical Center since 2007. Results and Conclusions : 1. We developed the clinical pathway for optimizing the integrative medical service. 2. Comparing the clinical pattern of the integrative patients with the non-integrative patients, the results indicated that the interval and frequency of the integrative patients is shorter than that of the non-integrative patients. 3. Comparing the medical treatment type, the integrated patients take much more medical care and more frequently participate in medical treatment. 4. In conclusion, it is different that the clinical pathway of the integrative medical service from the non-integrative medical service and the integrative medical treatment is more effective than the non-integrative medical treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.778-788
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• 2017

Objective: We conducted this study to report the clinical manifestations of integrative treatment with Korean and conventional medicines in a patient with acute hepatitis A after conventional medicine therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia. Methods: A patient was treated with herbal medicine, western medicine, and moxibustion. The liver function tests (GOT, GPT, ALP, ${\gamma}-GT$), total bilirubin, and 4-scale scoring (none, mild, moderate, and severe) of symptoms were used to assess any improvement in symptoms. Results and Conclusion: The symptoms at the time of admission were improved. The levels of GOT, GPT, ALP, ${\gamma}-GT$, and total bilirubin were decreased in laboratory tests. We obtained positive effects for the integrative treatment of acute hepatitis A.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-185
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• 2019

Dural ectasia is defined as ballooning or expansion of the dural sac surrounding the spinal cord. This report describes a rare case of low back pain and sciatica, suspected as being dural ectasia. The patient was hospitalized for 45 days, and underwent integrative Korean medical treatment, including pharmacopuncture, acupuncture, herbal medicine, Chuna therapy, cupping therapy, and physiotherapy. The effect of the treatment was evaluated using the numerical rating scale, Oswestry disability index, European quality of life 5 dimensions, and subjective symptoms. After inpatient treatment, the pain the patient experienced was significantly reduced and the evaluation indices improved. This case report suggested that integrative Korean medical treatment could be an effective therapeutic choice for low back pain and sciatica, with dural ectasia. Further clinical studies are needed to support this observation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.750-758
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• 2022

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional condition between normality and dementia. Ginseng is known to have effects on attenuating cognitive deficits in neurogenerative diseases. Ginsenosides are the main bioactive component of ginseng, and their protein targets have not been fully understood. Furthermore, no thorough analysis is reported in ginsenoside-related protein targets in MCI. Methods: The candidate protein targets of ginsenosides in brain tissues were identified by drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) coupled with label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Network pharmacology approach was used to collect the therapeutic targets for MCI. Based on the above-mentioned overlapping targets, we built up a proteineprotein interaction (PPI) network in STRING database and conducted gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Finally, we assessed the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) and different ginsenosides on mitochondrial function by measuring the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex and performing molecular docking. Results: We screened 2526 MCI-related protein targets by databases and 349 ginsenoside-related protein targets by DARTS. On the basis of these 81 overlapping genes, enrichment analysis showed the mitochondria played an important role in GTS-mediated MCI pharmacological process. Mitochondrial function analysis showed GTS, protopanaxatriol (PPT), and Rd increased the activities of complex I in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking also predicted the docking pockets between PPT or Rd and mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I. Conclusion: This study indicated that ginsenosides might alleviate MCI by targeting respiratory chain complex I and regulating mitochondrial function, supporting ginseng's therapeutic application in cognitive deficits.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2013

Objectives : Definition of Life has led an identity and advancement in the knowledge system of science including biomedicine. The world welcomes the new paradigm about the integrative medicine throughout Western Medicine and Traditional Medicine co-exists so far. Methods : Thus this study has comprised how Life was interpreted in Korean Medical history. To reach the purpose, various data and documents about Life subjected to the medical field was collected from medical textbooks and chapters presented in ancient Korean Medicine. Results : Most of important issue is Life as the key even though there are many opinions and conflicts in the view of Life between Western and Korean medical culture. As a result it is not different in the concept of Life each other except for speaking differently same as using the different languages. Integrative Medicine has accepted that it emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapies. Integrative Medicine declares to be a kind of medicine if vary medical system can focus on human being. Conclusions : Since Korean Medicine was early therapeutic medical categories developed based on Dao, Korean Medicine have to focus on mind and body interactive relationship and attribute to the public health care system in the future.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2022

Objective: To report the improvements with Korean medicine-based integrative cancer therapies on adverse effects of adjuvant chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer patients. Method: There were two patients complained cough, rhinorrhea, numbness, general weakness, nausea and dyspepsia after chemotherapy. They got treated centered on Korean medicine including herbal medicine, acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, hand and foot bath. They were also treated Western immunotherapies like Thymosin at regular intervals. The symptoms were measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 for Palliative Care(EORTC QLQ C-15 PAL) and their subjective assessments. Results: Their chief complaints were relieved and their quality of life scores was improved even though they have been receiving chemotherapy continuously. Conclusion: These cases revealed a possibility that Korean medicine-based integrative cancer therapies could improve some symptoms after chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.167-175
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• 2023

This study aimed to report the effect of moving cupping therapy (MCT) on peripheral facial palsy (PFP). Four patients with PFP treated with MCT combined with integrative Korean medicine treatment (KMT). Patients were hospitalized for < 17 days. House-Brackmann Grading System (HBGS), Yanagihara grading score (Y-score), and Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (SBGS) were used to assess the changes during treatment periods, and facial photos were taken at admission, interim, and discharge. Facial paralysis symptoms and HBGS grades improved in all patients (Patient 1: HBGS of IV to II; Patient 2: HBGS of V to III; Patient 3: HBGS of IV to II; Patient 4: HBGS of IV to II) following an average of 14.5 days of treatment. The mean (± standard deviation) Y-scores and SBGS scores also increased (Δ[Y-score]: 13.75 ± 3.50 and Δ[SBGS]: 40.00 ± 13.11) from baseline to end of treatment. These findings suggest the clinical effectiveness of MCT combined with integrative KMT in treating patients with PFP.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.666-674
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• 2022

Background: Ginsenosides and their metabolites have antidepressant-like effects, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We previously identified 14-3-3 ζ as one of the target proteins of 20 (S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), a fully deglycosylated ginsenoside metabolite. Methods: Corticosterone (CORT) was administered repeatedly to induce the depression model, and PPD was given concurrently. The tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swimming test (FST) were used for behavioral evaluation. All mice were sacrificed. Golgi-cox staining, GSK 3β activity assay, and Western blot analysis were performed. In vitro, the kinetic binding analysis with the Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) was used to determine the molecular interactions. Results: TST and FST both revealed that PPD reversed CORT-induced behavioral deficits. PPD also ameliorated the CORT-induced expression alterations of hippocampal Ser9 phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-Ser9 GSK 3β), Ser133 phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-Ser133 CREB), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Moreover, PPD attenuated the CORT-induced increase in GSK 3β activity and decrease in dendritic spine density in the hippocampus. In vitro, 14-3-3 ζ protein specifically bound to p-Ser9 GSK 3β polypeptide. PPD promoted the binding and subsequently decreased GSK 3β activity. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the antidepressant-like effects of PPD on the CORT-induced mouse depression model and indicated a possible target-based mechanism. The combination of PPD with the 14-3-3 ζ protein may promote the binding of 14-3-3 ζ to p-GSK 3β (Ser9) and enhance the inhibition of Ser9 phosphorylation on GSK 3β kinase activity, thereby activating the plasticity-related CREBeBDNF signaling pathway.