• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.151-161
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• 2021

Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) takes a holistic view that emphasizes the balance between the elements constituting the human body or between the human body and the external environment. To investigate the holistic properties of TKM, here we propose to apply the methodology of complexity science to the TKM research. Complexity science is a discipline for studying complex systems with interactions between components that raise the behaviour as a whole which can be more than the sum of their parts. We first provide an introduction to the complexity science and its research methods, particularly focusing on network science and data science approaches. Next, we briefly present the current status of TKM research employing these methods. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research elucidating the underlying mechanism of TKM, both in terms of biomedicine and humanities.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 2021

This case study reports the effects of complex Korean medicine treatment, including Nangan-jeon, on Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) accompanied by chronic constipation and abdominal pain as the main symptoms. A 39-year-old woman diagnosed with LEMS with major symptoms, including chronic constipation and acute abdominal pain, received Western treatment. The treatment efficacy was weak and symptoms recurred, so the patient received outpatient treatment and 13 days of hospitalization for active Korean medicine treatment, including Nangan-jeon. During outpatient treatment and hospitalization, defecation frequency and the numeric rating scale (NRS) for abdominal pain and abdominal cold feeling were measured. The NRS for abdominal pain and cold decreased from 8 at admission to 3 and 0, respectively, at discharge. Defecation frequency increased significantly from once or twice a month to once every 2-3 days during hospitalization. This study results that complex Korean medicine treatment, including Nangan-jeon may be useful for treating patients who mainly complain of autonomic neurological symptoms, among patients diagnosed with LEMS. In addition, it is believed that it could be basic data applicable to more LEMS patient treatment cases.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2024

Objective : This study aimed to investigate Korean medical students' satisfaction with Korean medicine education and their trust in Korean medicine. It also explored the factors affecting satisfaction with Korean medicine education and trust in Korean medicine. Methods : Based on a total of 381 survey responses, the satisfaction with Korean medicine education, reflection of educational needs, trust in Korean medicine, reasons for maladjustment to education, and suggestions for improving education were analyzed. Results : Satisfaction with Korean medicine education and trust in Korean medicine were generally above average. However, reflection of educational needs was below average. It was found that the curriculum should be rearranged according to the needs of premedical students and medical students. The factors affecting satisfaction with Korean medicine education were gender, academic year, dropout experience, trust in Korean medicine, and reflection of educational needs. Factors affecting trust in Korean medicine were gender, academic year, and satisfaction with Korean medicine education. Conclusion : This study found that satisfaction with Korean medicine education and trust in Korean medicine have a reciprocal relationship. To improve students' satisfaction and adjustment to Korean medicine education, it is necessary to implement strategies to increase students' trust in Korean medicine. In addition, it is important for students and instructors to collaborate on curriculum design by establishing a feedback system that reflects students' needs.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2009

우리나라의 지리지는 지리적 정보 이외에 해당 지역의 역사와 문화에 대한 포괄적인 정보를 담고 있다. 기존 계발된 한의학 정보들은 자료의 한계로 인해 대부분 중앙정부와 서울지역, 그리고 유력 인물 중심의 정보들이란 공통점을 갖고 있다. 그러나 지리지를 통해 발굴해내는 한의학 정보들은 지역 중심의 한의학 정보가 된다. 이러한 지리지 속의 한의학정보들을 발굴하면 다양한 의학정보를 지역사회에 제공할 수 있다.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.329-340
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• 2018

Objectives : In Traditional Korean medicine, Daucus carota L. has been used for treating dyspepsia, diarrhea, dysentery and cough. Recent pharmacognosic evidence showed D. carota has anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, and hypotensive effects. Present study investigated hepato-protective effect of D. carota ethanol extract (DCE) against oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. Methods : After HepG2 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of DCE, the cells were exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) for inducing oxidative stress. Cell viability, hydrogen peroxide production, glutathione concentration, and mitochondrial membrane potentials were measured to explore hepato-protective effect of DCE. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and effect of compound C on cell viability were determined to investigate the role of AMPK on DCE-mediated cytoprotection. Results : DCE significantly decreased the tBHP-mediated cytotoxicity in a concentration dependent manner and reduced the changes on apoptosis-related proteins by tBHP in HepG2 cells. In addition, DCE significantly prevented hydrogen peroxide production, glutathione depletion, and mitochondrial membrane impairment induced by tBHP. Treatment with DCE increased phosphorylation of AMPK, and the DCE-mediated cytoprotection was abolished by pretreatment with compound C. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that DCE can protect hepatocytes from oxidative stress through activation of AMPK.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.253-266
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• 2021

Objective : This is to analyze the factors affecting the satisfaction of curriculum at korean medicine college and suggest the direction of the curriculum reformation of korean medicine colleges. Method : The collected data were conducted multiple linear regression analysis using the SPSS ver.26 statistical program, using 'curriculum satisfaction' as a dependent variable after analyzing the frequency of each variable. Result : The average score for curriculum satisfaction at Korean Medicine college was 2.87 points, which was relatively low. The factors affecting the satisfaction of the curriculum were 'A favorable impression of Korean Medicine College of W University' β=0.351(p<.001), 'connectivity between major subjects' β=0.312(p<.001), 'duplex between major subjects' β=-0.163(p<.05), 'recognition of the importance of Chinese characters' β=0.114(p<.0.5). Conclusion : The curriculum of Korean Medicine College should first, be organized to allow students to be proud of themselves, second, the goal of education should set goals optimized for job competency, third, the content of learning should be consisted of student led problem based learning, fourth, the link between major subjects should be intensified, fifth, the clinical practice time should be expanded significantly and lastly the assessment evaluates the performance process.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2021

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI), an important cause of acute renal failure (ARF), cause increased renal tubular injury. Jesaeng-sinkihwan (JSH) was recorded in a traditional Chines medical book named "Bangyakhappyeon (方藥合編)". JSH has been used for treatment of diabetes and glomerulonephritis with patients. Here we investigate the effects of Jesaeng-sinkihwan (JSH) in a mouse model of ischemic acute kidney injury. The animals model were divided into four groups at the age of 8 weeks; sham group: C57BL6 male mice (n=9), I/R group: C57BL6 male mice with I/R surgery (n=9), JSH Low group: C57BL6 male mice with surgery + JSH 100 mg/kg/day (n=9) and JSH High group: C57BL6 male mice with surgery + JSH 300 mg/kg/day (n=9). Ischemia was induced by clamping the both renal arteries during 25 min, and reperfusion was followed. Mouse were orally given with JSH (100 and 300 mg/kg/day during 3 days after surgery. Treatment with JSH significantly ameliorates creatinine clearance(Ccr), Creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) in obtained plasma. . Treatment with JSH reduced kidney inflammation markers such as Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). JSH also reduced the periodic acid schiff (PAS) staining intensity and picro sirius red staining intensity in kidney of I/R group. These findings suggest that JSH ameliorates tubular injury including renal dysfunction in I/R induced ARF mouse.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.75-85
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• 2021

Objectives: This study reported about a patient with a right middle cerebral artery infarction whose gait disturbance was improved by Korean medicine treatment. Methods: The patient was treated with a Korean herbal medicine (Gami-yukmijihwang-tang) along with acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and physical therapy. The treatment effect was evaluated with the manual muscle test (MMT) and the Korean version of the modified Barthel index (K-MBI). The gait of the patient was evaluated by a 10-m walk test (10MWT), the timed up and go (TUG) test, the functional ambulation profile (FAP) score, and the functional ambulatory category (FAC) score. Spatiotemporal parameters were evaluated using a walkway system (GAITRite®, CIR Systems, Inc., USA). Results: After 83 days of traditional Korean medicine treatment, the K-MBI and FAC scores improved from 50 to 70 and from 1 to 4, respectively. The 10MWT and TUG tests also improved from 24.86 to 16.66 sec and from 22.35 to 17.62 sec, respectively. GAITRite® measurements reflected gait improvements: the FAP score improved from 55 to 86 sec; the step time improved from 0.72 to 0.669 sec; the step length improved from 31.076 cm to 41.284 cm; the gait velocity improved from 42.8 cm/sec to 64.1 cm/sec; the cadence improved from 93.6 steps/min to 90.8 steps/min. No adverse effects resulting from treatment or evaluation occurred during the admission period. Conclusions: This study suggests that traditional Korean medicine treatment may reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life in patients with cerebral infarction.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2013

■ Objectives The goal of this study is to find the correlation between the motor function and gait pattern of stroke patients. ■ Methods We measured Manual muscle test(MMT), Motricity index(MI) and Spatiotemporal gait parameters of admitted hemiplegic patients with stroke. The gait parameters were measured using a Treadmill gait system. ■ Results There is a significant correlation between motor function and spatiotemporal parameters such as step length, stride length, step time, stride time, total double support or cadence, in stroke patients. ■ Conclusion The better motor function of stroke was, the more gait improved.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.76-87
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to draw priorities for candidate projects so that future inter-Korean traditional medicine cooperation can be promoted efficiently and effectively. Methods: This study used the Delphi-AHP method to derive priorities for the inter-Korean traditional medicine cooperation project. First, 33 candidate projects were selected through a data survey. In addition, the priority importance score was calculated through a 2-round mini-Delphi survey of 20 experts. The importance of 33 candidate projects was calculated by three evaluation criteria, and the weights for these three evaluation criteria were derived through the AHP method. Results: As for the weight by item, 'feasibility' was the highest with 0.6749 points, followed by 'social ripple effect' (0.1811) and 'instrumentality' (0.1439). As a result of calculating the importance score by reflecting the weight of the evaluation criteria for each project, the South's sole project, "Understanding the Status of North Korea's Korean Medicine," was the top priority, followed by the "Establishment of Strategy for Inter-Korean Traditional Medicine and Cooperation." Conclusions: As a result of this study, experts now believe that it is important to prioritize the highly feasible South Korean independent project in the field of traditional medicine between the two Koreas. This will serve as the basis for promoting cooperative projects in the event of future changes in the inter-Korean situation.