• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.112-123
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• 1991

Traditional drugs(herbal and animal drugs) of Korea, China and Japan have developed essentially from the same origin, since the traditional medicine of three countries has been originated from ancient China. Due to different geographical locations and discrepancy of plant resources of the traditional drugs, some divergency in terms of systematic botany in traditional drug materials has appeared in the three countries. Present report aims to survey traditional herbal drugs that have been called same traditional names in three countries, but they are actually different with respect to systematic botanical view-point. The official drug compendia(pharmacopoeia and natural drug standards) of three countries were subject to examination. Survey was conducted by the following categories. Traditional drugs were listed under same name, however, 1) they belong to different genus; 7 traditional herbal drugs were listed. 2) they belong to same genus, but different species; 24 traditional herbal drugs were found. 3) a variety of related species are used; 15 traditional drugs were listed. 4) actually same plant, but taxonomical name is differently called and/or different parts of plant are used; 10 traditional drugs were counted. 5) animal drugs belong to one of the above categories; 7 traditional animal drugs were found. Total 63 traditional drugs(herbal and animal) were found to comprise different taxonomical names when the official drug compendia of Korea, China and Japan were examined.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.550-566
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• 2022

Stroke is among the leading causes of death and long-term physical and cognitive disabilities worldwide, affecting an estimated 15 million people annually. The pathophysiological process of stroke is complicated by multiple and coordinated events. The breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in people with stroke can significantly contribute to the development of ischemic brain injury. Therefore, BBB disruption is recognized as a hallmark of stroke; thus, it is important to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can protect against BBB dysfunction in ischemic stroke. Traditional medicines are composed of natural products, which represent a promising source of new ingredients for the development of conventional medicines. Indeed, several studies have shown the effectiveness of Korean medicine on stroke, highlighting the value of Korean medicinal treatment for ischemic stroke. This review summarizes the current information and underlying mechanisms regarding the ameliorating effects of the formula, decoction, herbs, and active components of traditional Korean medicine on cerebral ischemia-induced BBB disruption. These traditional medicines were shown to have protective effects on the BBB in many cellular and animal ischemia models of stroke, and experiments in various animal species, such as mice and rats. In addition, they showed brain-protective effects by protecting the BBB through the regulation of tight junction proteins and matrix metalloproteinase-9, reducing edema, neuroinflammation, and neuronal cell death. We hope that this review will help promote further investigation into the neuroprotective effects of traditional Korean medicines and stimulate the performance of clinical trials on Korean herbal medicine-derived drugs in patients with stroke.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.271-289
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• 2008

In the Oriental Medicine field the great three reference books are Hwantienaekyung(黃帝內徑, HJNK), Sihnnongbonchokyung(神農本草經, BCK) and Shanghanlun(SHR). HJNK has been a theory book regarded as a bible of the Oriental Medicine, BCK, a herbal book with 365 species of red letters noticed from Bonchokyungjipjoo(本草經集註) and SHR, very important clinical book with concrete prescriptions for the therapy of patients. Though these books were written by Chinese people ca. 2000 years ago, yet they are no doubt very important and effective ones in these days. Unfortunately they are handed down to all transmitted books for a long times because original ones were destroyed by fire and another troubles. In this study we have tried to extract three common terminological words and common theories from the prescription law by theoretical principles(理法方藥, clinical therapeutic mechanism) acquired through the comparative analysis of these three books. They are qi(氣), cold or heat(寒熱) and yin & yang(陰陽), and their practical basic theories have been evidenced through exterior & interior of body(表裏) and deficiency or exessiveness(虛實) by the heat of Sun. Also we would have realized that Oriental Medicine should be analyzed through various scientific techniques and clinical experiences, and necessarily unified to yin & yang monism from qi theory of the Sun in all human's life cycle(生老病死).

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

Objectives : The objectives of this study were to investigate why and how China used traditional Chinese medicine as a response to COVID-19 and how its performance was achieved, and to explore ways to utilize traditional Korean medicine in Korea. Methods : We examined the information through government data and media articles. China's COVID-19 progress and policy response were reviewed and compared with Korea. Based on this, the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine response in China were identified. Results : Based on legal basis, China makes the overall use of traditional Chinese medicines to respond to COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine has been applied to health insurance, the licensing regulations have been eased, and traditional Chinese medical specialists were dispatched. The medical care guidelines were developed and R&D were carried out. In addition, policies related to traditional Chinese medicine included policies for preventive treatment, the combination of Chinese and Western medicine, and telemedicine. Conclusions : Traditional Chinese medicine response to COVID-19 was included within the overall national quarantine policy, providing medical services for the mild stage. In addition, R&D was conducted to establish a basis for the utilization of traditional Chinese medicines. Traditional Korean medicine also needs to be prepared so that it can be used as a complement to the response of communicable diseases.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.99-113
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• 2008

In this study, the author experimented the influence of five herbal medicines, which are Lonicera japonica Thunb, Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, Scutellaria baicalensis George which are called 'Chungyulyak(淸熱藥)' on drug metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 in Human Liver Microsome. Above all, the reason for this study is that herbal medicines can be assumed that herbs might have interactions with drugs, other herbs, alcohol and chemicals whether those are much better synergy effects than expected effects when the medicine was treated alone or not. As a result, we showed that all of five traditional herbal medicines had no CYP 3A4 inhibition effect on 10, 20, 30, 40, $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ doses in Human Liver Microsome. However, this result are mostly not enough to prove that PMT has a CYP 3A4 inhibition effect. Moreover, it is not that those rates showed that those herbal medicines have CYP 3A4 induction effect. In conclusion, the result could support that those herbal medicines are more safe than chemical drugs even if this is the basic step to prove that result. Therefore, more specific studies to support this result, which are Kinetic study, cell and animal study then finally until clinical research, are required.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.37-49
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• 2008

In this study, we experimented the influence of three herbal medicines, which are Saussurea lappa Clarke, Poncirus trifoliata Rafin, Citrus aurantium Linne, which are called 'Yigiyak(理氣藥)' on drug metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 in Human Liver Microsome. Above all, the reason for this study is that herbal medicines can be assumed that herbs might have interactions with drugs, other herbs, alcohol and chemicals whether those are much better synergy effects than expected effects when the medicine was treated alone or not. As a result, we showed that all of five traditional herbal medicines had no CYP 3A4 inhibition effect on 10, 20, 30, 40, $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ doses in Human Liver Microsome even Saussurea lappa Clarke showed a little inhibition as about 93% and 79% inhibition rate of control. However, this result are mostly not enough to prove that SLC has a CYP 3A4 inhibition effect. Moreover, it is not that those rates showed that those herbal medicines have CYP 3A4 induction effect. In conclusion, the result could support that those herbal medicines are more safe than chemical drugs even if this is the basic step to prove that result. Therefore, more specific studies to support this result, which are Kinetic study, cell and animal study then finally until clinical research, are required.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.47-60
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• 1999

Traditional oriental medicines have been used for treatment of various kinds of human cancers for long times and some of them proven to be effective clinically. However, the pharmacological actions and mechanisms related to cancer treatment are generally unknown. In an effort to clarify the action mechanisms of several oriental medicines used for cancer treatments, we planned this experimental procedures. We selected Cordyceps sinensis (冬蟲下草), Punellae Herba (夏枯草), Rehmanniae Radix (熟地黃), Paeoniae Radix (白芍藥), Oldenlandiae Herba (白花蛇舌草), Partulaceae Herba (馬齒? ), Scdopendra subspinipes mutilans (蜈蚣), Mylabris Phalerara (班蟄), Phellinus igniarius(桑黃), Ganodermae Lignum(靈芝) for evaluation, which have been used for patients of gastric cancers. The twenty grams of medicines were boiled in 100ml of water for 1 hour and filtered with $0.2\;{\mu}m$ pore-sized filter unit to remove insoluble particles. Initially we evaluated the effects oriental medicines on growth inhibition in stomach cancer cells. The gastric cancer cell line, AGS, was cultured in RPMI 1640 supplemented with l0% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum and treated with $10{\mu}l$ oriental medicines per 1ml of medium up to 48 hours. The specimens were subjected to MTT assay for evaluation of growth inhibition. We found mat Mylabris phalerata (班蟄) markedly suppressed the growth of cancer cells as shown in results. Next, we checked the effects of oriental medicines on cancer on cell cycles and apptosis. Mylabrls phalerata (班蟄) inhibited cell cycle progression of cancer cells a compared with control cells and cells treated with other medicines. In addition, Mylabri phalerata (班蟄) induced apoptosis in 30-40% of stomch cancer cells within 24 hours. Other oriental medicines used for this experiments did not show apoptosis-inducing effects on cancer cells. Finally, we determined the expression levels of genes associated with cell cycle and apoptosis. The expressions of Bcl-2 and bcl-XL were downregulated by the treatment of Mylabris phalerata (班蟄). However, the expression levels of genes related to cell cycles were not altered significantly. In conclusion, we found that Mylabris phalerata (班蟄) has in vivo gowth-inhibiting and apptosis-inducing effects on stomach cancer cells. However, we think that at least animal experiments are necessay for evduations.

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

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.37-48
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• 2013

The review of the literature had been done to investigate the mechanism of the herbal medicines contained in traditional Korean medical books. We had thought the results could provide the theoretical basis of adding herbal medicies to functional drink. This study is a document research in cluding a historical review of traditional beverages from after the period of the Joseon Dynasty, analysis of the characteristics of tradition the herbal medicine of the Joseon entered the new stage at the era of King Sejong. In the reign of Sejong, there had been a noticeable increase in kinds of herbs. Besides understanding the quality of herbs by provinces, the Joseon government also had pushed ahead with increase policy of herbs. The more the standard of living and incomes have increased, the more the concern of our health has been raised. This social phenomenon has affected on the food& beverage industry. The food& beverage industry of Korea has been already reorganized like the ones in developed countries in the early 21st century. Consumers are particular choosing their beverages; they concern their health, convenience, and taste more than ever. We had selected several herbal medicines contained in functional drink, and investigated the mechanism in field of oriental medicine and pharmacology.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.29-39
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• 2008

"濟衆立效方" is the oldest Koryo dynasty medical document known to date. Despite its historical importance, due to the absence of its original copy, its true characters could not be understood. Through comparison of the many documents that cited 濟衆立效方, it could be found that 濟衆立效方 can be classified into two parts based on its contents and form. In Chinese medical texts, neither the name 交效散 nor any similar prescription is mentioned. 濟衆立效方 was the first in suggesting the usage of pine needles and salt for fomentation and not for internal use. Thus 交效散 can be thought of as the oldest indigenous prescription preserved in Korean history. 濟衆立效方 conveys records of the combination of the ancient origin pine needle fomentation and the creative addition of salt.