• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.111-125
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• 2012

Objectives : One of the fundamental premises of medical anthropology is the interconnectedness of medicine and society. Recent ethnographies of medicine demonstrate that the interconnectedness of the social and the medical not just evokes relatedness of the two parties, but also emphasizes the agency of the constituents, mutually shaping and being shaped. Against this backdrop, this study attempts to anthropologically investigate Korean medicine in South Korea and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China. Methods : The findings are based on anthropological studies of East Asian medicine employing long-term fieldwork about Korean Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Results : TCM is characterized by standardization, hospitalization, and scientization, by which simplification, collectivization, and biomedicalization prevail in contemporary traditional medicine in China. In contrast, Korean medicine is characterized by diversity, care delivery by individual private clinics, and a considerable distance from biomedicine. To understand the divergence of the two East Asian medicines, one should consider the social contexts intervening into the medical contents, such as the role of the state and dominant discourses in given historical periods. Conclusions : Korean medicine in South Korea and TCM in China demonstrate well the hybridity of the social and the medical, suggesting that, for more comprehensive understanding of the medical, the social should be paid attention to.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.169-171
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• 2017

Background: Many stroke patients receive traditional medical care in Korea and China. Stroke patients comprise the largest proportion of inpatients in traditional Korean medicine and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals. The purpose of this study is to identify the types and effects of Chinese medicine widely used in China and Korea, and to apply them to future studies of stroke. Methods: Nine Korean and Chinese databases will be surveyed for clinical studies of herbal medicines for stroke, published between the inception of the database and August 2017. Clinical studies of decoctions or modified decoctions will be included without restriction on study type. The frequencies and patterns of formulas or single herb usage and the any type of herbal medicine utilization will be analyzed. Dissemination: The results of the systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated electronically and in print. Updates of the review will be conducted to inform and guide healthcare practices.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.125-134
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• 2014

Objectives: This study aimed to survey and report on the international programs for Chinese Medicine in China. Methods: Online research was conducted based on a survey of official websites of 25 universities of Chinese medicine. In certain situations, we used e-mail or phone calls to get more detailed information. Results: Among 25 universities of Chinese medicine, 22 operate international programs for Chinese medicine. The main contents of the programs are acupuncture, moxibustion, tuina, Chinese materia medica, cosmetology or qigong, and an average 400 foreign students finish each program yearly. China has maintained the lead in international education of traditional Oriental medicine, and has already established a systematic and remarkable infrastructure for globalization of Chinese medicine. Conclusions: This study can inform the development of strategy in the process of raising the competitiveness of Korean medicine in the world market.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2017

Background: In the present study, metabolite profiles of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 from red ginseng or red notoginseng in zebrafish were qualitatively analyzed with ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight MS, and the possible metabolic were pathways proposed. Methods: After exposing to zebrafish for 24 h, we determined the metabolites of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5. The chromatography was accomplished on UPLC BEH C18 column using a binary gradient elution of 0.1% formic acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid water. The quasimolecular ions of compounds were analyzed in the negative mode. With reference to quasimolecular ions and MS2 spectra, by comparing with reference standards and matching the empirical molecular formula with that of known published compounds, and then the potential structures of metabolites of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 were acquired. Results: Four and seven metabolites of ginsenoside Rk1 and ginsenoside Rg5, respectively, were identified in zebrafish. The mechanisms involved were further deduced to be desugarization, glucuronidation, sulfation, and dehydroxymethylation pathways. Dehydroxylation and loss of C-17 residue were also metabolic pathways of ginsenoside Rg5 in zebrafish. Conclusion: Loss of glucose at position C-3 and glucuronidation at position C-12 in zebrafish were regarded as the primary physiological processes of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.115-125
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• 2022

Background: Ginsenosides (GS) have potential value as cosmetic additives for prevention of skin photoaging. However, their protective mechanisms against skin barrier damage and their active monomeric constituents are unknown. Methods: GS monomer types and their relative proportions were identified. A UVB-irradiated BALB/c hairless mouse model was used to assess protective effects of GS components on skin epidermal thickness and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Skin barrier function, reflected by filaggrin (FLG), involucrin (IVL), claudin-1 (Cldn-1), and aquaporin 3 (AQP3) levels and MAPK phosphorylation patterns, were analyzed in UVB-irradiated hairless mice or HaCaT cells. Results: Total GS monomeric content detected by UPLC was 85.45% and was largely attributed to 17 main monomers that included Re (16.73%), Rd (13.36%), and Rg1 (13.38%). In hairless mice, GS ameliorated UVB-induced epidermal barrier dysfunction manifesting as increased epidermal thickness, increased TEWL, and decreased stratum corneum water content without weight change. Furthermore, GS treatment of UVB-irradiated mice restored protein expression levels and epidermal tissue distributions of FLG, IVL, Cldn-1, and AQP3, with consistent mRNA and protein expression results obtained in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells (except for unchanging Cldn-1 expression). Mechanistically, GS inhibited JNK, p38, and ERK phosphorylation in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells, with a mixture of Rg2, Rg3, Rk3, F2, Rd, and Rb3 providing the same protective MAPK pathway inhibition-associated upregulation of IVL and AQP3 expression as provided by intact GS treatment. Conclusion: GS protection against UVB-irradiated skin barrier damage depends on activities of six ginsenoside monomeric constituents that inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5291-5298
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• 2012

Beta-asarone is one of the main bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicine Acorus calamu. Previous studies have shown that it has antifungal and anthelmintic activities. However, little is known about its anticancer effects. This study aimed to determine inhibitory effects on LoVo colon cancer cell proliferation and to clarify the underlying mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. Dose-response and time-course anti-proliferation effects were examined by MTT assay. Our results demonstrated that LoVo cell viability showed dose- and time-dependence on ${\beta}$-asarone. We further assessed anti-proliferation effects as ${\beta}$-asarone-induced apoptosis by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay usinga flow cytometer and observed characteristic nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation of apoptosis by microscopy. Moreover, we found the apoptosis to be induced through the mitochondrial/caspase pathway by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reducing the Bcl-2-to-Bax ratio, in addition to activating the caspase-9 and caspase-3 cascades. Additionally, the apoptosis could be inhibited by a pan-caspase inhibitor, carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK). When nude mice bearing LoVo tumor xenografts were treated with ${\beta}$-asarone, tumor volumes were reduced and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays of excised tissue also demonstrated apoptotic changes. Taken together, these findings for the first time provide evidence that ${\beta}$-asarone can suppress the growth of colon cancer and the induced apoptosis is possibly mediated through mitochondria/caspase pathways.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.501-514
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of Chikusetsusaponin V (CsV) on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular endothelial cell functions. Different concentrations of CsV were added to animal models, bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in vitro. qPCR, Western blotting (WB), and B ultrasound were performed to explore the effects of CsV on mouse endothelial cell functions, vascular stiffness and cellular eNOS mRNA, protein expression and NO release. Bioinformatics analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking and protein mass spectrometry analysis were conducted to jointly predict the upstream transcription factors of eNOS. Furthermore, pulldown and ChIP and dual luciferase assays were employed for subsequent verification. At the presence or absence of CsV stimulation, either overexpression or knockdown of purine rich element binding protein A (PURA) was conducted, and PCR assay was employed to detect PURA and eNOS mRNA expressions, Western blot was used to detect PURA and eNOS protein expressions, cell NO release and serum NO levels. Tube formation experiment was conducted to detect the tube forming capability of HUVECs cells. The animal vasodilation function test detected the vasodilation functions. Ultrasonic detection was performed to determine the mouse aortic arch pulse wave velocity to identify aortic stiffness. CsV stimulus on bovine aortic cells revealed that CsV could upregulate eNOS protein levels in vascular endothelial cells in a concentration and time dependent manner. The expression levels of eNOS mRNA and phosphorylation sites Ser1177, Ser633 and Thr495 increased significantly after CsV stimulation. Meanwhile, CsV could also enhance the tube forming capability of HUVECs cells. Following the mice were gavaged using CsV, the eNOS protein level of mouse aortic endothelial cells was upregulated in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and serum NO release and vasodilation ability were simultaneously elevated whereas arterial stiffness was alleviated. The pulldown, ChIP and dual luciferase assays demonstrated that PURA could bind to the eNOS promoter and facilitate the transcription of eNOS. Under the conditions of presence or absence of CsV stimulation, overexpression or knockdown of PURA indicated that the effect of CsV on vascular endothelial function and eNOS was weakened following PURA gene silence, whereas overexpression of PURA gene could enhance the effect of CsV upregulating eNOS expression. CsV could promote NO release from endothelial cells by upregulating the expression of PURA/eNOS pathway, improve endothelial cell functions, enhance vasodilation capability, and alleviate vessel stiffness. The present study plays a role in offering a theoretical basis for the development and application of CsV in vascular function improvement, and it also provides a more comprehensive understanding of the pharmacodynamics of CsV.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.233-249
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• 2004

Objectives : Infectious mononucleosis is a clinical syndrome caused by Epstein-Barr virus that is particularly common in adolescents and children. This study was progressed for current oriental medical treatment of infectious mononucleosis in china. The purpose of this study is the opening oriental medical approach to infectious mononucleosis in Korea Methods : Authors conducted a literature search in data of Traditional Chinese Medical Journal. The data were extracted in a standardized, predefined manner and accessed critically. Results : The study for infectious mononucleosis consists of basic, clinical, experimental study. Basic study consists of etiology & pathogenesis and the rule of treatment. Clinical study consists of symptoms-based treatment and adequate prescription treatment. Experimental study consists of effective herbs and new traditional chinese medical injection. Conclusion : Traditional chinese medical approach using herbs works in children with infectious mononucleosis in Korea.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.48-69
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• 2013

Objectives There are constant increase numbers of cases mumps in children. The purpose of this study is to analyze traditional Chinese medicine treatments of epidemic mumps in children through traditional Chinese medical journal research. Methods 20 studies were selected based on title keyword "Epidemic mumps" "Child" published in CAJ(China Academic Journal). Study researched about clinical effect, herbs, attachment, moxa, venesection treatments in epidemic mumps in children Results & Conclusions There are so many treatments about epidemic mumps in children through analyzing studies in CAJ. Single and combination traditional Chinese medicine treatment is more effective in epidemic mumps in children. Therefore, we need to study more about epidemic mumps in children and should make more clinical case about it.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.57-72
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• 2021

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate clinical studies about Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine therapy for Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Methods We searched clinical studies about Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine therapy for Legg-Calve-Perthes disease through China National Knowledge Infrastructure. 17 articles published from 2000-2021 were finally chosen and analyzed by published year, study design, number of samples, diagnosis criteria, evaluation criteria, treatment period, follow up period, treatment method. Results Herbal medicine, external treatment, Chuna massage therapy were performed for traditional Chinese medical treatment. For Western medicine treatment, conservative treatment and surgical treatment were performed. Above them, herbal medicine and conservative treatment were mostly used for treating Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Conclusions By analyzing clinical studies, We found that Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine therapy can be helpful for treating Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. In Korea, more clinical research about Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is still needed. This study will be helpful for future research on Korean medicine for Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.