• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.11-19
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• 2013

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a painful condition that arises from exercise-induced muscle damage after unaccustomed physical activities. Various therapeutic interventions have been applied to reduce the intensity and duration of DOMS-related symptoms. Recently, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) intervention has been introduced as an alternative noninvasive treatment for DOMS. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment was conducted to examine the effects of PEMF therapy on DOMS in elbow flexors at 24, 48, and 72 hours after the experimental DOMS induction. Thirty healthy volunteers ($23{\pm}2.4$ yrs, $175{\pm}5.7$ cm, and $74{\pm}7.8$ kg) participated in this study. Each was randomly assigned to a PEMF or placebo group. On the first day, DOMS was induced in the elbow flexors by repeated isokinetic motions at low ($60^{\circ}/s$) and fast ($120^{\circ}/s$) speeds in all subjects. Thereafter, the PEMF group received 15-min daily treatment with a PEMF device. The placebo group received sham treatment of the same duration. Overall, PEMF application was more effective than the sham treatment in reducing the physiological symptoms associated with the DOMS including perceived soreness, median frequency, and electromechanical delay of the surface electromyography. In addition, median frequency and isokinetic peak torque of the PEMF group recovered to the pre-DOMS induction level earlier than the placebo group. In conclusion, this study suggests that PEMF can be applied as a new recovery strategy in reducing DOMS symptoms. Further experiments are required to examine the effect of the PEMF treatment on different types of exercise conditions and to determine the optimal treatment dosage and duration in a real clinical setting.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.3
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• pp.265-269
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• 2017

Background: The first line of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs are the most effective standard of drugs for TB. However, the use of these drugs is associated with hepatotoxicity. Silymarin has protective effects against hepatotoxicity of anti-TB drugs in animal models. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of silymarin on hepatotoxicity caused by anti-TB drugs. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Patients were eligible if they were 20 years of age or order and started the first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. Eligible patients were randomized for receiving silymarin or a placebo for the first 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who showed elevated serum liver enzymes more than 3 times the upper normal limit (UNL) or total bilirubin (TBil) > $2{\times}UNL$ within the first 8 weeks of anti-TB treatment. Results: We enrolled a total of 121 patients who silymarin or a placebo to start their anti-TB treatment, for the first 8 weeks. The proportions of elevated serum liver enzymes more than 3 times of UNL at week 2, week 4, and week 8 did not show any significant difference between the silymarin and placebo groups, at 0% versus 3.6% (p>0.999); 4.4% versus 3.6% (p>0.999); and 8.7% versus 10.8% (p=0.630), respectively. However, patients with TBil >$2{\times}UNL$ at week 8 were significantly low in the silymarin group (0% versus 8.7%, p=0.043). Conclusion: Our findings did not show silymarin had any significant preventive effect on the hepatotoxicity of anti-TB drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5753-5759
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• 2013

Curcumin and curcumin containing polyherbal preparations have demonstrated anti-microbial and antiviral properties in pre-clinical studies. Till date no therapeutic intervention has been proved to be effective and safe in clearing established cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The present study evaluated the efficacy of Basant polyherbal vaginal cream (containing extracts of curcumin, reetha, amla and aloe vera) and of curcumin vaginal capsules to eliminate HPV infection from cervix. Women were screened by Pap smear and HPV DNA test by PCR. HPV positive women without high grade cervical neoplasias (N=287) were randomized to four intervention arms to be treated with vaginal Basant cream, vaginal placebo cream, curcumin vaginal capsules and placebo vaginal capsules respectively. All subjects were instructed to use one application of the assigned formulation daily for 30 consecutive days except during menstruation and recalled within seven days of the last application for repeat HPV test, cytology and colposcopy. HPV clearance rate in Basant arm (87.7%) was significantly higher than the combined placebo arms (73.3%). Curcumin caused higher rate of clearance (81.3%) than placebo though the difference was not statistically significant. Vaginal irritation and itching, mostly mild to moderate, was significantly higher after Basant application. No serious adverse events were noted.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2012

Ginseng has a long history of use for health enhancement, and there is some evidence from animal studies that it has a beneficial effect on cognitive performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Korean red ginseng on cognitive performance in humans. A total of 15 healthy young males with no psychiatric or cognitive problems were selected based on an interview with a board-certified psychiatrist. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of 4,500 mg red ginseng or placebo for a 2-week trial. There were 8 subjects in the red ginseng group and 7 subjects in the placebo group. All of the subjects were analyzed with the Vienna test system and a P300 event-related potential (ERP) test. There were no significant differences in the Vienna test system scores between the red ginseng group and the placebo group. In the event-related potential test, the C3 latency of the red ginseng group tended to decrease during the study period (p=0.005). After 2 wk, significant decreases were observed in the P300 latencies at Cz (p=0.008), C3 (p=0.005), C4 (p=0.002), and C mean (p=0.003) in the red ginseng group. Our results suggest that the decreased latency in ERP is associated with improved cognitive function. Further studies with a higher dosage of ginseng, a larger sample size, and a longer follow-up period are necessary to confirm the clinical efficacy of Korean red ginseng.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2015

Purpose: Pilocarpine has the effects on improvement of salivary flow and subjective symptoms for xerostomic patients. Because of unwanted side effects following its systemic administration, topical pilocarpine has been paid attention as an alternative. This study aimed to investigate effects of pilocarpine solution as mouthwash on salivary flow and adverse effects compared to systemic administration of 5 mg pilocarpine tablet in healthy subjects. Methods: The study was a double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. Five milligrams pilocarpine tablets, 4 mL of 2% pilocarpine solution and placebo solution were given to 12 healthy volunteers (6 males and 6 females) in a predetermined order with wash-out period of at least two days and unstimulated whole saliva was collected before and after administration of each drug. Blood pressure and pulse rate was also measured and subjective effect and potential side effects were evaluated by a self-administrated questionnaire. Results: Systemic (5 mg tablet) and topical (2% solution) use of pilocarpine significantly increased salivary flow rate in healthy subjects compared to placebo (p<0.001). In both the pilocarpine solution and tablet groups, salivary flow rates at 120 minutes after administration remained increased. Subjective effect on salivation was the largest in the pilocarpine tablet group, followed by the pilocarpine solution group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in blood pressure and pulse rate after administration of all three drugs. Fewer side effects reported in the pilocarpine solution group than in the tablet group. Conclusions: Two percents pilocarpine solution as mouthwash increases salivary flow rate, definitely superior to placebo solution and comparable to pilocarpine tablet, with fewer side effects in healthy subjects. It indicates a possibility of pilocarpine solution as a useful alternative of pilocarpine tablets for the xerostomic patients with systemic diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.290-299
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Spirulina is a known a functional food related to lipid profiles, immune functions, and antioxidant capacity. Circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) level is associated with inflammation markers. Single nucleotide polymorphism in the MCP-1 promoter region -2518 have been identified and shown to affect gene transcription. Gene variation may also impact functional food supplementary effects. The current study investigated the interaction of MCP-1 -2518 polymorphism with spirulina supplements on anti-inflammatory capacity in Korean elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: After genotyping, healthy elderly subjects (n = 78) were included in a randomized, double blind, and placebo controlled study. Baseline characteristic, body composition, and dietary intake were measured twice (baseline vs. week 16). For 16 weeks, subjects consumed 8 g either spirulina or placebo daily. Plasma MCP-1, interleukin (IL) -2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, complement (C) 3, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, and Ig A concentrations and lymphocyte proliferation rate (LPR) were analyzed as inflammatory markers. RESULTS: In the placebo group with A/A genotype, MCP-1 level was significantly increased, but the spirulina group with A/A genotype was unchanged. IL-2 was significantly increased only in subjects with spirulina supplementation. TNF-${\alpha}$ was significantly reduced in subjects with the G carrier. C3 was significantly increased in the placebo group, particularly when A/A increased more than G, but not when spirulina was ingested. LPR was significantly different only in subjects with A/A genotype; there was a significant increase in phytohemagglutinin and lipopolysaccharide induced LPR in the spirulina group. CONCLUSION: In healthy Korean elderly, spirulina supplementation may influence different inflammatory markers by the MCP-1 genotype. These results may be useful for customized dietary guidelines to improve immune function in Koreans.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 2022

Background: Ketamine is widely used in infants and young children for procedural sedation and anesthesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low dose oral ketamine to control pain and distress in children during intravenous (IV) cannulation. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized, double-blind study, including children aged between 3 and 6 years requiring a non-emergent IV-line placement. Children were randomly assigned to two groups, treated either with oral ketamine or a placebo. All patients were monitored for vital signs. Pain was assessed using the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) and Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFS) scales and sedation using a 5-point sedation score. The facility of IV-line placement was measured by a 3-point scale. Adverse effects were recorded after 1 and 24 hours. Results: A total of 79 and 81 children were entered in the ketamine and placebo groups, respectively. The heart and respiratory rates increased significantly in the placebo group. The median CHEOPS 4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3, 4, P < 0.001) and WBFS 6 (95% CI: 4, 6, P < 0.001) scores decreased statistically in the ketamine group. IV-line placement was 50% easier in the ketamine group (95% CI: 37%, 63%, P < 0.001). No serious adverse effects were observed in all cases. Conclusions: Low dose oral ketamine effectively decreased the pain and distress during IV cannulation in children without any significant adverse reactions.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.31-38
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine whether NMED-01 or NMED-02 improves laboratory test results in participants with liver function disorder. Methods : This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in which participants, treating physicians and data management staff were blinded to treatment group. The study was conducted at Semyung university oriental medicine hospital in Jecheon where participants with high level of serum ${\gamma}$-GTP (60-350 U/L) were enrolled. The intervention consisted of three times daily ingestion of either two capsules of placebo, NMED-01 (NeuMed. co. ltd., Seoul), or NMED-02 (NeuMed. co. ltd., Seoul) for twelve weeks. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of NMED-01 and NMED-02, we primarily evaluated the degree of decrement of serum ${\gamma}$-GPT level among three groups. Secondarily the decrement of serum ALT, AST, and triglyceride level in each group were also evaluated. Adverse effects were monitored during the twelve weeks treatment. Results : The change of ${\gamma}$-GTP level of NMED-01 group was lower than that of placebo group at the end of 12-week administration ($28.1{\pm}38.7U/L$ vs. $9.3{\pm}27.0U/L$, p=0.046). Other variables including AST, ALT, and triglyceride level were not significantly reduced. The decrement of ${\gamma}$-GPT, AST, ALT, and triglyceride level of NMED-02 group was not significant. There were no significant adverse effects or toxicities during treatment period. Conclusions : Participants receiving NMED-01 had improvement in laboratory test results. Despite a modest sample size, our results suggest that NMED-01 are safe and may be potentially effective in improving liver function. However, NMED-02 have lack of a detectable effect in this study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.2160-2168
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• 2015

The beneficial effects of probiotics are now widely reported, although there are only a few studies on their anti-aging effects. We have found that Lactobacillus plantarum HY7714 (HY7714) improves skin hydration and has anti-photoaging effects, and in the present study, we have further evaluated the anti-aging effect of HY7714 via a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The trial included 110 volunteers aged 41 and 59 years who have dry skin and wrinkles. Participants took 1 × 10¹⁰ CFU/day of HY7714 (probiotic group) or a placebo (placebo group) for 12 weeks. Skin hydration, wrinkles, skin gloss, and skin elasticity were measured every 4 weeks during the study period. There were significant increases in the skin water content in the face (p < 0.01) and hands (p < 0.05) at week 12 in the probiotic group. Transepidermal water loss decreased significantly in both groups at weeks 4, 8, and 12 (p < 0.001 compared with baseline), and was suppressed to a greater extent in the face and forearm in the probiotic group at week 12. Volunteers in the probiotic group had a significant reduction in wrinkle depth at week 12, and skin gloss was also significantly improved by week 12. Finally, skin elasticity in the probiotic group improved by 13.17% (p < 0.05 vs. controls) after 4 weeks and by 21.73% (p < 0.01 vs. controls) after 12 weeks. These findings are preliminary confirmation of the anti-aging benefit to the skin of L. plantarum HY7714 as a nutricosmetic agent.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.258-267
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• 2019

Purpose: Upper respiratory tract infections are major causes of the common cold throughout the world. Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a well-known functional food for its anti-fatigue and immunomodulating activities. On the other hand, there are no reports on the protective effect against upper respiratory tract infections (URI). This study was a 12 week randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. Methods: A total of 100 subjects 20 ~ 70 years of age with a history of at least two colds in the year were enrolled in the study. The participants were required to record any adverse events and rate any cold-related incidents in a diary during the investigation period. The efficacy end point was the symptoms and incidence of URI, and changes in cytokines, IgA and natural killer (NK) cell activity. Results: The Cordyceps militaris group over 12 weeks showed no significant impact on the incidence and symptomatology of URI compared to the placebo group. On the other hand, the experimental group showed significantly higher NK cell activity (p = 0.047) and IgA level (p = 0.035) compared to the placebo group. The NK-cell activity and IgA level were increased significantly by Cordyceps militaris over 12 weeks. Conclusion: The results suggest the possible beneficial immunomodulating effects, but the protective effects on URI could not be demonstrated under these conditions. Additional research will be needed to determine the efficacy and mechanisms of Cordyceps militaris function.