• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.11-16
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• 2010

Objective : Oriental medicines have been combined oriental medical theory which based on the seven modes of emotions. Notopterygium incisum (N. incisum) and Clematis manshurica (C. manshurica) have been used as an anti-rheumatic and analgesic medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, headache, cold, etc. In this study, we evaluate the synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of N. incisum and C. manshurica. Method : To evaluate the synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of a herbal mixture N. incisum and C. manshurica, we examined the changed ear thickness in 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema model after topical application of herbal mixture. In addition, the levels of markers for inflammation, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, prostaglandin $G_2$ ($PGE_2$), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured by ELISA assay and Griess reagent in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. Results : Our results showed that aqueous extracts of N. incisum and C. manshurica combination significantly inhibited the mouse ear edema induced by TPA. Moreover, the aqueous extracts of N. incisum and C. manshurica combination exhibited synergistic effects in down-regulating TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, $PGE_2$ level, but not NO. Conclusions : This study suggested that combined treatment of N. incisum and C. manshurica, based on seven methods in prescription compatibility, has a synergistic effect in down-regulating inflammatory response both in vitro and in vivo models.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.833-842
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• 2020

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a commonly encountered large intestine disease in the contemporary world that terminates into colorectal cancer; therefore, the timely treatment of UC is of major concern. Panax ginseng Meyer is an extensively consumed herbal commodity in South East Asian countries, especially Korea. It exhibits a wide range of biologically beneficial qualities for almost head-to-toe ailments in the body. Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EKN) is also a widely used traditional Korean herbal medicine used for treating infertility, rheumatism, and cardiovascular diseases. Materials and methods: Separately the anti-inflammatory activities of both red ginseng extracts (RGEs) and EKNs had been demonstrated in the past in various inflammatory models; however, we sought to unravel the anti-inflammatory activities of the combination of these two extracts in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice model because the allopathic remedies for UC involve more side effects than benefits. Results: Our results have shown that the combination of RGE + EKN synergistically alleviated the macroscopic lesions in DSS-induced colitic mice such as colon shortening, hematochezia, and weight loss. Moreover, it restored the histopathological lesions in mice and decreased the levels of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines through the repression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and nucleotide-binding domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP-3) expression. In vitro, this combination also reduced the magnitude of nitric acid (NO), proinflammatory mediators and cytokine through NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. Conclusion: In the light of these findings, we can endorse this combination extract as a functional food for the prophylactic as well as therapeutic treatment of UC in humans together with allopathic remedies.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.614-626
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• 1997

The main purposes of the study were to develop and test a model which explains the dynamic relationship among factors reported as affecting to the quality of life of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and to examine the relationship between self-help response and quaility of life. Data for the study were collected from March 1996 to December 1996 from 153 female patients who regularly visited a clinic for people with rheumatism. The patients were introduced to the investigators by nurses who worked at that clinic, and then the investigator interviewed the patients for 30 to 40 minutes to collect the data. Instruments used in the study were modified self-report questionaires from the ones which were already developed in previous studies or from related literature. Data analysis were performed using LISREL(Lineal Structural Relations) 8 program to test whether the proposed hypothesized model fit the collected data. To test the fitablity of the hypothesized model both a general fit measure and a detailed fit measure were used. Based on the test results from the various fit measures, the hypothesized model was found to be well suited to the real data. As characteristics related to illness becomes severe, the feasibility for these characteristics leading to the perception of uncertainty about the illness tend to increase, but, the direct effects from the illness characteristics(such as level of physical symptoms, sense of social-psychologic change, limitations of action) as they are related to the other intrinsic variables (self-efficacy or self-help behavior and quality of life), were found to be not significant. It was found that uncertainty had a direct effect on self-efficacy but did not have a direct effect on self-help behavior or quality of life. Also, it is noted that self-efficacy had a positive effect on self-help behavior and quality of life and there was a bilateral relationship between self-efficacy and self-help behavior. Lastly, the hypothesis proposed from the theoretical model in this study was supported basis of the results that self-help behavior provides both direct and positive effects to quality of life. Particularity, since a bilateral relationship was also found between self-help behavior and quality of life in the modified model, as self-help behavior increased, so did quality of life. And, reversely, as quality of life increased, so did self-help behavior. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that focusing on both acquirement and reinforcement of adjustment factors or self-help behavior is more efficient than focusing on the characteristics of illness in establishing the stategies for improving quality of life of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.341-351
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• 2019

Gynura procumbens (Family Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant commonly found in tropical Asia countries such as China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Traditionally, it is widely used in many different countries for the treatment of a wide variety of health ailments such as kidney discomfort, rheumatism, diabetes mellitus, constipation, and hypertension. The objective of this study was to select the natural growth media for hydroponic cultivation of Gynura procumbens. The commercially available thirty four different organic nutrient solutions were analyzed for growing Gynura procumbens. After analysis, two organic nutrient solution were selected, mixed (pH 5.5~6.5 / EC 0.5~1.0 ds/m) and then used as organic fertilizers. Thirty day old seedlings were planted and the environmental conditions of the rhizosphere were also examined to select the natural media composition. The minimum temperature of rhizosphere by type of natural media was highest in cocopeat media and lowest in perlite media. Furthermore, plant growth was examined from 50 days old seedlings, and vermiculite was observed to be most effective and perlite was the least effective component as natural media. The total polyphenol content of the studied plant material was also higher in vermiculite in comparison to other growth media. The Gynura procumbens yields were also higher in vermiculite in comparison to other growth media. Thus, vermiculite can be used to improve Gynura procumbens plant growth as a natural growth media.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 1999

Background: Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome of musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. Lacking distinctive histological or laboratory abnormality in diagnosis, it has often been considered a form of "psychogenic rheumatism". Fibromyalgia causes much distress to the affected patients and often frustrates physicians, who are unable to start rational therapy on any logical disease pathology. Methods: Growth hormone is essential for muscular homeostasis. In the present study, the notion that the stage-4 sleep anomaly typically seen in the fibromyalgia syndrome may disrupt growth hormone secretion was tested. Because growth hormone has a very short half-life, serum levels of somatomedin C were measured; somatomedin C is the major mediator of growth hormone's anabolic actions and is a prerequisite for normal muscle homeostasis. Serum levels of somatomedin C using acid-extraction procedure and two-site immunoradiome-tric assay (IRMA) and number of tender points were measured in 27 female patients with fibromyalgia from 40 to 60 years old and 27 healthy controls. Results: There were no differences in the concentration of somatomedin C between fibromyalgia patients and controls ($mean{\pm}SD$: $178.3{\pm}75.5$ ng/ml versus $166.3{\pm}76.6$ ng/ml; p=0.55). And there were no correlations between number of tender point and serum somatomedin C level by linear regression analysis. Conclusions: These findings did not support that there is a distinctive disruption of the growth hormone-somatomedin C neuroendocrine axis in a fibromyalgia syndrome. But we can not discard the hypothesis that disturbed sleep predispose to muscle pain.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 1996

The root and stem bark of Eleutherococcus spp. is used for the treatment of paralysis, rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, stamina failure, high blood pressure, etc. This study was con­ducted to identify botanical origins and to select standard variety of Eleutherococcus spp. with analyzing eleutheroside E content(%) of root bark and that of Eleutherococcus senticosus at different collected area, time, part and grown area. The content of eleutheroside E in the root bark was determined by HPLC, and it was 0.1925% in Eleutherococcus senticosus, 0.1103% in E. chiisanensis, 0.0348% in E. koreanum and 0.0236% in E. sieboldianum. In seasonal change of eleutheroside E content, it was higher in autumn product than summer product in Eleutherococcus senticosus. It also was higher in root bark than stem bark in different part. To investigate eleutheroside E content of root bark among different collected local area in E. sen­ticosus, it was high order to Mt. Deokyu, Hokkaido and Mt. Seolak as a 0.1625%. 0.0493% and 0.027 %, respectively. The growth of Eleutherococcus senticosus was good at grown Unbong (altitude 10m), but eleu­theroside E content was high at grown Nogodan (altitude 1, 450m).

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.33-42
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• 2001

Objective : To evaluate the effect of treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis by using Bee-venom Acupuncture that is well known for anti-inflammatory effect and function of activating immune system. Methods : Evaluated the result of Bee-venom Acupuncture treatment twice in a week for patients who diagnosised as rheumatoid arthritis by 7 criteria of US Rheumatism Academy. Results : 1. If you see the distribution chart, sexual rate of male and female was 1:2.75 and age distribution shows as age ascend it shows high. 2. If you see the duration distribution, it shows chronic tendency in order of more than 6 months (59.5%), 2 to 5 months, and 1 month. 3. If you see the invaded region distribution, it shows chronic tendency in order of finger(17 cases), wrist joint(16 cases), knee joint(16 cases), ankle joint(10 cases), elbow joint(8 cases), shoulder joint(7 cases), feet(7 cases), hip joint(5 cases), low back(3 cases) and neck(2 cases). 4. If you see the result of duration distribution treatment, the improvement index is rising in order of within a month, 2 to 5 months, and over 6 months. So it shows that it has good result of treatment within a month. 5. If you see the invaded region, it shows high improvement index in order of low back, hop joint, shoulder joint, wrist joint, feet, knee joint, finger, elbow joint, ankle joint and neck. 6. If you see the result of morning stiffness time before treatment, it shows good effect of treatment in order of 2-3hrs, 30min.-an hr, an hr to 2hrs, and 0-30min. 7. If you see the patients satisfaction after Bee-venom Acupuncture treatment, Excellent is 6 cases, Good is 7 cases, and Moderate 2 cases. Conclusions : It will have greater treatment effect if herbal medicine, moxibustion, and acupuncture are used together as patients whole body condition and symptoms with Bee-venom Acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis that is chronic inflammatory disease.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.159-169
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• 1999

Osteomalacia is syndrome of diverse etiology. characterized pathophysiologically by a failure of normal mineralization of bone and epiphyseal cartilage. This study was performed to investigate causes of disease, pathogenic mechanisms, symptoms, therapies and precriptions through the successive medical literatures. recent chinese medical literatures and chinese medical journals. It is similar to atrophic debility of bones, bone leaning, bone exhaustion, rheumatism involving the bone, osteodynia and cold and heat of bone etc. of oriental medicine. The most principal cause of this is deficiency of kidney. similar to hypophosphatemia caused by increased renal clearance and deficiency of vitamin D, and the rest are senility, deficiency of spleen, deficiency of qi and deficiency of blood. There are nourishing the kidney and spleen, nourishing the qi and blood, warming and passing the muscle and mac, passing an articulation an invigorating the muscle and bone, in principal therapy. And in medical herbs are rehmanniae radix preparat, corni fructus, discoreae rhizoma, cuscutae semen, tigridis os, juglandis semen, hominis placenta, drynariae rhizoma, eucommiae cortex, cynomorii herba, cervi cornus colla, cervi pantotrichum cornu, moutan cortex, polygoni multiflori radix, angelicae gigantis radix, achyranthis bidentatae radix, cibotii rhizoma, hirudo, eupolyphaga, spatholobi caulis, salviae miltiorrhizae radix, draconis resina, curcumae longae rhizoma. In care there are a sun-bath, exercise, high protein diet and taking vitamin D. And they reduce smoking, coffee, drinking etc.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.203-211
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• 2010

Purpose: We aimed to test the validity of the EQ-5D (Euro-Quality of Life-5 Dimension), a brief and simple instrument, in measuring health related quality of life in the patients with osteoarthritis. Methods: 183 participants attending the education programs for osteoarthritis patients at the Health Centers located in Seoul and Gyunggi province area during the periods of June to December in 2009 were interviewed with the EQ-5D and KWOMAC (Korean version of Western Ontario and McMaster Scale). The data were analysed with Spearman correlation coefficents and t-test by using of SPSS/WIN 12.0 version. Results: There was a negative correlation between knee pain, stiffness and difficulty in usual activity of sub category items of KWOMAC and EQ-5Dindex, while there was no correlation between these categories and EQ-VAS. Moreover, as a result of comparing the score of physical function measured by KWOMAC according to the severity degree of the EQ-5Dindex, the group of advanced stage having moderate and severe symptoms reported significantly higher scores of physical function than those of groups having no health problems. Conclusion: The EQ-5D is an acceptable and valid instrument for measuring health-related quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.253-262
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• 2008

Previous studies have indicated that incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is partly related to the damage of antioxidant systems, but etiology of RA is not fully identified. This study was performed to evaluate nutrient intakes including antioxidants, health related behaviors and food habits of RA patients and controls. RA patient group (n = 68) and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 68) were joined in this study. Nutrient intake was estimated using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. As mean age of RA ($52.9{\pm}13.8$ years) was significantly higher than those of controls ($48.7{\mp}5.9$ years), data were analyzed by using Student's t-test, adjusted for age. There was no significant difference between two groups in body mass index. Compared with those of controls, frequencies of drinking (p < 0.001) and coffee consumption (p < 0.05) of RA groups were lower. RA groups had lower frequencies of fruit (p < 0.01), vegetable (p < 0.05) and fatty meat (p < 0.05) consumptions and balanced diet (p < 0.01), and higher frequencies of fried dishes (p < 0.01), and salty dishes (p < 0.01), compared to controls. The most nutrient intakes including energy intake of RA were tended to be lower than those of controls. Vitamin A, ${\beta}$-carotene and vitamin C intakes were significantly lower in RA than controls (p < 0.001). Daily vitamin A, ${\beta}$-carotene and vitamin C intakes of RA were lower than those of control (vitamin A: RA $360.6{\pm}252.23{\mu}g$ RE, control $844.5{\pm}426.2{\mu}g$ RE, p < 0.001; ${\beta}$-carotene: RA $1450.9{\pm}1019.0{\mu}g$, control $3968.8{\pm}2248.21{\mu}g$, p < 0.001; vitamin C; RA $40.6{\pm}21.48mg$, control $84.7{\pm}40.29$, p < 0.001) These results suggest sufficient consumption of antioxidant nutrients may prevent and improve RA status.