• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.37-42
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• 2023

This study aimed to examine the safety of HemoHIM, a dietary supplement containing methoxsalen. HemoHIM is a dietary supplement marketed globally, and a competitor to ginseng. It has been reported to contain methoxsalen, a plant extract for treating psoriasis and vitiligo. Methoxsalen is known to cause hepatotoxicity, but most of the cases has been reported from ingestion as a drug, not a food. There are no reports of hepatotoxicity from the consumption derived from natural products such as Angelica gigas, Cnidium officinale, and Paeonia lactiflora, which are the main ingredients in the HemoHIM. However, a recent case of acute hepatitis was reported in Hong-Kong after ingestion of HemoHIM. It is difficult to conclude that hepatitis was caused by HemoHIM, because there was no check of co-occurring medications with a higher risk of hepatotoxicity, no description of the progress, no quantitative comparison of methoxsalen in HemoHIM to it in common foods such as carrots and celery, and no description of the patient's underlying diseases. On the other hand, there was a study that suggest hemoHIM is safe, and that study had adequate number of subjects even though more studies are needed to ensure safety.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.148-154
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• 2012

It was carried out to detect anti-impotence drug-like compounds, sibutramine and their analogues in dietary supplements, which are doubtful whether they include illegal compounds. A total of 51 food products were bought online and have been investigated. The separation was achieved on a C18 column, with the mobile phase made up of water (5 mM sodium hexanesulfonate and 0.1% phosphoric acid) and 95% acetonitrile, at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min with gradient elution using by HPLC-DAD. The UV signals were monitored at 220 nm and 291 nm. LC-ESI-tandom MS was utilized to confirm that detected compounds in samples are the same as the reference materials. Two nutrient supplement foods and ginseng products were found to contain 1.3-82.1 mg of sildenafil, dimethylthiolsildenafil and pseudovardenafil per serving size. In addition, two other processed products were detected to contain 1.7 and 2.2 mg of didesmethylsibutramine, derived from sibutramine per serving size.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.37-44
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• 2007

Objectives : The objectives of this study lie in theoretical establishment of Bopyeo-tang for treating asthenic syndrome of the lung through analyzing the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's Bopyeo-tang, and furthermore, maximizing the clinical effectiveness of Bopyeo-tang. Methods : This study analyzed the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's Bopyeo-tang based on the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines from the ${\ulcorner}$Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine${\lrcorner}$, the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine, and the five elements doctrine. Hyeongok's Bopyeo-tang is an unusual prescription, composed of 7 kinds of ingredients. Results : There are three methods for curing asthenic syndrome of the lung according to the five elements doctrine: invigorating the lung, invigorating the spleen and purging the heart. There are two available methods to invigorate the lung, taste and property invigoration, according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. They each imply the sour taste and the cool property invigorate the lung. In the case of taste invigoration, two herbal medicines with sour taste, Sarcucarpium Corni and Fructus Schisandrae, are combined into the principal and assistant herbal medicine, respectively. For property invigoration, two herbal medicines with the cool property, Colla Corii Asini and Radix Ophiopogonis, are combined into adjuvant herbal medicines. There are likewise two methods to invigorate the spleen, including taste and property invigoration according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. They each mean the sweet taste and the warm property invigorate the spleen. Therefore, it is important to use sweet herbal medicines for taste invigoration and warm ones for property invigoration. Both sweet and warm herbal medicines, Radix Ginseng and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, are combined into adjuvant herbal medicines. Lastly, there are two methods to purge the heart, which include taste and property purgation according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. Taste purgation means to purge the heart with sweet taste and property purgation to purge the heart with cold property. Therefore, it is important to use sweet herbal medicines for taste purgation and cold ones for property purgation. Both sweet and cold herbal medicines, Colla Corii Asini and Radix Ophiopogonis, were combined to purge the heart and invigorate the lung. In addition, Radix Glycyrrhizae Praeparata is added as a dispatcher herbal medicine, harmonizing all the other herbal medicines comprising the formula. Conclusions : First, to treat asthenic syndrome of the lung, the methods of invigorating the lung and the spleen and purging the heart should be used according to the five elements doctrine. Secondly, herbal medicines appropriate for those treatment methods should be chosen according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicine and thirdly, the combination of those herbal medicines should be carried out according to the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, and dispatcher herbal medicine. As a good example, Hyeongok's Bopyeo-tang is combined according to the above theories. In conclusion, this formula was created by applying the theory of properties and tastes of herbal medicines.