• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.157-171
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• 2000

Front Points are told to be deeply related with viscera and bowels in oriental medicine. Since the Front Points are treated as response zone, it can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of disease in viscera and bowels. The location of Front Points are very similar to the several response zones in western medicine. Diagnostic aspect of Front Points to several response zones were discussed in here based on many thesis and reported laboratorial experiments. Front Points are located in the same latitude of viscera and bowels. So, diagnosis result in Front Points represent condition of each organs. Palpitation of the Front Points can make diagnosis of body surface and the organ beneath the body surface. Such use of Front Points for diagnosis can used as the treatment points also. Only three Front Points (LU-1, LI-14, GB-24) in lung, liver and gall bladder meridian are located on its meridian. The Front Points of Stomach (CV-12) cross its meridian or closely located to it. Unlike to those four Front Points that are matched to its meridian, other eight Front Points do not located or cross its meridian at all. It seems that the location of Front Points are decided by the location of organs and the conditions at a certain organ do not delivered by the meridians but delivered by main collaterals, tertiary collaterals and superficial collaterals instead. Among visceral response zones, Five Front Points (CV-3, CV-4, CV-12, LI-14, GB-25) are exactly matched to Head's response zone and other Front Points are closely matched to the Head's response zone. There are five Front Points (CV-12, CV-14, CV-17, LI-14, GB-24) that are matched with the location of pressing palpitation point and other Front Points are closely located to the pressing palpitation point. So far, it was clear that the Front Points do have important role as response points. Symptoms expressed to the Front Points were delivered conditions or symptoms occur in corresponding organ and the anatomical location of Front Points were also found near the corresponding organ. Diagnostic and therapeutic application of Front Points for Organ theory and in the Interpromotion-restraint of the five elements in oriental medicine can be made in future to increase its potential.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.116-125
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• 2017

Objectives : The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension in postmenopausal women. Methods : The study was a multi-center, four-arm, non-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. The experimental groups received 10 acupuncture sessions over 4 weeks(Group A, n=20) or 20 sessions over 8 weeks(Group B, n=20) along with usual care. The acupoints were GB20, LI11, ST36, and SP6, bilaterally. The acupuncture groups were followed-up for an additional 12 weeks after acupuncture treatment. The control groups received usual care for 16 weeks(Group C, n=10) or 20 weeks(Group D, n=10). The outcomes were blood pressure, blood pressure control rates, lipid profile, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP). Results : After 4 weeks, DBP in the acupuncture groups(A+B) showed no significant decrease compared to the control group(C+D). However, after 8 weeks of acupuncture treatment, group B showed a significant decrease in DBP after acupuncture treatment and follow-up period compared to control group. Although there was no difference between the acupuncture and control groups in SBP after acupuncture treatment, group B showed a significant decrease in SBP compared to control group after follow-up period. Lipid profiles and hs-CRP did not differ significantly between acupuncture and control groups. Conclusions : Acupuncture treatment for 8 weeks showed the effect on prehypertension and mild hypertension. To verify the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure, rigorous trials including more participants are required.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.209-230
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• 2017

Objectives : The aim of this study was to describe the details and to assess the clinical evidence of acupuncture and moxibustion for non-specific chronic neck pain. Methods : We searched seven databases including Korean, English, and Chinese databases through July 2016. Studies using acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, electroacupuncture, auricular-acupuncture, acupressure for non-specific chronic neck pain were included. Only controlled clinical trials or randomized clinical trials were assessed. Study design, number of subject, inclusion criteria, intervention, and results were extracted. In addition, details of intervention including needle type, retention time, acupoints were analyzed. Results : Total 64 studies(39 acupuncture, 9 laser, 6 pharmaco-acupuncture, 3 electro-acupuncture, 3 auricular-acupuncture, 3 moxibustion, 1 acupressure) were included. Among 39 acupuncture studies, 35 used acupuncture as sole intervention. Sham treatment was the most common intervention for control group, followed by no intervention. Various outcome including pain, disability, quality of life, range of motion was used as outcome measurement. The effect of acupuncture and moxibustion was different depending on the type of control and outcome measurement. The most commonly used method in acupuncture for neck pain was GB21, SI3, GB20, LI4, BL11 acupoints, 10~30 mm insertion depth, 20~30 retention time, and 1~2 times per week. Conclusions : Analyzing the details of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment could be helpful for researches and clinics. Further studies should consider the characteristics of study design, intervention, and outcome to assess the effect of TKM.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.175-185
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• 2008

Objective : Acupuncture (from the Latin acus, "needle," and pungere, "to prick") is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine needles at specific points on the body. As a placebo acupuncture needle device was developed based on the visual impact of needling, it has been raised that it is useful only when acupuncture points and needling are visible to subjects. To examine the visual factor of the placebo acupuncture, the present study was aimed to compare the blinding index of the verum and placebo acupuncture between masked and unmasked situation. Methods : Thirty-six patients were randomly alloted to be stimulated with a verum or placebo acupuncture in a cross-over design. They were asked to guess a right answer whether they were stimulated with the verum or placebo acupuncture at LI4 in an unmasked or masked situation. The penetrating, pain, and deqi sensations were also measured after the stimulation using modified visual analogue scale. Results : The correct answer rate of the placebo acupuncture was 22.2% and 16.7% in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively (P>0.767). The blinding index of the placebo acupuncture was -0.56 (95%CI -0.84 to -0.27) and -0.67 (95%CI -0.91 to -0.42) in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively. The penetrating and deqi sensation of the verum acupuncture were significantly higher than those of the placebo acupuncture in both unmasked and masked situation. The pain sensation of the verum acupuncture was significantly higher than that of the placebo acupuncture in masked situation, but not in unmasked situation. Conclusion : Blinding of the placebo acupuncture was successful both in the unmasked and masked situation. These finding indicate that visual factor might not play a critical role in blinding of the placebo needle. We suggest that placebo needle would be also useful in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan even when the subject could not see the placebo needle.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2019

Objectives : The aim of this study is to review the current trends in experimental studies on the acupuncture moxibustion treatment for visceral hypersensitivity. Methods : PubMed was searched for experimental studies about visceral hypersensitivity and acupuncture/moxibustion. Data were extracted and tabulated from the selected articles about experimental method, intervention, result and mechanism. Results : Total 23 articles were reviewed. Chronic visceral hypersensitivity animal model was applied in 17 studies (74%). Visceral hypersensitivity was measured by abdominal withdrawal reflex scoring or/and abdominal electromyogram. Acupoints like ST25, ST36, ST37, BL25, LI11, BL32 and PC6 were treated by electroacupuncture or moxibustion. All articles reported that electroacupuncture or moxibustion treatment is significantly effective in reducing visceral hypersensitivity. Treatment mechanisms were studied, related to mast cell, serotonin (5-HT) and receptor (5-HT3R and 5-HT4R), substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), c-fos positive cell, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), purinergic 2X (P2X)2, P2X3, P2X4, P2X7, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NR1 and NR2B), prokinectin (PK) 1 and PK2. Conclusions : Evidences on acupuncture/moxibustion treatment for visceral hypersensitivity in animal studies warrant more research on effective acupoins, electro-acupuncture methods and treatment durations.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2008

Objective : To investigate the therapeutic effect of manual acupuncture at Siguan (four gates, bilateral LI4 and LR3) on suppression of gastrointestinal motility. Methods : A single blind, randomized, sham-acupuncture controlled, crossover study was conducted. Twenty healthy male subjects were admitted at hospital, and gastrointestinal motility suppression was induced by loperamide administration. Just after intake of 20 radio-markers, four gates or sham acupoint treatments were administered every 12 hours, 4 times over 48 hours. Gastrointestinal motility was evaluated by radiographic distribution of the radiomarkers at stomach or ileum, ascending, transverse, descending colon, sigmoid/rectum, and outside body at serial time points (0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h). Results : Four gates acupuncture activated gastrointestinal movement as evidenced by significantly changed distributionof radio-makers at 6, 12, and 48 hours (P < 0.0001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.03, respectively) in Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel statistics. No serious adverse events occurred in either group. Conclusions : This study showed a scientific clinical relevance of four gates acupuncture to gastrointestinal disorders.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.61-75
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• 2005

Objective : The purpose of this study is to arrange the literature about a acupuncture therapy on the knee rheumatoid arthritis. Methods : We arrange fifty kinds of literature about a acupuncture therapy of knee joint, knee arthritis, Results : Acupucture point at G30, G34, S36, LI11, B4O, G39, G38, LI4 used freaquently for the acupuncture therapy Conclusion : B, G, S, Sp of merdians used frequently for the acupuncture therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.76-111
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• 2000

I examined and referred to literatures of every generations on the nicknames, causes, herb medications and acupucture treatments of ptosis(上胞下垂) And then the results were obtained as follows. 1. The nicknames of ptosis(上胞下垂) are hyumok(휴목), chimpung(侵風), geompye(瞼廢), geompisubok(瞼皮垂覆), posu(胞垂) and bigwon(脾倦) which corresponds to blepharoptosis in Western Medicine. 2. The congenital ptosis(上胞下垂) is mostly caused by innate disposition(稟賦不足). The acquired ptosis(上胞下垂) is mostly caused by Qi sinking of Tri-energizer(中氣下陷). And besides this, there are Blood stasis due to Qi stagnancy(氣滯血瘀), invasion of the eyelid by wind(風邪入絡), Qi and Blood deficiency(氣血不足), Phlegm syndrome due to wind(風痰阻絡), Wind syndrome due to Yang hypertrophy(陽亢動風) and Stagnation of Liver Qi(肝氣鬱結). 3. In herb medication of ptosis(上胞下垂), Bojungikgitang(補中益氣湯) was used 14 times most and its effects are nourishing the spleen to promote the flow of Qi(健脾益氣) and elevating the YangQi and activation the meridian(升陽活絡). In the following, Insamyangyeongtang(人蔘養榮湯) was done 6 times and has effects of promoting the Qi and activating the blood(益氣養血) and of promoting blood circulation and restoring flow(活血通絡). The next, Jungyongtang(正容湯) appeared 5 times and this can expel wind, resolve phlegm and restore flow(祛風滌痰通絡). As single herb, Radix glycyrrhizae(甘草) was used 66 times most. Besides this, there are a few herbs used many times like Rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae(白朮), Radix angelicae gogantis(當歸), Radix ginseng(人蔘). Radix astragali(황기) and Rhizoma cimicifugae(升麻). 4. In acupunture treatment, Chanzhu(撰竹) was used 19 times most. Besides this acupoint, there are some points choson frequently like Zusanli(足三里), Sanyinjiao(三飮交), Yangbai(陽白), Taiyang(太陽), Tongziliao(瞳子 ), Jingming(晴明), Hegu(合谷) and Fengchi(風池).

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.47-63
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• 2004

In most tissues, apoptosis plays a pivotal role in normal development and in regulation of cell number. Therefore inappropriate apoptosis is revealed in a variety of diseases. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of acupuncture and needle electrode electrical stimulation on the change of caspase-3, 9 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) immunoreactive cells in the sprague dawley rats (SD rat). In immobilized SD rats (n=5), enhanced caspase-3 and caspase-9 expression were detected in the reticular part of substantia nigra, and enhanced nNOS was detected in the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (DL-PAG) of midbrain and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus using immunohistochemistry. Following the immobilization, acupuncture (n=5) and needle electrode electrical stimulation (n=5, 2 Hz) was applied at H$\acute{e}$g$\breve{u}$ (LI4) acupoint of SD rats, respectively. The stress-induced enhancement in the expression of caspase-3, 9 and nNOS were The present results demonstrate that and needle electrode electrical stimulation are effective in the modulation of expression of caspase-3, 9 and nNOS induced by immobilization.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

Objective: There are currently no disease-modifying medications or definite long-term sustainable interventions for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), indicating an unmet treatment need. Our goal was to create a long-term sustainable intervention for PD patients that can be used in Korean medicine clinics. Methods: The Meridian Activation Remedy System (MARS) was created to stimulate a patient's 12 meridians and sinew channels using a combination of acupoint stimulation and exercise. The acupoints and motions used in MARS were selected through literature studies and expert advice. The methodologies were refined using observational and case studies. With slow and fast movements, the MARS intervention was intended to activate both slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Intradermal acupuncture and motion that shift the center of gravity were employed to enhance the patient's balance and proprioception. In addition, the intervention included alternating movement exercises to address the complex cognitive decline commonly occurring in PD patients. Results: The following acupoints were chosen for the MARS intervention: bilateral Hegu (LI4), Houxi (SI3), Waiguan (TE5), Neiguan (PC6), Zhongchong (PC9), Yuji (LU10), Zusanli (ST36), Yanglingquan (GB34), Taichong (LR3), Kunlun (BL60), and Taixi (KI3). We also developed actions that can stimulate the body's 12 meridians. Conclusion: We developed the MARS intervention, which combines acupuncture and exercise, to address the unmet therapeutic needs of PD patients. We hope that with additional research, the MARS intervention can be set as an effective therapeutic program for PD patients.