• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for recovery of patients with vertebral compression fracture(VCF). Methods : We searched ten English and Chinese and seven Korean database up to April 2018. Randomised controlled trials(RCTs), quasi-RCTs, non-radomised Controlled Trials(CCTs) were eligible. Quasi-RCTs and CCTs were assessed only for safety assessment. Pain and adverse events were primary outcome of this review. Quality of life, dysfunction, patient satisfaction, incidence of new vertebral compression fracture were regarded as secondary outcomes. The risk of bias was assessed by two independent authors using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Level of evidence was tabulated using the GRADE methods. Results : Of 1656 screened, 15 RCTs, 1 quasi-RCT and 3 CCTs were included. Number of participants per study ranged from 45 to 135. Most of the studies had unclear or high risk of bias and considerable heterogeneity in terms of type of intervention, comparison and time-points for outcome measurement. Compared to usual care alone, acupuncture combined with usual care showed short-term favorable results for pain relief in patients with VCF(5 studies, n=252, MD -1.05 point on a 0 to 10 point scale, 95% CI -1.45 to -0.65, $I^2=74%$). Four studies reported mild and temporary adverse events, and no serious adverse events were reported. One study descriptively reported that acupuncture was effective for improving quality of life without providing numerical outcomes. There were no reports of patient satisfaction and incidence of new VCF. Conclusions : Level of evidence is very low for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for pain, harms and other clinical outcomes in patients with VCF. Included studies suffered from incomplete reporting, high or unclear risk of bias and substantial heterogeneity between studies. Future high-quality RCTs are needed to assess whether acupuncture is beneficial for recovery of patients with VCF.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.37-47
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-oxidative and the anti-inflammatory effects of Danpitang(DPT) extract in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods : The macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 cells were used and MTT assay was performed to measure the cell viabilities at the various concentrations of DPT($50-400{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). Nitric oxide(NO) was measured in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Expressions of iNOS, COX-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 were also performed by real-time PCR. Protein expression of iNOS and COX-2 was confirmed by western blot. The anti-oxidant activities of DPT was measured by DPPH radical scavenging activity. Results : 1. There was no cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells treated with DPT compared to the control. 2. DPT treated group significantly inhibited NO production compared to the LPS treated group. 3. DPT treated group significantly decreased mRNA expressions of iNOS, COX-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 compared to the LPS treated group. 4. To evaluate the safety of the products for the human body, Adverse events, SCORAD Index Assessment were conducted; There were no severe adverse events during this study. And SCORAD Index showed a statistically significant decrease in treatment group in baseline, 2 weeks and 4 weeks. Therefore, it is suggested that products, if used for certain period, should be safe for the human body. 5. DPT was found to have high DPPH free radical scavenging ability. Conclusions : According to the above results, DPT can be used as a therapy in various anti-inflammatory skin diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.13-37
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Korean medicine for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We analyzed the result of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that applied Korean medicine to NAFLD patients through meta analysis and systematic review. Methods: The key question was to the effects of Korean medicine for NAFLD patients according to the PICO-SD (participants, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design) and we included only RCTs. We searched 10 databases including NDSL, KMBASE, KISS, KISTI, KoreaMed, Koreantk, OASIS, Cochrane, Pubmed, EMBASE without a language restriction. We assessed risk of bias by Cochrane group's Risk of Bias tool. Results: The finally selected 12 RCTs were analyzed. Total number of participants was 1189 (male 719, female 470) as 684 and 505 in the oriental medicine group (i.e. herbal drugs, acupuncture, acupoint embedding therapy) and control group (conventional drugs, placebo), respectively. The meta analysis results of examining 7 RCTs comparing the therapeutic efficacy of herbal medicine with that of Western medicine showed statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in the efficacy evaluation, liver function test results, blood lipids, and TNF-${\alpha}$. Furthermore, the meta analysis results of investigating 3 RCTs comparing the therapeutic efficacy of herbal medicine with that of a placebo showed statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in the liver function test results, blood lipids, and waist circumference. Conclusions: The research showed that Korean medicine for NAFLD can be effective treatment. But more studies are required to enhance the level of evidence and we should report on safety.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effects of Valerianae Radix et Rhizoma Methanol Extract (VRME) on serum lipid levels in a high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic mice. Methods: Each 8 C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to normal diet group, high-fat diet control group, high-fat diet plus 100 mg/kg/day of VRME group. In order to induce hyperlipidemia, high-fat diets were supplied to control group and VRME group for four weeks. Normal diet group were supplied with general feed for four weeks. After that control group supplied only high-fat diets as feed, VRME group received oral administration of VRME with high-fat diets for three weeks. and normal diet group were supplied with general feed for three weeks. After seven weeks, the changes in the body weight, the plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood glucose in serum were measured. Results: In our results, VRME did not affects weight gain, serum AST and ALT in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic mice. Oral administration of VRME lowered levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride, which were elevated by induction of hyperlipidemia. and oral administration of VRME lowered blood glucose significantly. Conclusions: These results suggest that VRME could act as a potent antihyperlipidemic in therapeutics for hyperlipidemia.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.209-230
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• 2020

Objectives : Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs), collaborations of practitioners and academic researchers, have provided platforms for conducting research to address clinical questions generated from daily routine care. This review aimed to critically analyse articles from PBRNs that are related to complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) and to suggest future directions for a PBRN which is appropriate for Korean Medicine (KM). Methods : PubMed, PBRN registries in Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and relevant PBRN websites were searched up to November 2019 for research articles from PBRNs that focused on CIM regardless of study design. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed. The included studies were read in full, classified and summarised according to their topics. Results : A total of 51 articles published from 1998 through 2020 were included in this review. They were categorised into three principal themes based on research questions and findings: health services research (embracing researches examining characteristics of patients and CIM practitioners/practices, and communication between patients and practitioners); effectiveness and safety of CIM practices/interventions; and feasibility studies of instruments and interventions in PBRN settings. The study designs varied including surveys (n=30), prospective observational studies (n=6), 2ndary analyses of existing studies (n=7), protocols (n=7), retrospective chart review (n=1) and qualitative study (n=1). Quality of the included studies greatly varied. Conclusions : PBRNs can serve as a feasible platform for conducting practice-relevant research on KM and CIM. Considering growing demands on evidence-base for routine practice of KM amid various stakeholders, a PBRN in KM community and further researches nested within PBRN designs are warranted.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.16-31
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of clinical practice for gout in Korean Medicine (KM). Methods : On-line survey was adopted for this study, targeted at KM Doctors who were registered in the Association of Korean Medicine. The questionnaire included the general status of treatment, pattern identification and treatment method according to three stages given: acute, chronic and asymptomatic hyperuricemia stage. Results : Data from a total of 384 respondents was analyzed. Participants who responded most were in their 40s, working in KM clinics located in Seoul. Acupuncture and herbal medicines were the top priority treatments in preparing recommendations in clinical practice guidelines for gout, and where clinical trials were considered essential. As of the past year, the average number of first visits per month was 86.7%, and the average treatment duration was less than 1 month, accounting for 72.9%. As for the diagnostic method used for gout patients, the "diagnosed by clinical pattern" response was the highest, and the "blood and urine test" response was the highest as the diagnostic equipment used. As for the evaluation scale being used, the "VAS/NRS" response was the highest. Regardless of the gout stage, acupuncture was the most commonly used treatment method for gout patients, and bee venom pharmacopuncture was the highest for the pharmacopuncture used. In the case of herbal medicine, it was found that a wider variety of herbal medication uninsured in health insurance and herbal prescription were used for the staged treatment of gout than herbal medication in national health insurance coverage. In clinical practice, "acupuncture treatment three times a week" was the most common, and the "acupoints in the limb" were the most frequently used; LR3 and SP3 were the most frequently used acupoints. Conclusions : It is suggested that this survey should be helpful to develop clinical practice guideline for gout that reflects actual clinical practice.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.81-93
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• 2021

Objectives The objective of the study was to investigate effects of ChondroT by improvement of blood metabolites in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia rat model. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to intact, control, simvastatin, and CT100, CT200 and CT400 (each n=6). For observing cholesterol change, animals were first fed high fat diet for 5 weeks and then high fat diet and drugs for 3 weeks. At the end of the experiment, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were analyzed by obtained blood collection. Further, amplified leptin, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) and adiponectin DNA were observed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results Observing the effect of ChondroT on the change of lipid metabolism in hyperlipidemia-induced rats, triglyceride and total cholesterol were significantly decreased in SV100 group, HDL-C was significantly increased in SV100, CT100 and CT200 groups, and LDL-C was significantly decreased in SV100, CT100, CT200 and CT400 groups, compared to the control group. Leptin level in hyperlipidemia-induced rats was significantly decreased in CT100 and CT200 groups, compared to the control group. The effect of ChondroT on adiponectin level in hyperlipidemia-induced rats was significantly increased in SV100, CT100 and CT200 groups. PPAR level in hyperlipidemia-induced rats was significantly decreased in SV100, CT200 and CT400 groups. Platelete activating factor level in hyperlipidemia-induced rats was significantly decreased in CT100 and CT200 groups. Conclusions Based on these results, it could be suggested that ChondroT has certain effects of improving blood metabolites in HFD-induced hyperlipidemia.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.282-289
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to construct a model of the possible thermal runaway of electronic moxibustion and to implement an appropriate risk management method. Methods : To reproduce the system error situation of the electronic moxibustion circuit equipped with microcontroller unit, temperature sensor and heater, a code was set to disable the signal input to temperature sensor and maintain "high" heating signal to heater. The temperature change of electronic moxibustion was compared between 3 types of heater module; module 1 consisting of a combination of heater+0 ohm+0 ohm resistance, module 2 consisting of a combination of heater+Polymeric Positive Temperature Coefficient (PPTC)+0 ohm resistance, and module 3 consisting of a combination of heater+PPTC+10 ohm resistance. The temperature change was measured using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone phantom. After maintaining surface temperature of the phantom at 31~32℃ for 20 seconds, electronic moxibustion was applied. After operating electronic moxibustion, the temperature change was measured for 660 seconds on the surface and 900 seconds at 2 mm depth. Results : Regardless of the module type, the time-dependent change in temperature showed a rapid rise followed by a gentle curve, and a sharp drop in temperature after reaching the maximum temperature about 10 minutes after the switching the moxibustion on. Temperature measured at the depth of 2 mm below the surface increased slower and to a lesser extent. Module 1 reached highest peak temperature with largest change of temperature at both depths followed by module 2, and 3. Conclusions : Through the combination of PPTC+resistance with the heater of electronic moxibustion, it is possible to limit the rise in temperature even with the software error. Thus, this setting can be used as an independent safety measure for the electronic moxibustion control unit.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.107-124
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to identify optimal combinations of acupoints used to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods We searched four international databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Databases [AMED], and China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) and five Korean databases (DBpia, Research Information Sharing Service [RISS], Korean Studies Information Service System [KISS], Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS], and KoreaMed) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used acupuncture to treat CIPN. Network analysis was performed on the acupoints used in more than three included articles. We constructed a network by calculating the Jaccard similarity coefficient between acupoints and applied minimum spanning tree. Then, modularity analysis, degree centrality (Cd), and betweenness centrality (Cb) were used to analyze properties of the acupoints. Results A total of 25 articles were included. 24 acupoints were extracted from 25 articles. The combinations of acupoints having the highest Jaccard similarity coefficient were {EX-UE9, EX-LE10} and {ST36, SP6}. In the modularity analysis, acupoints were classified to six modules. ST40, EX-UE11, and KI6 had the highest Cd value while ST40, GB34 had the highest Cb value. Conclusions This study found the systematic framework of acupoint combinations used in CIPN studies. This study is expected to provide new perspectives of CIPN treatment to therapists. A RCT is in progress of using the network of this study as a guideline. If significant results are derived from the RCT, it will be possible to lay the groundwork to consider acupuncture for CIPN treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.582-595
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• 2022

Objectives: To investigate the effects of acupuncture at GV20 and EX-HN1 on cerebral blood flow (CBF) velocity and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in the middle cerebral arteries (MCA) and anterior cerebral arteries (ACA) and to compare the effects to acupuncture at GV20. Methods: The study was a randomized, crossover trial that included 10 healthy men aged 20 to 29 years who underwent acupuncture treatment four times with a washout period of one week. The CBF velocity and CVR were measured by transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) on both MCAs at the first and second visits, and both ACAs at the third and fourth visits. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups (A and B) before the first and third visits. Group A received two phases of acupuncture intervention at a single GV20 point and a combination of GV20 and EX-HN1 acupoints. Group B received the same interventions, but in the reverse order. Results: The increase in CO₂ reactivity was significantly higher for the combination acupoints of GV20 and EX-HN1 than for the GV20 single acupoint in both MCAs (Right: 136 to 178, p=0.017; Left: 127 to 191, p=0.017) and ACAs (Right: 133 to 158, p=0.013; Left: 122 to 168, p=0.025). No significant change was noted in the corrected velocity at PETCO₂ 40 mmHg, blood pressure, or heart rate. Conclusions: The findings suggest that improvement of the CBF in the MCA and ACA after GV20 acupuncture increases when acupuncture is also performed at EX-HN1. These results clinically support the combined use of EX-HN1 and GV20 to treat disorders of MCA and ACA circulation.