• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.56-69
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of laser acupuncture to the 532 nm on the five transport points with the heart meridian for treatment to hypertensive disease in rats with L-NAME induced hypertensive. Methods : Hypertensive was induced by L-NAME for 3 weeks. The laser acupuncture therapy on the five transport points of heart meridian(Laser Well Point-HT9, Laser Brook Point-HT8. Laser Stream Point-HT7, Laser River Point-HT4 and Laser Sea Point-HT3) was treated twice a week for 5 times. The hypertensive was measured using a cardiac hypertrophy, atherogenic index, TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio, TCHO, HDLC, TG, AST, ALT, antioxidative effectiveness and glutathione peroxidase quality of hypertensive rats induced by L-NAME. Results : Blood pressure were decreased significantly after the laser acupuncture of Well, Brook and Sea Point groups. Cardiac hypertrophy were decreased at the laser acupuncture of Brook and Stream Point groups. Athrogenic index was decreased at the laser acupuncture of Well, Stream, River and Sea Point groups. TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio was decreased at the laser acupuncture of all groups. Total cholesterol was decreased significantly at the laser acupuncture of Well Point group. High density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were decreased significantly at the laser acupuncture of Well, Stream and River Point groups. Triglyceride was decreased significantly at the laser acupuncture of Stream Point group. Cu/Zn-Superoxide Dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GPX) were increased significantly at the laser acupuncture of Well Point group. Conclusions : The laser acupuncture treatment in five transport points of the Heart Meridian was effective for lowering blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy, Atherogenic index and HTR, and for enhancing antioxidant activity.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-25
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• 2009

Objectives : Medical qigong, originated from Mawangdui Daoyintu (馬王堆 導引圖), mainly consists of meditation, physical movements, and breathing exercises. It has been widely used to cure a variety of diseases as a regimen in Oriental medicine. This study was aimed to analyze the characteristics of medical qigong movements in the Mawangdui Daoyintu and to observe a link between each medical qigong movement and meridian system. Methods : We extracted fourteen medical qigong movements from forty-four figures in Mawangdui Daoyintu. We compared the 14 medical qigong movements of the Mawangdui Daoyintu with other types' movements of medical qigong methods. We also analyzed each movement of medical qigong in Mawangdui Daoyintu with a perspective of meridian system. Results : We found that there were common features between the medical qigong movements of the Mawangdui Daoyintu and other types' movements of medical qigong methods, including Yukjagyeol (六字訣), Paldangum (八段錦), Yukgengyeng (易筋經) and so on. From the comparison of each movement and meridian qi flow, we also found several movements related with Liver meridian and one movement related with several meridians. Conclusions : Our findings would be beneficial to understand the movements of medical qigong in the Mawangdui Daoyintu from the perspective of meridian system. This would be useful to develop a new medical qigong movements applying the meridian qi system for health and healing.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.225-241
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• 2004

Objectives & Methods: We investigated 45 books to study etiology, pathology and acupuncture & Moxibustion treatment of diarrhea. Result and Conclusion 1. The pathogenic factors of diarrhea are external sensation(外邪感受), jungjishiljo(情志失調), weakness of the spleen and stomach(脾胃虛弱), improper diet(飮食不節), sinyanghueson(腎陽虧損), sueumyujang(水飮留腸), liver Gi invades the sp1een(肝氣乘脾), uhhyuljeche(瘀血阻滯). 2. The etiological cause of diarrhea are closely related to the malfunction of the spleen & stomach(脾胃) and the related jang and bu(臟腑)'s pathological alternation such as spleen & stomach(脾胃), large intestine(大腸), small intestine(小腸), liver(肝), sp1een(脾), and kidney(腎). 3. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment application of diarrhea with the meridian system are in the following order from the most often mentioned meridian system to the least, urinary bladder meridian(膀胱經), spleen meridian(脾經), stomach meridian(胃經), conception channel meridian(任脈經), liver mehdian(肝經), governor channel meridian(督脈經), large intestine meridian(大腸經), lung meridian(肺經), triple-warmer meridian(三焦經), gall bladder meridian(膽經), Pericardium meridian(心包經). 4. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment application of diarrhea with meridian point are in the following order from the most often mentioned meridian point to the least, Cheonchu(天樞) sixteen times, Sin-gwol(神厥) fifteen times, Joksamni(足三理), Gwanwon(關元) each twelve times, Daejangsu(大腸兪) eleven times, Taechung(太衝), Bisu(脾兪), Sojangsu(小腸兪) each ten times,Sinsu(腎兪) nine times, CC12(中脘) eight times, Samchosu(三焦兪), gokcheon(曲泉), Harweom(下廉) each seven times, Samgan(三間), Sameungyo(三陰交), Yisa(意舍), Jungnyo, Gyeungmun(京門) each six times, Gyeonggol(京骨), Jangmun(章門) each five times, Sangnyeom(上廉), Hapgok(合谷), Yangmun(梁門), Sanggu(商丘), Yanggang(陽綱), Hoeyang(會陽), Gihyeol(氣穴), Taegye(太谿), Gihae(氣海) each four times.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment on the inflammatory lesions and body image disturbances in patients with vulgaris acnes. Methods : Fifteen inflammatory acne patients were enrolled and treated with facial acupuncture during 4 treatment sessions. We evaluated the number of papules and nodules using the Korean Acne Grading System (KAGS). We also evaluated patients' general subjective satisfaction and objective changes of inflammatory acnes symptoms using DermaVision-pro. Moreover, we observed the skin quality-of-life scale with skindex-29 and body image disturbance questionnaire (BIDQ) as secondary outcome. Adverse events were recorded as well at every visit. Results : After 4 treatment sessions, there were significant reductions in the number of papules and nodules of the patients. We found that subjective satisfactions of patients were enhanced as well as the objective inflammatory symptoms. We also found significant improvements in the quality of life and BIDQ. No serious treatment-related adverse events were reported. Conclusions : This study demonstrated that standardized facial acupuncture were effective and safe in the treatment of facial inflammatory acnes.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.9-27
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• 2005

Objective : hypothesis. First of all, there exists electric property in meridian and meridian point. Second of all, energy flowing in meridian is related with electric property. Third of all, there is electronic interaction between the operator who performs acupuncture therapy and the receiver who is given acupuncture therapy. Forth of all, acupuncture effects may depend on the electric capacity which is transferred between the operator and the receiver via acupuncture needle. Methods : Under the hypothesis, I studied the effects of electric charge in ST37(+) and ST39(-) generated by Apchim (押鍼) manipulation which was stimulated at ST36 point. And compared with data on the changes of electric charge from the hand of the operator during acupuncture stimulation. Electric charge induced via acupuncture needle from the operator may be important factor that causes the changes of electric charge in meridian and acupoint in the receiver. Therefore we investigated the changes of electric charge induced by the operator using Maclab 400 by the following methods. The one was in stable electric circle condition and the other was in unstable electric circle condition. In this experiments, the changes of electric charge from the stimulation type of Apchim manipulation performed in our lab condition in acupuncture therapy was induced at least three factor, one was the difference of bio-potentials between the operator and the receiver of acupuncture therapy, another was the depth of acupuncture insertion from the skin of the receiver the other was an electromyogram of the receiver. Results :The data imply that the first factor should make a capacitance current when the operator touched the acupuncture needle which was inserted in the receiver. Therefore, the results suggest that capacitance currents stimulus in electronic view may be important factor in acupuncture therapy between the operator and the receiver of acupuncture therapy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of massive clinical research and to make a basic analysis on the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion treatment on knee osteoarthritis compared to usual care. Methods and Results : This study is a protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial. Forty participants are assigned to the moxibustion group (n=20) and usual care group (n=20). Participants assigned to the moxibustion group receive moxibustion treatment on the affected knee(s) at six standard acupuncture points (ST36, ST35, ST34, SP9, Ex-LE04 and SP10) three times per week for four weeks (total of 12 sessions). Participants in the usual care group don't receive moxibustion treatment during the study period and follow-up are made on the 5th, 9th and 13th weeks after random allocation. Both groups are allowed to use any kind of treatment, including surgery, conventional medication, physical treatment, acupuncture, herbal medicine, over-the-counter drugs and other active treatments. Education material that explains knee osteoarthritis and current management options and self-exercise is provided for each group. The pain scale of the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire (K-WOMAC) is the primary outcome measurement used in this study. Other subscales of the K-WOMAC, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Physical Function test, Patient Global Assessment, and Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) are used as outcome variables to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture. Safety is assessed at every visit. Conclusions : The result of this trial will provide a basis for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.224-238
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• 2012

Objectives : From mechanism studies using animal models to high-level evidence based research such as randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews, various acupuncture studies have been performed. Nevertheless, the current research appears insufficient to satisfy clinicians' needs. We aimed at investigating clinicians' perception on the translational research and suggesting ways of symbiosis between basic research and clinical practice. Methods : Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire made available to Korean medicine doctors who were informed through social networking service or e-mail. The survey participants indicated their awareness of acupuncture research and their thoughts on the applicability of research in practice. Results : Forty-seven clinicians completed the survey. While most respondents agreed that acupuncture research is very important, only 40% of them answered that the results of acupuncture research are useful to their own practice. In more than half of those who responded to the survey, the current acupuncture research is not viewed as reflecting clinical practice very much. Respondents agreed that acupuncture research should be based on clinical practice, and they recognized the need to collect valid clinical data from real-world practice. Also, as many as 77% of clinicians had no scruple to participate in research programs. Conclusions : There is no doubt among practitioners that acupuncture research is necessary. More importantly, practice-based research remains essential in order to feed-back research outcomes to clinical practice. Communications and academic exchanges between clinicians and researchers can mutually benefit research and practice with better information, resulting in symbiosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.402-411
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• 2016

The concept of the meridian system is originated from an empirical, systematic references in the clinical setting, which does not always require anatomical features. As the principles of systems biology are mainly associated with regulating the body's internal environment to maintain a stable condition, they are closely similar to the theory of the meridian system. In this review, I describe the origin of the concept of the meridian system, current status of research on the meridian system and acupuncture points, and the future directions of the research. To unravel the entity of the meridian system, we have to start from understanding its origin and clinical significance. The meridian system, as a theoretical model of the indications of acupuncture points, can help to understand the interconnections that underlie the pathologies of particular diseases or symptoms. Based on the establishment of clinical data platform for acupuncture research, we can extract novel medical information from the clinical data and generate analytical models that are useful for medical knowledge discovery on acupuncture points in the future.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.71-85
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• 2008

Objective : Acupuncture, one of the Oriental medical treatment techniques in East Asia, is growing in popularity all over the world. Based on bibliographical and clinical data, the depth of needling, i.e. superficial or deep needling, has been considered to be a variable as potential modifiers of needling effects, such as localization, manipulation of the needle, or elicitation of DeQi. The purpose of this review is to summarize clinical trials using minimal acupuncture and to evaluate its appropriateness as a control. Methods : A survey of computerized literature searches for randomized controlled trials using minimal acupuncture revealed that a total of 10 studies were published until April 2008. Results : Results obtained from clinical trials showed that acupuncture were more effective than minimal acupuncture in 3 out of 10 trials, while others were no more effective than control. However, minimal acupuncture might neither be a inert placebo nor be indiscriminable. Conclusion : Minimal acupuncture as 'placebo' controls seems misleading and scientifically unacceptable.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.200-209
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• 2019

Objectives : The liver is rich in mitochondria and it plays a key role in whole-body energy homeostasis. Mitochondria is double membrane-bound organelle that supplies energy for intracellular metabolism including Krebs cycle and beta-oxidation. Acupuncture is known to stimulate and regulate the flow of energy. To explore the effect of acupuncture on the mitochondrial respiratory chain activity in the rats' livers, the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I to IV was observed. Methods : The rats were divided into 4 groups; Normal 1 (no acupuncture treatment and anesthesia for 5 min), Normal 2 (no acupuncture treatment and anesthesia for 10 min), MA1 (acupuncture treatment at bilateral LR3 under anesthesia for 5 min), and MA2 (acupuncture treatment at bilateral LR3 under anesthesia for 10 min). All rats were sacrificed and the livers were examined for respiratory chain change. Results : There was no difference in ubiquinon oxidoreductase, succinate dehydrogenase, and ubiquinol cytochrome C oxidoreductase after acupuncture at LR3. Acupuncture at LR3 for 10 min increased the activity of cytochrome C oxidase compared with no acupuncture groups. Conclusions : Acupuncture at LR3 mediated mitochondrial respiratory chain activity via the cytochrome C oxidase signaling pathway in the livers of rats.