• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.53-65
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to investigate the effect of Oriental medical treatment on ALS. Methods : We investigated 12 ALS patients which were admitted to Gwang-Ju O.M. hospital from Oct. 14, 2008 to Nov. 14, 2008. All patients were treated by SAAM-acupuncture, herb medication, Bee venom Pharmacopuncture therapy, Needle-embedding therapy, etc. We evaluated patients using the Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised(ALSFRS-R), Medical Research Council (MRC) Scale. Results : After 30 days, mean ALSFRS-R score of patients was improved from $28.42{\pm}7.83$ to $29.08{\pm}7.99$, and mean MRC Scale of patients was improved from $24.79{\pm}8.37$ to $25.34{\pm}8.45$. But in both cases, the variation was not statistically significant. After 30 days, mean ALSFRS-R score and mean MRC Scale of patients was more improved in subjects with bulbar-onset, onset age: 51-60yrs., disease duration: 24-48mo. And the results showed partially significant difference. Conclusions : We think that the results of this case be a pilot study that proves the effect of Oriental Medical treatment on ALS.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.381-388
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• 2016

Objective: This clinical study reports on the effect of Korean medicine on a patient with drug-induced Parkinsonism.Method: We used herbal medicine (Yigan-san), acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, and bee venom acupuncture to treat a patient with drug-induced Parkinsonism during hospitalization for 11 days. We observed the changes of symptoms using the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS), the abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS), and the Beck depression inventory (BDI).Results: After treatment, the patient’s symptoms showed improvement in tremor, gait disturbance, and general condition. The UPDRS, AIMS, and BDI scores were also improved after treatment.Conclusion: This clinical case study suggests that traditional Korean medicine treatment could be effective in the treatment of drug-induced Parkinsonism.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 2019

Introduction: The aim of this study is to report the effect of traditional Korean medical treatment on fibromyalgia. Case presentation: A patient with fibromyalgia was treated with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture (Bee venom, Hwangryunhaedok-tang), cupping therapy, moxibustion therapy and herbal medicine for 37 days. To reduce the patient's symptoms, we provided herbal medicine three times a day, as well as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping therapy and moxibustion therapy once a day for 37 days. To evaluate the results of this treatment, we used the Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), Score of Sleeping Quality (SSQ) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). After treatment, the patient showed that pain was reduced, the score of NRS was improved, FIQ improved from 91 to 69 and SSQ improved from 3 to 1. No adverse reaction was noted. Conclusion: According to the result, traditional Korean medical treatment can be effective and safe for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.310-317
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• 2021

Cluster of differentiation 1 (CD1) is a family of cell-surface glycoproteins that present lipid antigens to T cells. Humans have five CD1 isoforms. CD1a is distinguished by the small volume of its antigen-binding groove and its stunted A' pocket, its high and exclusive expression on Langerhans cells, and its localization in the early endosomal and recycling intracellular trafficking compartments. Its ligands originate from self or foreign sources. There are three modes by which the T-cell receptors of CD1a-restricted T cells interact with the CD1a:lipid complex: they bind to both the CD1a surface and the antigen or to only CD1a itself, which activates the T cell, or they are unable to bind because of bulky motifs protruding from the antigen-binding groove, which might inhibit autoreactive T-cell activation. Recently, several studies have shown that by producing T_H2 or T_H17 cytokines, CD1a-restricted T cells contribute to inflammatory skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis, and wasp/bee venom allergy. They may also participate in other diseases, including pulmonary disorders and cancer, because CD1a-expressing dendritic cells are also located in non-skin tissues. In this mini-review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the biology of CD1a-reactive T cells and their potential roles in disease.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.201-211
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to comprehensively review Korean domestic studies and investigate the research trends of pharmacopuncture therapy on cervical pain caused by traffic accidents. Methods: Domestic studies between February 1999 and May 2020 from four Korean databases were searched with combinations of keywords 'cervical pain', 'traffic accident', 'whiplash injury', and 'pharmacopuncture'. Results: 17 studies were selected for review, including 7 randomized controlled trials, 5 retrospective observational studies, 3 case reports, and 2 non-randomized controlled trials. Each study was reviewed by published year, study type, types of pharmacopuncture solutions, selected acupuncture points, dosage of pharmacopuncture solutions, frequency of treatment, concurrent treatments, outcome measurements, and the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture therapy. The results are as follows: (1) It showed that the total number of published studies had increased slightly in the last 10 years compared to the previous decade. (2) The pharmacopuncture solutions used in the studies were in the following order: Bee-Venom (蜂毒), Jungsongouhyul (中性瘀血), Hwangryunhaedoktang (黃連解毒湯) and Soyeom (消炎). Frequently used acupuncture points were GB20, GV21, A-shi point, GV16, EX-B2, and SI15 in order. (3) The most commonly used total injection dosage was 1.0 cc at a time, and the frequency of treatment was twice a week. (4) Concurrent treatments such as acupuncture, herbal medication, physical therapy and Chuna manual therapy were performed in all 17 studies. (5) Pharmacopuncture therapy showed positive effects on cervical pain caused by traffic accidents in all 17 studies reviewed. Conclusion: Pharmacopuncture therapy was effective in cervical pain caused by traffic accidents in all 17 studies selected. Further studies will be needed using more larger scales and more objective data to confirm the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture therapy and to generalize its application.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.337-356
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• 2020

This systematic review focused on the efficacy of topical products in reducing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)-associated pain, in comparison to placebo or control interventions. The EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and MEDLINE via PubMed databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using topical interventions in adults diagnosed with TMD. The pain intensity was the primary outcome, and other clinical findings were the secondary outcomes. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane's handbook. The search up to February 7, 2020 identified a total of 496 unduplicated references. Nine RCTs with 355 adult patients diagnosed with TMD were included. The meta-analysis did not show a significant reduction in baseline pain intensity in the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) group, when compared to the placebo group (P = 0.288). One study demonstrated a statistically significant pain score decrease for Theraflex-TMJ compared to placebo after 10 d of treatment (P = 0.003) and follow-up, 5 d after the last application (P = 0.027). Ping On reduced pain at 4 weeks of application (P < 0.001) but not after 7 d of application (P = 0.136). In one study, cannabidiol (CBD) significantly improved the pain intensity compared to placebo (P < 0.001). However, no differences were found with capsaicin in the two studies (P = 0.465). Evidence was of low quality because the studies were considered as having an unclear or a high risk of bias and a small number of studies were analyzed. The evidence is not sufficient to support the use of topical NSAIDs and capsaicin, and limited evidence was found for Threraflex-TMJ, bee venom, Ping On, and CBD, with only one study reporting for each. Additional studies are recommended to validate these results.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.1356-1365
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• 2021

This study examined the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment in a patient with persistent drug-induced parkinsonism after drug discontinuation. The changes in symptoms were assessed using the unified parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS), postural instability-gait disturbance (PIGD) score, and the 20 m gait time and steps. After 22 days of hospitalization, the UPDRS, PIGD score, and 20 m gait time and steps showed clinically significant improvement. The improvement persisted after discharge. This study indicated that Korean medical treatment could be an effective alternative therapy for treating persistent drug-induced parkinsonism after drug discontinuation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.33-51
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the current status of clinical practice patterns of Korean medicine in the treatment of degenerative arthritis of the hip and finger joints using web-based survey. Methods: An e-mail questionnaire survey was conducted with the Korean Medicine Doctor(K.M.D) registered in the Korean Medicine Association. The survey data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Results: Although the response rate of the survey was low, the characteristics of the respondents generally reflected the characteristics of the study population. A total of 35.2% of the respondents had heard of the guidelines; however, they did not use them for medical treatment. The reason as answered by 32.8% of the respondents was "not enough treatment time to check the manual and apply it." More than half (78.80%) answered that they were treating patients with both degenerative hip and finger arthritis; however, the average monthly number of first-time patients was ≤5. A total of 379 (60.9%) respondents answered that "acupuncture is very important," which was the only one that exceeded the majority compared to other treatments. As a result of the safety investigation, "Acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping" were considered high in safety, while "Pharmacopuncture and Bee venom acupuncture" were considered low in safety. Conclusions: This survey helped to determine the current clinical practice patterns of Korean medicine treatments, further providing basic data for CPGs for degenerative arthritis of the hip and finger joints.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2015

■ Objectives The purpose of this clinical study is to evaluate the effect of Traditional Korean Medicine(KM) on a patient with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. ■ Methods We treated a 58 years old male patien t with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome who had several clinical symptoms such as ocular pain, limitaion of ocular movement and unilateral ptosis. We used herbal medication, acupuncture, electro-acupuncture(EA), cupping, moxibustion, bee-venom injection. Then we evaluated the improvement by Numerical Rating scale(NRS), Distance of eye opening and ratio of pupil movement. ■ Results We demonstrated the decrease of pain score and improvement of equal ocular movement(EOM) and ptosis after the KM treatment. ■ Conclusion This study proved the effect of KM treatment on Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. It could cooperative treatment would be more effective than mono treatment of western medicine.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.210-222
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a complex pathological condition that lacks a cure. Certain Chinese medicines, such as melittin, a major component in bee venom, have shown efficacy in treating CRF patients. On the other hand, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of melittin are unclear. MATERIALS/METHODS: A 5/6 nephrectomy model (5/6 Nx) of renal failure was established on rats for in vivo assays, and mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) mouse podocyte cells were treated with angiotensin II (AngII) to establish an in vitro podocyte damage model. The 24-h urine protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels were evaluated after one, 2, and 4 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson staining, and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to examine the pathological changes in kidney tissues. A cell counting kit 8 assay was used to assess the cell viability. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to assess the mRNA and protein levels in the cells, respectively. RESULTS: In the rat 5/6 Nx, melittin reduced the 24-h urinary protein excretion and the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Furthermore, the renal pathology was improved in the melittin-treated 5/6 Nx rats. Melittin promoted podocin, nephrin, Beclin 1, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio and inhibited phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/mTOR in 5/6 Nx-induced rats and AngII-induced MPC5 mouse podocyte cells. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy with 3-MA weakened the effects of melittin on podocin, nephrin, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio in podocytes. CONCLUSION: Melittin may offer protection against kidney injury, probably by regulating podocyte autophagy. These results provide the theoretical basis for applying melittin in CRF therapy.