• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2021

Lobelia chinensis Lour. has commonly been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of antidote, diuretic, diarrhea, and inflammation. This study aimed to identify the active compounds in an aqueous extract of L. chinensis responsible for its anti-atopic effect in vitro using RBL-2H3 cells. A chemical investigation of secondary metabolites in an aqueous extract of L. chinensis led to the isolation of nine chemical constituents, which included the four marker compounds, and these were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on IL-4 mRNA expression and the release of β-hexosaminidase in propidium iodide-induced RBL-2H3 cells. We found diosmetin and fraxidin inhibited cellular IL-4 mRNA expression, and that diosmetin and 6,8-dimethoxycoumarin inhibited DNP-specific IgE-induced degranulation in these cells. Our study suggests that diosmetin, fraxidin, and 6,8-dimethoxycoumarin are potential candidates for the treatment of atopic diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.181-200
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Bojungikgi-tang (BJIG) and its modifications for patients with anemia. Methods: The subject of analysis of this study was a parallel design randomized controlled trial in which BJIG or its modifications was administered orally to patients who met the World Health Organization's anemia criteria and the efficacy and safety were prospectively measured. Electronic databases were searched to retrieve eligible literature published from 1 January 2000 to 12 February 2023. A meta-analysis was conducted, and the risk of bias (RoB) and level of evidence of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and GRADE method, respectively. Results: Five studies were included in the meta-analysis. When BJIG or its modifications was administered to anemia patients receiving conventional treatment, additional benefits compared to the non-administered group were found in terms of an increase in red blood cell count (mean difference (MD) 0.46 × 10¹²/L, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.74), hemoglobin concentration (MD 9.28 g/L, 95% CI 6.06 to 12.51), hematocrit (MD 2.57%, 95% CI 1.76 to 3.38), total effective rate (odds ratio 5.29, 95% CI 2.05 to 13.68), and traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores (standardized MD -1.51, 95% CI -2.79 to -0.24). Conclusions: This study demonstrated the clinical potential of BJIG and its modifications to provide additional benefits to patients with anemia receiving conventional treatment.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.49-69
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• 2018

Objectives: Following the Jin Yuan Dynasty, the Ming and Song Dynasties witnessed a great development of Yunqi xue. A study into this development has a vast significance in studying the history of the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Methods: The contents relating to Yunqi within the Comprehensive Medical Books, published during the Ming period, and medical texts separately published specifically dealing with Yunqi were used in order to review the unique characters of the study of Yunqi during this period. Results: There were many cases in the comprehensive medical books during the Ming period that dealt with Yunqi. Some of the examples are: Yunqilu in Yixueliuyao, YunQiZongLun in Yixuerumen, and Yunqilu in Yixueliuyao. A number of books that followed suit from the previous generation's study were published, the examples of which are Wangji's Yunqiyilan, and ZhangJiebin's LeiJingtuyi. WangJi, in his book, opposed the mechanic utilization of YunQi theory, and advocated the flexible application of the theory at the doctor's discretion. Liwei, in his YunQiZongLun, wrote a great deal of knowledge which he gained based on the previous-generation medical masters' achievements. Conclusions: Yunqi became widely accepted during the Ming period which led to some doctors advocating the flexible application of the YunQi theory, and some doctors even completely denouncing Yunqi.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3195-3201
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• 2012

Aims: This study was designed to describe the personal life experiences of breast cancer survivors regarding their efforts to recover and preserve their health in Taiwan. Method: The study utilized a qualitative research method, wherein purposive sampling, one-on-one, face-to-face, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data were then analyzed using content analysis. Data were saturated after interviewing 15 cancer survivors. Results: Three common themes emerged: introspection on the cause of the cancer, realization of a harmonized lifestyle, and reflecting on the strong will to survive. Conclusions: These findings are helpful in understanding the relationship between breast cancer survival and individual efforts to restore and preserve health.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1305-1311
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• 2008

This study investigated that the antidiabetic effects of banaba extracts with variety solvents selectivity in vitro and in vivo. Banaba extracts were prepared with water, 70% ethanol, 90% ethanol, 100% ethanol and water-ethanol that of extract twice times sequentially water and ethanol. Cell toxicity and insulin secretion of banaba extracts was tested by MTT (3-[4,5-dimetylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on hamster insulinoma cell line, HIT-T15. Also we tested that insulin, body weight, blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and free fatty acid in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Water-ethanol extract has remarkable antidiabetic effect compare with the other banaba extracts. For water-ethanol extract has both of hydrophilic and hydrophobic antidiabetic materials from banaba. Expecially, corosolic acid, as known as unique polyphenol, has antidiabetic effect studied by many researchers till nowadays. But corosolic acid does not solve in water. Otherwise, we suggest that banaba extract of hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials (polyphenol and antioxidants) mixture more increased antidiabetic effects.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.136-145
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• 2010

Objectives: Electroacupuncture according to Voll (EAV) has been used to quantify the skin's electrical resistance and conductance over acupuncture points that, based on traditional Chinese medicine, represent the state of health or disease of the organ or tissue. However, it doesn't have enough objective data yet, so the purpose of this study was to aid in the use of EAV in analysis of cerebrovascular disease risk factors. Methods: This study researched the clinical statistics of 216 cases: cerebrovascular attack (CVA) group 43, control group 173. We measured control meridian points (CMP) on hands and feet and the cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) which represents atherosclerosis severity, and sex, age, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The data were then analyzed by t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: Between the CVA and control groups, there were not statistically significant differences in CMP. However, logistic regression analysis of the presence of CVA, mean of CMP heart and lung, sex, age, DBP (diastolic blood pressure), and HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol showed that the risk of CVA was 1.1 times increased with CMP heart (p=0.002), in men was 4.12 times higher than in women (p=0.001), 1.09 times higher with age (p=0.000), 1.04 times higher with DBP (p=0.045), while was lower by 0.924 times with CMP lung (p=0.005) and 0.957 times with HDL cholesterol (p=0.006). Conclusion: Although there were not clear evidence or mechanisms about EAV, this study showed that if we study EAV further, we may be able to apply EAV as an objective instrument of oriental medicine in cerebrovascular disease.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.111-133
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• 2017

Objectives : Dryness pathogen, which is one of six pathogenic factors, causes dryness diseases. Currently, the theory on dryness disease is composed of external dryness and internal dryness. External dryness, in turn, is composed of cool dryness and warm dryness. However, these categorizations and their symptoms bear ambiguity for many reasons. Therefore, this paper aims to review various texts in order to study the special features of dryness pathogen and dryness disease. Methods : Texts that deal with dryness pathogen and dryness disease were studied. Most texts are comprised of dissertations and historical medical texts, therefore, CNKI and The Sikuquanshu's databases, and Traditional Chinese Medical(TCM) book webdatabases were utilized. Materials are listed in chronological order, and their main points regarding dryness pathogen and dryness disease are compared. Results & Conclusions : It is difficult to accept the assertion that dryness pathogen does not lead to external dryness. Dryness does not have the elements of chill and fever in itself. Dryness's elements of chill and fever are determined in the ways they combine with each individual element. Moreover, the symptoms of chill and fever on dryness disease are subject to the host's body type. External dryness and internal dryness cannot be discussed within an identical premise. Whereas the dryness in external dryness signifies the cause of a disease, the dryness in internal dryness is the consequence of a disease. In other words, internal dryness revolves around cause of disease and external dryness revolves around the mechanic of disease. It's difficult to determine whether these diseases are caused by dryness or wetness in Autumn. There is an understanding which integrates these together through the Yunqi theory, but it is imperfect.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2023

Objectives: Psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy are very common, and the most common symptoms are depression, insomnia, and anxiety. These symptoms not only lower the quality of life of epilepsy patients, but also elevate the risk of epileptic seizures. There are no specific criteria for the available antiepileptic drugs to ameliorate these symptoms in patients with epilepsy, and there is a lack of evidence to support the efficacy and safety of existing drugs. The Shugan Jieyu capsule (SJC) is a traditional herbal medicine composed of Acanthopanax senticosus and Hypericum perforatum and is reported to be effective in relieving psychiatric symptoms. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of SJC as a treatment for psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy patients. Methods: Electronic databases will be investigated for publications in English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. The participants of the study are epilepsy patients with psychiatric symptoms diagnosed using any validated criteria. All types of controls will be compared-placebo, conventional treatments, and no treatment-to groups treated with SJC or modified SJC. We will measure the degree of improvement in psychiatric symptoms and check epileptic symptoms, such as the frequency of seizures. The study selection and data extraction will be performed by two independent reviewers, who will also assess methodological quality using the risk-of-bias tool by Cochrane. We will use Review Manager software (RevMan) to carry out all statistical analyses. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be performed in accordance with the PRISMA-P statement. Conclusion: This systematic review is the first study to assess the efficacy and safety of SJC for the treatment of psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy. We expect that this study will provide clinically applicable evidence for patients with epilepsy when selecting drug treatments.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2017

This study on "Wenbingtiaobian" covers identifying pattern of prescription, understanding system of multiple syndrome differentiations, characteristics of treatment and medicinal substances. The source books are "Korean translation of Wenbingtiaobian", "Modern Shanghanlun", "Jinkuiyaolueyishi", "Chinese Medicine Formulas". "Wenbingtiaobian" has system of multiple patterns including three energizer syndrome differentiation, classification of disease, six meridian syndrome differentiation and wei-qi-ying-xue syndrome differentiation. That describes cause, location, nature, power and transmutation of disease. Wei-qi-ying-xue pattern is meaningful to warm-heat disease and three energizer pattern is relevant to dampness-heat disease. The warm disease shows mostly yang brightness bowel syndrome and patterns of three yin viscera. In aspect of the heat disease, qi aspect pattern makes up the largest number of syndrome differentiation and have sometimes with bowel excess or fluid deficiency. And treatment for wei aspect pattern is primarily 'outthrust the pathogen with pungent-cool'. Deficiency cold pattern and cold pattern with dampness occupy most of cold patterns. And many dampness patterns are dampness-heat pattern in middle energizer and 'inhibited lung qi transforming' is major mechanism. Patterns with fluid deficiency in qi aspect syndrome appear mostly in upper or middle energizer and in xue aspect syndrome appear mostly in lower energizer and they form 20% of all syndrome differentiations. The treatment of clearing heat uses pungent-cool(cold) for upper energizer, sweet-cold for middle energizer, sweet(salty)-cold for lower energizer. The treatment of tonifying yin uses mostly salty-cold for middle or lower energizer. The treatment of outthrusting pathogen is applied to all the wei-qi-ying-xue aspect combined with other treatments by using pungent-cool(cold) and light herbs. Understanding diseases in the respect of syndrome differentiation can enhance understanding of modern diseases from a perspective of Korean Traditional Medicinal(KTM) and can make clinical application of KTM treatments easy. Data from this study are expected to be basic for standardization and systemization of KTM.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.112-120
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether quantitative evaluation of the color of the tongue substance using $L^*a^*b^*$ color coordinates system could minimize the problems arising from the different illuminating conditions or not. In controlled 4 different illuminating conditions (by natural light, flashlight, f-number, shutter speed),12 healthy subjects were photographed of their tongue substance through a digital camera (C-2100uz, Olympus Co.), both on the top surface and on the bottom surface of the tongue substance by two examiners, twice at 3 day intervals. Clinician evaluation was also performed grading the redness of the tongue substance in the form of 5-points scale by 6 clinicians. As a result, there was no significant difference in color differences between the color of the tongue substance and the reference red card in the 4 different illuminating conditions. Intra-rater reliability was satisfied and even though limitedly, inter-rater reliability was satisfied. Color differences were significantly correlated with the results by the clinicians, although they were applicable limitedly to specific illuminating conditions. Our results indicate that the application of the color differences in tongue diagnosis could not only evaluate the color information quantitatively, but also minimize the problems arising from the different illuminating conditions and that there was the significant difference in the visual evaluation of the red color of the tongue substance, both between the clinicians and between the illuminating conditions.