• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.635-644
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• 2023

Objectives: This study analyzed laboratory serum data results before and after patients took herbal medicine to confirm the clinical safety of herbal medicine. In addition, in the event of liver damage, the case was analyzed to confirm the characteristics of liver damage and the possibility of liver damage caused by herbal medicine. Methods: A retrospective chart review of the effects of herbal medicine on liver function in patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia was conducted. The electronic medical records of 128 patients in a single hospital were reviewed. Results: The statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant decrease in liver function-related laboratory serum data after taking herbal medicine (p<0.05). In addition, among 128 patients, there were two cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) (1.56%). Conclusion: Taking herbal medicine prescribed by experts does not significantly affect liver function in patients with functional dyspepsia. Rather, the liver levels of the subjects showed a significant decrease after taking herbal medicine. To support these results, further large-scale multicenter prospective studies are necessary.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.374-380
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• 2016

Objective: Although the incidence of chronic hepatitis B has decreased around the world due to widespread national preventative control measures, mortality from the same condition can increase if the condition leads to liver cancer or liver cirrhosis. In most cases, herbal medicine does not show any statistically significant effects related to liver damage, but preconceptions do exist that herbal medicine can be toxic and cause such liver damage. To investigate this situation, this study therefore investigated a patient with hepatitis B who had combined traditional Korean medicine therapy and the use of analgesic drugs during a hospitalization period.Method: A patient with hepatitis B was given combined traditional Korean medicine therapy and the use of analgesic drugs during a hospitalization period.Results: Within 26 days, the patient was free from liver damage during the hospitalization period. She was followed up with a liver function test and was discharged after her condition improved; she also reported decreased back pain.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.715-722
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of short-term use of Korean herbal medicine (KHM; prescribed herbal medicine by doctors of traditional Korean medicine) on liver function. Three hundred eighty four outpatients who took KHM for various conditions were enrolled for multi-center, prospective observational study. Of them 237 patients completed questionnaire and were checked liver function (aspartic aminotransferase;AST, alanine aminotransferase;ALT, alkaline phosphatase;ALP, total bilirubin;t-Bil, direct bilirubin;d-Bil, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase;GGT, protein and albumin) before and after taking KHM (duration; 21.4${\pm}$10.0 days), and data were analysed statistically. Of the 213 patients showing normal liver function test (LFT) at baseline, 209 (98.1%) remained within the normal range at the second test while 3 (1.4%) revealed slight increase of LFT. Only one subject had raised LFT regarding level of liver injury without perceived symptoms. Twenty-four of 237 patients were abnormal at baseline, and 16 at the second testing. Of the patients taking KHM, only 4 changed from normal to abnormal while 12 from abnormal to normal in their LFT. There were no significant increase in LFT level between the first and second test, except in the t-Bil level, however, the change of t-Bil was small and within normal range. The current study showed that the use of KHM did not increase the frequency of abnormal LFTs, at least in the short term.