• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.117-131
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to grasp the nature of health behavior to pactice in order to keep and improve the optimal health in the current status of the cancer patients. The subjects were 21 cancer patients, who knew about their disease for themselves, could communicate without mental disease history, and could understand the purpose of this study and cooperate, in a university hospital in Seoul. The data were collected by direct interview from July 15 to Oct. 17, 1994. The interview took about 1~2hours per one time for each paitent by unstructural and open questions. And they were classified into some similar contents on the basis of the phenomenological analysis and categorized. The analyzed results are as follows: 1) In the daily life before and after diagnosis as cancer patients, they were categorized into 6 areas-the state of movement, sleeping, nutrition and diet, society and economy, drinking and somking, and recognition of their health. 2) In the experience of health behavior of cancer patents, they were categorized into 7 areas-the state of movement, sleeping, nutrition and diet, society and economy, drinking and smoking, recognition of their health, and psychology etc. According to the analyzed results of daily life before diagnosis as cancer patients, it turned out that they didn't recognize the problems for their health habit and made their disease state bad by irresolute characteristics which hesitated to practice rightly, renunciation, and irresponsibility and so on, even if they had much interests in their health and were motivated. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize and have an individual-centric interests in order to change the pattern of life for optimal health state to some extent. In the health behavior of cancer patients, it turned out that they had interests in the state of nutrition and diet the most. Even though they experienced the change of serious nutritive state due to the bad gastroenteric trouble by anticancer treatment, they were trying to have a regular eating habit refraining from irritant food and use folk remedies or healthy food temperating the taste food thoroughly, they also showed the sensitive response for nutrition. In addition, they appeared to use the traditional medical treatment or the folk remedies very seriously without abuse. In consideration of it, it is desirable to use them together with the modern medical treatment intercomplementarily and necessary to look into the types for cancer patients and their benefits.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1 s.65
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• pp.78-90
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• 2006

Background : Traditional herbal medicine is used extensively among the Korean populations, and other Asian countries employ similar therapies as well. In recent years, extensive focus was laid on adulteration of the herbal medicine with liver damage. The use of herbal preparations as remedies for various medical conditions has continuously increased in Korea. Large proportions of Korean patients use herbal medicinal products, folk remedies, and health food. However, studies on the safety of herbal products are conducted on a less than sufficient basis even in the countries like Korea where herbal medicine is being used extensively. Some of the reports on the safety of herbs were done by the doctors of western medicine but lack of knowledge and misclassification led to misunderstandings. Objectives : This study aims to verify the evidences on safety of frequently used 4 herbal medications (Sipjeondaebo-tang, Bojungikgi-tang, Ohjeok-San, Yukmaijihwang-tang) in the lab animal model. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats was treated by 4 herbal medications during 31 days. After 1 month, we checked body weight, liver weight, and serum enzyme associated with liver function. Results : There is no significant difference in body weight and liver weight after 1 month of administrations. In all experimental groups, no abnormal findings was observed in histotogical research and lab liver Functions test(AST, ALT etc). Conclusions : These four herbal medications, frequently used in oriental medicine clinics and hospitals, are safe from hepatoxic events in the lab animal model.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.86-99
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• 2007

Objectives : Cancer patients who are afraid of unpleasant therapy and doubt a perfect cure often seek out traditional Korean medicine or many other kinds of complementary and alterative medicine (CAM) instead. This study was carried out in order to learn the prevalence and kinds of the traditional Korean medicine and CAM to evaluate awareness of and attitude toward it. Methods : 213 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone surgery in the department of gastrointestinal surgery and visited for routine follow-up from November to December of 2004 were included. A questionnaire survey was done by trained interviewers for CAM and demographic information. Results : 96.7% of patients had experience with CAM. The kinds and frequencies of CAM were diet and nutrition 21.0%, folk remedy 21.0%, pharmacological treatment 13.5%, oriental medicine 5.3% and mind-body intervention 1.4%. 56.8% of patients had experienced 2-6 kinds of CAM, 37.4% more than 7. Among diet and nutrition, ginseng (62.9%) was highest, followed by ox leg bone soup (50.8%) and pumpkin (31.5%). Among the folk remedies, elm tree was highest at 46.5%, followed by phellinus linteus (Sang-Whang) at 26.8% and ganoderma lucidum (Young-Gee) 20.7%.satisfaction with CAM was relatively low (43.2%), many patients (78.2%) replied that they would use it continuously. Conclusion : Most patients had experience with many kinds of CAM, but didn't discuss it with medical doctors. If scientific study proves whether or not each kind of CAM is actually effective ondisease, it will help to improve the health of patients and prevent the inappropriate usage and cost.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2018

Objectives : This study first acknowledges that cough, which is a light symptom, can act as a link that leads to more serious disease. With this acknowledgement, the study ponders upon how the people of the past, before the introduction of western medicine, attempted to cure the first sign of cough and how to stop it from developing. Methods : China's Eumsunjungyo and Sikgamboncho, and Chosun's Singnyochanyo and Donguibogam are used mainly to analyze the food cure that were used in relation to sea water, and to discover what types of ingredients and preparation forms were used, how they were taken, what types of food cure there were, and how they were used. Results : There was no ingredient used commonly in all of the four literatures. Eumsunjungyo utilized ingredients related to lamb. Singnyochanyo and Donguibogam were both used in Chosun, but some similarities with the Chinese literatures were discovered in terms of food cure since they were put together with their Chinese counterparts as references. Ingredients that were used commonly in two or more of the literatures were ginger, taoren, xingren, honey, pear, liyu, and pig lung. Conclusions : Some staple folk remedies that later becamce cultural cuisines included drinking the water from boiling pear and honey and boiling and eating pears with peppers stuck in them. The eating of ginger together with korean traditional taffy have taken its own form and became saenggang jeonggwa and pyeongang. The oriental food cure method has been continuing among the folk people in the form of traditional food with the food philosophy of edible homologous as its basis.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 2004

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect of medicinal plants used by diabetic patients. Fourteen medicinal plants were selected and antioxidant activity such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, inhibition effect of linoleic acid autoxidation and low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value were measured. The Cornus officinalis had DPPH radical scavenging activity of 84.79%, which was higher than the 78.79% for $\alpha$-tocopherol. Rosa rugosa Thunberg, Pueraria thundergiana Bentham, Artemisia princeps var. orientalis and Sasamorpha purpurascens Nakai also had high values. Extracts with higher DPPH radical scavenging activities had higher total phenol concentrations, and positive correlations between these parameters were found. Inhibitory activities of linoleic acid autoxidation, LDL oxidation and TBA value, used as indices of oxidative stress, were observed in most of the selected medicinal plants. The highest inhibitory activity for TBA value was observed in the extract of Pueraria thundergiana Bentham. Rosa rugosa Thunberg (75.50 %), Sasamorpha purpurascens Nakai (74.00 %), and Cornus officinalis (73.00 %) all had high antioxidant activity against linoleic acid autoxidation, similar to that of $\alpha$-tocopherol. The same 3 plants also had high in inhibitory activity against LDL oxidation. Therefore, we demonstrated that medicinal plants used as folk remedy by diabetic patients had antioxidant activity. Especially, Rosa rugosa Thunberg, Cornus officinalis, Pueraria thundergiana Bentham, Arlemisia princeps var. orientalis, and Sasamorpha purpurascens Nakai had high phenol concentrations which resulted in high values for DPPH radical scavenging. These same plants exhibited high values for inhibitory activities for TBA value, linoleic acid autoxidation and LDL oxidation, indices associated with lipid peroxidation.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.39-51
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• 2009

Objectives : In Korea the practice of folk remedies is widely spread. One of the main uses is the utilization of pumpkin in postpartum edema. While this practice is widely propagated no one could exactly define the evidence of its uses. Therefore we aimed to provide literature evidence of correct prescription in postpartum edema. Methods : As the use of pumpkin in postpartum edema is particular to korea, we revised all the medical book published from the 17th century, the time supposed to have been introduced pumpkin in Korean peninsula. We also researched the prescription mainly used in postpartum edema, and the common main herbal component, succium. As pumpkin and succium is homophony to 'Ho bak' in korean it had the possibility of being misinterpreted. Results : On our literature research we found the precautions of pumpkin to provoke gi-stagnatio and dampness obstruction and that it was restricted while the recovery of all kind of diseases as well as in puerperium. The main reason of postpartum edema is caused by blood stasis which when the blood gains its normal circulation, edema is dispersed by itself. For this propose main prescription was Jogyeongsan調經散 type with its main component succium which medical properties are cited in all medical classics consistently. From the literature of "Juchonsinbang" and "Uibanghapbu" we found three different prescriptions, Hobakgo琥珀膏, Hobakgo胡朴膏, and Namgwago南瓜膏 which contents and their medical proposes were equal. Conclusions : By these finding we could refer that the use of pumpkin in postpartum edema was caused by homophonic reasonal misinterpretation of succinum in korean. This research provides the literature evidence to correct pumpkin's misuse and also the necessity of restriction of the use of even most common products for medical proposes and/or at least the importance of being guided by the experts.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 1981

This study aims to research on the actual state of the ways that the aged people live in Seoul use intentionally or unintentionally to maintain in their health. The aged people selected randomly for the study are 541 men and 902 women who are all more than 65 years old. This survey carried out from April to May in 1980. The results of this study are summed up as follows: 1. The main means of making a living engage was agriculture with the per cent of 57. 3 and next was commerce (11.9%). 2. As for their staple foods, the majority of them eat mixed food of rice and barley, and the rest eat rice or minor-grain mixed rice. As subsidiary foods, vegetables are the most common side dishes (68.9%) and see-weeds (6.7%) are taken by the minority of them. 3. Most of them (74.6%) frequently or occasionally take special health foods to maintaing their health. The most common health food turned out to be tonic liquor to men, while honey to women. 4. The majority of them(23.2% of men and 45.5% women) refrain from drinking and smoking. 5. 39.5 per cent of men and 25.5 per cent of wome) take light exercise such as going up hill and walking. 6. The majority of them undergo routine health check with the per cent of 10.8 or occasioanal health check with the 42.9. As medical treatment, many of them(45.9%) take Chinese remedies, western remedies(39.1%) and folk remedies (15.0%). 7. Many of them (66.0%) feel subjective symptoms about some geriatric diseases such as neuralgia, hypertension and cough. 8. Many of them (63.2%) free from mental trouble, while 17.7 per cent of them appeal to no job to do, 10.0 per cent of alienation and 9.1 per cent of domestic troubles. 9. Their subjective judgements of their secrets of health and longevity attach more importance to leading a regular life. 10. Most of them want to be served appropriate medical care, rest place, health consultations, etc. All these results reveal that health and longevity of the aged people are maintained by necessary cares and efforts, not by accident nor by apathy. It is thus highly desired tha tmany studies, enlightments and nationwide support about this problem be carried out in future.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-56
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify health status and the use of complementary and alternative therapies in the community dwelling pre-elderly and elderly. Methods: A total of 193 subjects participated in this study. They were recruited from one senior welfare center, four senior citizen centers and subjects' home in two cities. Data were collected with self-reported questionnaires to measure health status and the use of complementary and alternative therapies. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA using SPSS/WIN 22.0. Results: Health status in this subjects was different depending on their age, sex, education, religion, type of family, and average monthly living expenses. Most used items as complementary and alternative medicine are diet therapy, herbal medicine such as health supplement food therapy, vitamin therapy, and Korean folk remedies. There were statistically significant differences in using complementary and alternative therapies according to one's current health status (F=7.09, p<.001), comparing health status to peers (F=3.67, p=.013), and chronic disease having more than three months (t=-2.50, p=.013). Conclusion: This study suggest that individualized health care should be continued for the pre-elderly and elderly. Moreover, we need to prepare long term care plans such as educations for applying complementary and alternative therapies.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2013

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and regulate the activation of innate immunity. All TLR signaling pathways culminate in the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, leading to the induction of inflammatory gene products such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Triptolide (TP), a natural component of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F, has been used as folk remedies to treat many chronic diseases for many years. In the present report, we present biochemical evidence that TP inhibits the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation induced by polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (Poly[I:C], TLR3 agonist) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 agonist). TP also inhibits COX-2 expression induced by Poly[I:C] and LPS. These results suggest that TP can modulate the immune responses regulated by TLR3 and TLR4 signaling pathways.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2010

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and regulate the activation of innate immunity. All TLR signaling pathways culminate in the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, leading to the induction of inflammatory gene products such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), has been used as folk remedies to treat many chronic diseases for many years. In the present report, we present biochemical evidence that parthenolide inhibits the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation induced by TLR agonists and the overexpression of downstream signaling components of TLRs, MyD88, $IKK{\beta}$, and p65. Parthenolide also inhibits TLR agonists-induced COX-2 and iNOS expression. These results suggest that parthenolide can modulate the immune responses regulated by TLR signaling pathways.