• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1530-1537
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• 2006

Platycodi Radix, the root of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), commonly known as Doraji in Korea (Chinese name, 'Jiegeng', and Japanese name, 'Kikyo') has been used as an expectorant in traditional Oriental medicine. Extracts from the roots of P. grandiflorum have been reported to have wide ranging health benefits. In Korea, Platycodi Radix is also used as a food and employed as a folk remedy for adult diseases, such as bronchitis, asthma and pulmonary tuberculosis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, and as a sedative. Several studies on its chemical and immunopharmacological effects including immunostimulation and antitumor activity have been performed. However, the relevant molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Platycodi Radix, the root of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), commonly known as Doraji in Korea (Chinese name, 'Jiegeng', and Japanese name, 'Kikyo') has been used as an expectorant in traditional Oriental medicine. Extracts from the roots of P. grandiflorum have been reported to have wide ranging health bensfits. In Korea, Platycodi Radix is also used as a food and employed as a folk remedy for adult diseases, such as bronchitis, asthma and pulmonary tuberculosis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, and as a sedative. Several studies on its chemical and immunopharmacological effects including immunostimulation and antitumor activity have been performed. However, the relevant molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of an aqueous extract from the roots of P. grandiflorum AEPG) on the cell growth of human lung adenocarcinoma NCI-H460 cells in order to understand its anti-proliferative mechanism. AEPG treatment down-regulated the cyclin D1 expression in both transcriptional and translational levels without alteration of cyclin E. In AEPG-treated cells, the levels of cyclin-dependent kinase (C아) 6 mRNA and protein were significantly inhibited, but the levels of Cdk2 and Cdk4 were slightly inhibited by treatment of AEPG. AEPG treatment induced a marked accumulation of Cdk inhibitors, p16 and p27. However, AEPG treatment did not affect not only retinoblastoma protein (pRB) but also tumor suppressor p53 protein expression. The present results indicated that AEPG-induced inhibition of lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the blockage of G1 phase progression through induction of Cdk inhibitors such as p16 and p27, and inhibition of cyclin D1 and Cdk6. AEPG exposure, as offered by this study, provides cluse for the mechanism of AEPG action. Taken together, these findings suggest that P. grandiflorum has strong potential for development as an agent for prevention and treatiment against human lung cancer.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.75-85
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• 2012

Massage therapy, which is a Seondosul treatment that was prevalent during the time of Goguryeo, has been propagated throughout the general regions of Jeolla and Chungcheong-do with Iksan and Namwon as the center by the residents of Goguryeo who moved down south. In particular, the fact that this therapy was used importantly in the limited boundaries of the general regions of Jeolla and Chungcheong-do has become a factor that enabled preservation of large amount of old formats of the early stage Seondosul treatment. Seondosul that has been passed down the generation continued to function as a folklore remedy in the form of traditional massage therapy that is suitable for the humanistic natural environment of Korea. That is, treatment methods for generalized diseases in households have been used continuously from the ancient society to the modern society in Korea.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.238-252
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• 2003

Objective : This study is performed for the purpose of examining the efficacy of the scolopendrid(Scolopendra morsitans L.) which has been to low back pain as a folk remedy. Methods & Results : Seventy patients with H.I.V.D. treated with the scolopendrid aquacupuncture and examined 4 tests; D.I.T.I., physical test, Oswestry disability index, and self-conscious pain rate were studied. And we follow up after discharge, we evaluated the present state and recovery period. Or we evaluated by herniated type and duration of onset. There was 58~97% of efficacy rate in each tests. Moreover, statistically valuable change in all 7 D.I.T.I. points and in disability index and in self-conscious pain rate was showed. Conclusion : The scolopendrid aquacupuncture is possible to be effective terating the H.I.V.D patients. So we suggest the possibility using this new remedy to the H.I.V.D. patients.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 2003

Objective : This study is perfonned for the purpose of examining the efficacy of the scolopendrid (Scolopendra morsitans L.) which has been used to low back pain as a folk remedy. Methods & Results : Seventy patients with H.I.V.D. treated with the scolopendrid aquacupuncture and examined 4 tests; D.I.T.L., physical test, Oswestry disability index, and self-conscious pain rate were studied. There was $50{\sim}100\%$ of efficacy rate in each tests. Moreover, statistically valuable change in 5 to 7 D.I.T.I. points and in self-conscious pain rate was showed. Conclusion : The scolopendrid aquacupuncture is possible to be effective treating the H.I.V.D patients. So we suggest the possibility using this new remedy to the H.I.V.D. patients.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.201-207
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• 2017

Angelica decursiva has been utilised as remedy for controlling the airway inflammatory diseases in folk medicine. We investigated whether nodakenin, columbianadin, and umbelliferone isolated from the roots of Angelica decursiva inhibit the gene expression and production of MUC5AC mucin from human airway epithelial cells. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with nodakenin, columbianadin or umbelliferone for 30 min and then stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) for 24 h. The MUC5AC mucin gene expression was measured by reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Production of MUC5AC mucin protein was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were as follows: (1) Nodakenin did not affect the expression of MUC5AC mucin gene induced by EGF, PMA or $TNF-{\alpha}$. Columbianadin inhibited the expression of MUC5AC mucin gene induced by EGF or PMA. However, umbelliferone inhibited the expression of MUC5AC mucin gene induced by EGF, PMA or $TNF-{\alpha}$; (2) Nodakenin also did not affect the production of MUC5AC mucin protein induced by EGF, PMA or $TNF-{\alpha}$. Columbianadin inhibited the production of MUC5AC mucin protein induced by PMA. However, umbelliferone inhibited the production of MUC5AC mucin protein induced by EGF, PMA or $TNF-{\alpha}$. These results suggest that, among the three compounds investigated, umbelliferone only inhibits the gene expression and production of MUC5AC mucin stimulated by various inducers, by directly acting on airway epithelial cells, and the results might explain the traditional use of Angelica decursiva as remedy for diverse inflammatory pulmonary diseases.

• 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.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.4 s.147
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• pp.307-313
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• 2006

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy by hyperglycemia. To find natural agents improving diabetic nephropathy, 63 natural resources which used to the treatment of diabetes mellitus in a folk remedy were investigated with an in vitro system employing radical scavenging activity and inhibitory activity of AGEs formation. In results, the extracts of Aspalathus linearis, Rubus coreanus, Rosa rugosa, and Epimedium koreanum significantly inhibited the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical with $IC_{50}$ values less than $10{\mu}g/ml$. The extracts of Zea mays, Cucurbita moschata, Cudrania tricuspidata, and Aspalathus linearis effectively reduced the formation of AGEs compared with the positive control $N-acetyl-_L-cystenine$ (NAC) and aminoguanidine (AG). In addition, the extracts of Aspalathus linearis, Commelina communis, Cornus officinalis, and Lespodeza cuneata showed the all inhibitory activity against DPPH radical and AGEs formation. Also, these resources definitely showed the radical scavenging activity against peroxynitrite $(ONOO^-)$ and hydroxyl radical $({\cdot}OH)$ relating to high glucose-induced ROS production. Thus, these results suggest that some natural resources may regulate the initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy through inhibition of ROS production and AGEs formation.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.209-220
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• 1999

This study was conducted in order to determined the risk factors and general characteristics in stroke patients. This study was performed by interviewing a total of 92 hospitalized in Hanil hospital, Chinju and Eulji Medical Collage Hospital, Taejon from January 1, 1998 to February 28, 1999. The results are as follow; 1. Of the types of the strokes, hemorrhagic was 58.8%, ischemic was 41.1%. 2. The family history was appeared to 72.2% of total and did not exercise 64.1% of male and 59.5% of female during weak. 3. The korean peoples as the likes rather Chinese medicine and folk remedy than Wes-ern medicine so late treatment of early stage. 4. Generally, in drinking, smoking, fatness and overeating meat known to affect on stroke both male and female had signification difference. 5. These 75.5% of the subjects was recognizing to necessity of physical therapy.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2011

The sea tangle, Laminaria japonica has long been used in Korea as a folk remedy to promote health. Gamma-amino butyric acid-enriched (5.56% of dry weight) sea tangle was obtained by fermentation with Lactobacillus brevis BJ-20 (FLJ). A suppressive effect of FLJ on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity has been shown previously. Alcohol administration to Sprague-Dawley rats leads to hepatotoxicity, as demonstrated by heightened levels of hepatic marker enzymes as well as increases in both the number and volume of lipid droplets as fatty liver progresses. However, FLJ attenuated alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity and the accumulation of lipid droplets following ethanol administration. Additionally, FLJ increased the activities and transcript levels of major alcoholmetabolizing enzymes, such as alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, and reduced blood concentrations of alcohol and acetaldehyde. These data suggest that FLJ protects against alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity and that FLJ could be used as an ingredient in functional foods to ameliorate the effects of excessive alcohol consumption.