• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of Raynaud disease such as syndrome differentiation and herbal medicine by reviewing Chinese traditional medicine's journals. The journal search was carried out using China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) and PubMed from January 2008 to August 2013. Searching key words were the various combination of "Raynaud disease", "traditional chinese medicine", "syndrome differentiation", "herbal medicine". The final selection of 38 studies were selected and summarized by researchers. The syndrome differentiation was classified as yang deficiency and cold syncope, qi stagnation and blood stasis. The most frequently prescribed herbal medication was Dangguisinitang.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2019

Objectives : In this study, we investigated the combination effects of Cinnamomi cortex Ethanol Extract (CcEE) and hyperthermia in the human AGS gastric cancer cell line. Methods : AGS cells were treated with the indicated concentrations of CcEE (0, 50 or $60{\mu}g/mL$) for 1h prior to hyperthermia. And then incubated for a further 30 min at the indicated temperatures (37, 42 or $43^{\circ}C$) in a humidified incubator containing 5% $CO_2$ or a thermostatically controlled water bath for hyperthermia. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay, Morphology assay and Trypan blue assay. To investigate the possible molecular signaling pathways, the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) proteins (ERK, p38 and JNK) and expression of various anti-apoptotic proteins such as Caspase-3, Caspase-9, p53, Cyclin D1 and MMP-2 were assessed by Western blot analysis. In addition, Annexin V and 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD) staining was performed to examine the apoptotic mechanism. Results : Combination of CcEE with hyperthermia effectively suppressed the cell viability and changed cellmorphology compared with CcEE or hyperthermia treatment alone. Combined treatment also abated the expression of Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Cyclin D1 and MMP-2. Whereas, the expression level of p53 was up-regulated by co-treatment. Moreover, combination treatment enhanced phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and JNK. In addition, this combination increased anti-cancer effect by inducing cell death through the apoptosis. Conclusions : Taken together, all these findings suggest that the combination treatment with CcEE and hyperthermia may have therapeutic potential as a promising approach to patients with stomach cancer.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.301-316
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of heat stimuli (e.g., fire needling, warm needling) in acupuncture for acute gout. Methods: Four international online databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched to identify randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) that used fire needling and warm needling for acute gout. The methodological quality of the RCTs was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias (RoB) tool. Thirteen RCTs (840 patients) were included and analyzed. Three evaluation tools (total effective rate, uric acid level, and pain score) were mainly used. Comparisons were made between Western medicine (WM) and i) fire needling or warm needling treatment alone, ii) fire needling and bloodletting combination treatment, iii) combination of fire needling, bloodletting, and herbal medicine, iv) warm needling (concurrently). Heat stimuli in acupuncture alone or in combination treatment were more effective in terms of the total efficacy rates, uric acid levels, and pain scores than WM alone. Results: In all the evaluation tools, the treatment effects in the fire needling alone or warm needling alone treatment group and the fire needling and bloodletting combination intervention group were significantly better than those in the WM control group. The warm needling and WM combination intervention groups also experienced significantly better treatment effects in terms of total efficacy rates and uric acid levels. Only the pain scores in the fire needling, bloodletting, and herbal medicine combination groups demonstrated significant improvement. Only four studies mentioned adverse reactions: one reported loss of appetite; three studies reported none. According to the Cochrane RoB tool, most studies showed either high or uncertain RoB. Conclusion: Heat stimuli during acupuncture could be effective for acute gout. However, as the included studies were regionally biased, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the level of evidence.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2010

The aims of this study recognize the limitations of the domestic chocolate market compared to domestic and foreign chocolate market and investigate the strategies for activation of the domestic chocolate culture and development of new chocolate market throughout pointing out the various problems. We analyzed the trends for the food market and confectionery market, main market for chocolate, and also compared domestic and foreign cases for market of chocolate as food or non-food. We sought for solutions and implications for diversification of domestic chocolate market through prospects for the future. Domestic chocolate market is not enough to be competitive compared with overseas market, yet. However, we speculated that domestic chocolate market would gradually develop through fusion with herbal bio-industry as rapid economic development. Besides, we demonstrated a few ways which derive larger development through combination of chocolate market and herbal bio-industry. For these sakes, we suggest that at first, if paradigm which is considered oriental medicinal characters and back innovative and differentiated ideas should be present, the activation of markets of chocolate and herbal bio-industry as well as the diversities of market may be obtained.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.79-92
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• 2008

Objective The analysis method based on the herbal formula's effects is a general tool, in traditional medicine. In effective applications of herbal formula, Korean herbal medicines traditionally used the classification methods based on the curative effects through the various compositions of herbal formulas. However' the effects of herbal formulas were not filed systemically in ancient literatures, and the standards to confirm their effects are not clear. Thus, it is not easy to classify herbal formulas according to the curative effects. Furthermore, there are no standards to estimate the effects of prescriptions frequently directed in clinic. In this study, we aimed to provide the methodology of classifying the curative effects of herbal formulas by calculating the combination of the effect of each compositional herb through the DB systems. Results : By comparing effects of herbal formula with those of compositional herbs, we found that about 25-50% of the herbal effects were included in herbal formula's effects. These results showed that the prospective estimation of herbal formula's effects may be possible through the DB systems filing herbal effects. To enhance the accuracy in explaining the herbal formula's effect, more studies are needed by giving prominence to major effects and by subtracting minor effects.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.17-28
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• 2022

Objectives : This study was conducted to prepare basic data for improving the system related to Extramural herbal dispensaries by analyzing the characteristic factors of Korean medicine clinics that affect the type of Extramural herbal dispensaries. Methods : This study utilized '2021 Korean Herbal Medicine Consumption Survey', with 1,817 final participants. We performed ANOVA to compare the characteristics of Korean medicine clinics according to the type of extramural herbal dispensary. Multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted to analyze characteristics of Korean medicine clinics affecting the form of extramural dispensaries. Results : Among Korean medicine clinics, 71.22% of the institutions used only the intraherbal dispensaries, 11.12% of the institutions used the Extramural herbal dispensaries in parallel, and 17.67% of the institutions used only the Extramural herbal dispensaries. The characteristics of Korean medicine clinics that increased the probability of concurrently using extramural herbal dispensaries were institution area, bed presence or absence, number of regular workers, region, number of prescriptions for insurance herbal medicines, and number of prescriptions for uninsured herbal medicines. The characteristics of Korean medicine clinics, which increase the probability of using only extramural herbal dispensaries, were age, durations of clinical experience, specialist license, franchise, area, bed presence or absence, number of regular workers, number of prescriptions for uninsured herbal medicines, and price of treatment for diseases. Conclusion : The reason why Korean medicine clinics use extramural herbal dispensaries is the result of a combination of efficient use of clinic size and the preparation of uninsured herbal medicines.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.199-207
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of donepezil and 33 kinds of herbal extract combinations in SH-SY5Y cells with $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ treatment. Methods: MTT assay was performed to measure the cell viability of each herbal extract combined with donepezil against $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity. The most active extracts were then subjected to assess the effects on CREB phosphorylation and COX-2 expressions through the western blot analysis. Results: There were eight herbal extracts representing significant increase on the cell viability: 1) Erycibe obtusifolia, 2) Polygonum multiflorum, 3) Polygala tenuifolia, 4) Illicium verum, 5) Santalum album, 6) Loranthus parasticus, 7) Platycladus orientalis, and 8) Zanthoxylum piperitum. Especially, when Santalum album and donepezil were treated together, the phosphorylation of CREB significantly increased and COX-2 protein expression was significantly inhibited. Conclusions: Among the screened herbal extracts, combination treatment of each of the eight herbs and donepezil showed neuroprotective effects in SH-SY5Y cells. Additionally, the combination of Santalum album and donepezil suggested cognitive improvement by up-regulation of p-CREB and down-regulation of COX-2.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant(MDR) strain. (+)-Usnic acid(UA) is uniquely found in lichens, and is especially abundant in genera such as Usnea and Cladonia. UA has antimicrobial activity against human and plant pathogens. Therefore, UA may be a good antibacterial drug candidate for clinical development. In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of UA against 17 different strains of the bacterium. In this study, the effects of a combination of UA and permeable agents against MRSA were investigated. For the measurement of cell wall permeability, UA with concentration of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) was used. In the other hand, Sodium azide($NaN_3$) was used as inhibitors of ATPase. Against the 17 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of UA were in the range of $7.81-31.25{\mu}g/ml$. EDTA or $NaN_3$ cooperation against MRSA showed synergistic activity on cell wall. UA and in combination with EDTA and $NaN_3$ could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against MRSA infection.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.121-132
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• 2010

Inflammatory reaction is characterized by over-production of inflammatory mediators due to an up-regulation of inflammatory pathways, which produce pro-inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-$\alpha$), prostaglantin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), and nitric oxide (NO) in U937 cells. We investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of water extracts from Lonicerae Flos and Scutellariae Radix in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated U937 cells. Each extract suppressed the production of inflammatory mediators (NO, IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-$\alpha$, and $PGE_2$) and the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS- stimulated U937 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These suppressive effects were synergistically increased by their combination. Their combination extract also inhibited NF-${\kappa}B$-DNA complex of NF-${\kappa}B$ binding activity and translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$ from cytosol to nucleus. These results suggest that the combination of water-extractable components of Lonicerae Flos and Scutellariae Radix may be useful for therapeutic drugs against inflammatory immune diseases, probably by suppressing the production of inflammatory mediators.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.99-111
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• 2009

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by focal loss of cartilage due to an up-regulation of inflammatory pathways, which produce pro-inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1(IL-1), tumour necrosis factor alpha($TNF-\alpha$), prostaglantin, and nitric oxide(NO). We investigated the anti-arthritic effects of water extracts from Pellodendri cortex and Atractylodis rhizoma in vitro and in vivo. Each extract suppressed the production of inflammatory mediators(NO, $IL-1\beta$, $TNF-\alpha$, and prostaglandin $E_2$) and the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. These suppressive effects were synergistically increased by their combination. The same results were also observed in the rat osteoblast sarcoma cell line ROS17/2.8 stimulated with $IL-1\beta$, $IFN-\gamma,$ and $TNF-\alpha$. Moreover, the combination of these water extracts significantly suppressed collagen-induced mouse arthritis. These results suggest that the combination of water-extractable components of Pellodendri cortex and Atractylodis rhizoma may be useful for therapeutic drugs against rheumatoid arthritis, probably by suppressing the production of inflammatory mediators.