• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.37-44
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Alisma canaliculatum Extract (ACE) on pacemaker potentials of small and large intestinal interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC) in mice. Methods : We used enzymatic digestions to dissociate the ICC in the small and large intestine in mice. The whole-cell patch-clamp method was used to record pacemaker potentials in ICC. Results : 1. The ICC generated the pacemaker potentials in small intestine in mice. ACE (0.1-1mg/ml) induced membrane depolarization and decreased frequency with concentration-dependent manners. 2. Pretreatment with a Ca²⁺ free solution, Na⁺ 5 mM solution or 2-APB, a nonselective cation channel blocker, stopped the small intestinal ICC pacemaker potentials. In the case of Ca²⁺-free solution, Na⁺ 5 mM solution or 2-APB, ACE had no effects on the membrane depolarizations in small intestinal ICC. 3. The ICC generated the pacemaker potentials in large intestine in mice. Membrane depolarization appears regularly in the small intestine, but irregularly in the large intestine. ACE induced membrane depolarization (0.1-1mg/ml) and increased frequency (0.1-0.5mg/ml). 4. Pretreatment with a Ca²⁺ free solution, Na⁺ 5 mM solution or 2-APB, stopped the large intestinal ICC pacemaker potentials. In the case of Ca²⁺-free solution, Na⁺ 5 mM solution or 2-APB, ACE depolarized the membrane depolarizations in large intestinal ICC. 5. In mice, intestinal transit rate (ITR) values were dose-dependently decreased by the intragastric administration of ACE. Conclusions : These results suggest that ACE can regulate the pacemaker activity of ICC and the reaction by ACE is different from the small and large intestinal ICC, and the control of the intestinal motion by ACE may be caused by many complex processes.

• BMB Reports
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• 제46권11호
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• pp.527-532
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• 2013

Gangliosides are complex glycosphingolipids that are the major component of cytoplasmic cell membranes, and play a role in the control of biological processes. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have received considerable attention as alternative sources of adult stem cells because of their potential to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. In this study, we focus on various functional roles of gangliosides in the differentiation of hMSCs into osteoblasts or neuronal cells. A relationship between gangliosides and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation during osteoblastic differentiation of hMSCs was observed, and the gangliosides may play a major role in the regulation of the differentiation. The roles of gangliosides in osteoblast differentiation are dependent on the origin of hMSCs. The reduction of ganglioside biosynthesis inhibited the neuronal differentiation of hMSCs during an early stage of the differentiation process, and the ganglioside expression can be used as a marker for the identification of neuronal differentiation from hMSCs.

• 생약학회지
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.178-185
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• 2020

In this study, the effect of complex hot water extracts of Cirsium jaonicum, Artemisia annua and Curcuma longa (CAC) on the improvement of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was investigated. CAC inhibited fatty acid synthesis and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells cultured with free fatty acid (FFA). In the NAFLD animal model, CAC extract suppressed the increase in body weight, liver, and epididymis fat weight, and suppressed the increase in hepatocyte fat and blood triglyceride. In addition, by blocking the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, cells were protected from oxidative stress in hepatocytes. Moreover, CAC inhibited the expression of COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α and IL-17 in hepatocytes. These results suggest the possibility that CAC extract can be applied in the field of health functional foods and pharmaceuticals for improvement and prevention of NAFLD.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.4.1-4.18
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• 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an inflammatory and infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus with a complex pathophysiology. While COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available, treatment of the disease is primarily supportive and symptomatic. Several research have suggested the potential of herbal medicines as an adjunctive treatment for the disease. A popular herbal medicine approved in the Philippines for the treatment of acute respiratory disease is Vitex negundo L. In fact, the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines has funded a clinical trial to establish its potential as an adjunctive treatment for COVID-19. Here, we utilized network pharmacology and molecular docking in determining pivotal targets of Vitex negundo compounds against COVID-19. The results showed that significant targets of Vitex negundo compounds in COVID-19 are CSB, SERPINE1, and PLG which code for cathepsin B, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and plasminogen, respectively. Molecular docking revealed that α-terpinyl acetate and geranyl acetate have good binding affinity in cathepsin B; 6,7,4-trimethoxyflavanone, 5,6,7,8,3',4',5'-heptamethoxyflavone, artemetin, demethylnobiletin, gardenin A, geranyl acetate in plasminogen; and 7,8,4-trimethoxyflavanone in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. While the results are promising, these are bound to the limitations of computational methods and further experimentation are needed to completely establish the molecular mechanisms of Vitex negundo against COVID-19.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.575-586
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• 2005

FC(free choresterol) plays an important role in normal and pathophysiological cells including that of messenger molecule or dilator of blood vessels in such illnesses as artheriosclerosis, hypertension and myocardial infarction. Smooth muscle and endothelial cell functions in the arteria wall are unified by complex intercellular signalling processes. In arteria comprised of one layer of smooth muscle cells surrounding the endothelium, the close apposition of the two cell types enables a signal derived from one cell to rapidly diffuse to neighboring cells. Experimentation was conducted to investigate the potential contribution of Sohaphyangwon(SHHW) on levels of FC generated by goaded microphages, and mechanisms of protection against ACAT inhibitor. It was found that J774 macrophages, which normally do not express FC were expressed by oxLDL and ACAT inhibitor. SHHW protected cells were found to be resistant to oxLDL and delayed death following the FC. Inhibition of FC formation abolished the protective effect against ACAT inhibitor exposure. Cadiovascular diseases include abnormalities of blood vessels dysfunction of the renin-angiotension system. What relation herbal medicine may have with vessel endothelium necrosis was here studied. In Oriental Medicine, SHHW water extract used for diseases in relation to cardiovascular systems. The resistence to cardiovascular disease of ACAT inhibitor induced J774 macrophage cells were studied through analysis of cell morphological patterns and immunochemistry of SHHW. The results of this study suggest that SHHW has protective effects on the cardiovascular system, and that it is effective in both prevention and treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system, particularity against necrosis of blood.

• 한방비만학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.147-157
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to research domestic and foreign trend of pharmacopuncture treatment on obesity during recent 10 years. Methods: 5 Databases (Korean Studies Information Service System, Research Information Sharing Service, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Scopus, PubMed) were searched with keywords of ('pharmacopuncture', 'herbal acupuncture', 'aquapuncture', 'obesity') from 2012 to 2022. Results: 25 Articles were selected and analyzed. 15 articles (60%) were animal experimentations, 8 articles (32%) were case reports, 1 article (4%) was cell experimentation, and 1 article (4%) was clinical trial. In this study, 25 articles were analyzed by subject, acupoints, injections, metrics and results. Pharmacopuncture treatment for obesity is continuously being studied, and the anti-inflammatory effect as well as the effect of reducing obesity factors has been revealed. Conclusions: This study suggests the efficacy and future development of pharmacopuncture for obesity. The studies of the past decade have been concentrated on animal experiments, so many clinical trials and various studies on new complex pharmacopuncture for obesity are expected.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.433-444
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• 2023

Objectives: This case study aimed to provide evidence of the combined use of Korean Medicine treatments, including electroacupuncture (EA) on scalp acupoints, as a useful intervention for post-stroke delirium. Methods: The patient in this study was diagnosed with Cerebral Infarction in Right Corpus Callosum and post-stroke delirium. The patient received eight sessions of EA on scalp acupoints, rehabilitation medicine treatment, and other Korean Medicine treatments such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. Evaluation of treatment effectiveness was done mainly through the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale Korean (MDAS-K) and Mini-Mental State Examination Korean (MMSE-K). Results: MDAS-K score dropped from 20 to 9 and MMSE-K score increased from 15 to 21 during hospitalization, showing improvement in symptoms. Conclusions: Combined use of Korean medicine treatments including EA on scalp acupoints may be an effective treatment for post-stroke delirium.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.125-156
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• 2009

Objectives : To research the trend of studies related to rheumatoid arthritis and to indicate the hereafter direction for its study in oriental medicine and its treatment. Methods : I reviewed 75 domestic oriental medical journals, and 50 medical journals about rheumatoid arthritis published after 2004, and comparative analysis was made. And these theses were classified by college, year, field of study, subject. Results : The following are the results of this study. 1. Classified by oriental medical college, Dae-jeon college published the most theses, followed by Dong-guk, Kyung-hee, Se-myung and Dong-shin college. Han-yang college published the most theses among college of medicine. 2. Classified by type of thesis, experimental theses(70 pieces, 94%) showed higher rate than that of clinical theses(4 pieces, 5%) in oriental medical studies. However, in medical studies, clinical theses(34 pieces, 68%) showed higher rate than that of experimental theses(15 pieces, 30%). 3. Analyzed by subject, the most dealt subject in oriental medicine was herb medication, followed by herbal acupuncture, single herb, electroacupuncture, sasang & gene, acupuncture & moxibustion, complex accordingly. The most dealt subject in medical clinical journals was standards of diagnosis & prognosis, followed by medication, gene analysis, pathogenesis, clinical pattern, operative treatment and complication accordingly. 4. In theses related to herb medication, most of the subject was to evaluate anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects of herb medication with geopungseup, jibitong, hwalhyeolgeoer function. The tendency of experimental methods was focusing on understanding anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory mechanisms through molecular biologic methods by analyzing cytokine and gene. 5. Most of theses related to herbal acupuncture were experimental studies verifying ant-inflammatory and immnoregulatory effects through methods observing change of cytokine and immunoregulatory factors. Regarding remedies for herbal acupuncture, Ulmus davidiana Planch was most preferred, followed by bee venom. 6. In theses related to single herb, Boik-yak was most prefered, followed by Geopungseup-yak and Hwalhyeolgeoer-yak. Regarding methods of research, there were tendency of shifting from methods verifying travail, anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic effects through a test of behavior, morphometry, serology and temperature measurement of the rectum and the skin into verifying anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects through observing inflammatory cytokine in the joint and cells of spleen. 7. In theses related to electroacupuncture, ST36 and adjuvant were most preferred as acupoints and induced factor. The tendency of experimental methods was turning from verifying mechanism of travail effect to analyzing inflammation and pain inducing factors. 8. Diverse medical clinical studies were published. Subjects such as diagnosis and prognosis, medication, gene analysis, clinical pattern, operational treatment, complication and pathogenesis were published. Especially, studies about standards of early diagnosis, and research on possible parallel medications with methotrexate were actively inquired. 9. Most of theses related to medical experimental studies was about mediators and receptors related to inflammatory induction and osteoclasia mechanism. Also, it was presented blockage of them can be effective on rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusions : The oriental medicine studies have merit in its diversity of treatment, but it clinical studies is lacking compared to experimental studies. Also, more diversity of subjects is necessary. Therefore, complementary measures are needed. Hereafter, oriental medicine research about rheumatoid arthritis needs more clinical research verifying the effectiveness and safety in clinical field. Also, we require oriental medical standard of diagnosis and researches on pathological generation which would make early checkup and prognosis possible.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.1559-1562
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• 2013

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.54-64
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• 2023

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng) is a traditional natural/herbal medicine. The amelioration on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity rely mainly on its main active ingredients that are referred to as ginsenosides. However, the current literature on gut microbiota, gut microbiota-host co-metabolites, and systems pharmacology has no studies investigating the effects of ginsenoside on IBD. Methods: The present study was aimed to investigate the role of ginsenosides and the possible underlying mechanisms in the treatment of IBD in an acetic acid-induced rat model by integrating metagenomics, metabolomics, and complex biological networks analysis. In the study ten ginsenosides in the ginsenoside fraction (GS) were identified using Q-Orbitrap LC-MS. Results: The results demonstrated the improvement effect of GS on IBD and the regulation effect of ginsenosides on gut microbiota and its co-metabolites. It was revealed that 7 endogenous metabolites, including acetic acid, butyric acid, citric acid, tryptophan, histidine, alanine, and glutathione, could be utilized as significant biomarkers of GS in the treatment of IBD. Furthermore, the biological network studies revealed EGFR, STAT3, and AKT1, which belong mainly to the glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways, as the potential targets for GS for intervening in IBD. Conclusion: These findings indicated that the combination of genomics, metabolomics, and biological network analysis could assist in elucidating the possible mechanism underlying the role of ginsenosides in alleviating inflammatory bowel disease and thereby reveal the pathological process of ginsenosides in IBD treatment through the regulation of the disordered host-flora co-metabolism pathway.