• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.95-100
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was carried out to investigate the acute toxicity and safety of $Leejung$-$tang$($Lizhong$-$tang$) and fermented $Leejung$-$tang$($Lizhong$-$tang$) extract. Methods : To evaluate their acute toxicity and safety, 0(control group), 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg of $Leejung$-$tang$($Lizhong$-$tang$) and fermented $Leejung$-$tang$($Lizhong$-$tang$) extracts were orally administered to 35 male and 35 female ICR mice. After a single administration, we observed survival rates, general toxicity, changes of body weight, and autopsy. Results : Compared with the control group, we could not find any toxic alteration in any of treated groups (1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg). Conclusions : $LD_{50}$ of $Leejung$-$tang$($Lizhong$-$tang$) and fermented $Leejung$-$tang$($Lizhong$-$tang$) were over 5000 mg/kg and it is very safe to ICR mice.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.77-95
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was to analyze the definitions of herbs, herbal drugs, crude drugs and natural products in the relevant laws and regulations, understand the related problems, and propose directions for improvement. Methods : I analyzed the legal definitions in respect of herbs, herbal drugs, crude drugs and natural products in relevant laws and regulations since 1945, explained the problems, and suggested the solution-considering the academic stance of Traditional Korean Medicine and the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system. Results : Herbs are defined as "refined things that are cut and dried in their most original state". The definition of crude drugs includes herbs and the "cell contents, secretion, extracts, minerals and other parts of animals and plants that are used medicinally". The concept of natural products is expanded to adding tissue cultures to the definition of crude drugs. Conclusions : The definition of herbs should at least include all products that are "processed, extracted and prepared" as well as contents that consist of various forms of hospital-prepared herbs. The term "herbal drug" corresponds to a traditional term of "drug", and this should be established as a concept to explain "drugs in raw materials that are used to prepare herbs and/or manufacture herbal medicine". The legal definition of herbs should include the concept of crude drugs. Herbal drug preparations and crude drugs should be included in the definition of herbal drugs.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.129-137
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• 2012

Objective : Herb-drug interactions have become an important issue because of the consumption of herbal remedies has increased in the world. Yangguksanhaw-tang (Liang ge san huo-tang) and Taeumjowi-tang (Tai yin tiao wei-tang) are typical herbal formulas on Sasang constitution medicine (four-constitution medicine). This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of Yangguksanhaw-tang and Taeumjowi-tang on drug metabolizing enzymes, cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isozymes. Methods : Vivid$^{(R)}$ CYP450 Screening Kits were used to measure of CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP2E1 activities. This method is based on the use of fluorescent CYP450 substrates that are efficiently metabolized by specific CYP450 isozymes to yield a product with altered fluorescent properties. The percent inhibitions of CYP450s by herbal formulas were calculated. Results : Yangguksanhaw-tang inhibited CYP2C19 and CYP2E1 activities higher than that other CYP450 isozymes. The $IC_{50}$ values of CYP2C19 and CYP2E1 were 159.83 ${\mu}g/mL$ and 261.40 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The CYP2E1 activity was inhibited ($IC_{50}=215.17{\mu}g/mL$) higher than that other CYP450 isozymes by Taeumjowi-tang. Conclusions : These results suggest that Yangguksanhaw-tang may inhibit the metabolism of co-administered drugs whose primary route of metabolism is via CYP2C19 or CYP2E1. Taeumjowi-tang could inhibit the metabolism of co-administered drugs, which are substrates for CYP2E1. Therefore, co-administration of the herbal formulas and other conventional drugs should be undertaken with care.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to review the direction of Korean medicine treatment in hyperlipidemia, focusing on Korean herbal medicine and to suggest sources for drug development in treatment of hyperlipidemia. We searched 115 articles which had been published from 1997 to 2009 in journals in Korean Oriental Medical Society and its sub-societies. Those articles were selected from the search engine of web site of each journal with the key words 'hyperlipidemia'. Excluding 21 articles in no relation to herbs, we finally reviewed 94 articles. There are many studies of 'hyperlipidemia' in Korean Medicine. Analyzing the articles, we found that the medicinal effects of the herbs used in recent studies and patents coincides with treatment of hyperlipidemia in Korean medicine. Although many herbs in articles is granted patent, it doesn't proceeds to develop herbal drug. It requires to study in treatment of hyperlipidemia in Korean medicine and then to develop herbal drug.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2010

Aflatoxin $B_1$, a known human carcinogen, is the member of aflatoxin subfamily that is most frequently found in contaminated foods. Epidemiological studies have suggested that aflatoxins may be associated with human liver cancer and acute hepatitis. Recently it was reported that the traditional medical herbs sold in domestic markets are contaminated with aflatoxins. Long-term administration of these contaminated medicines could result in adverse health effects. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the levels of exposure to aflatoxin in people who ingest traditional herbal medicines. Blood samples were collected, before and after the herbal medicine intake, from 151 subjects who visited the hospital. The metabolite of aflatoxin $B_1$ in blood, aflatoxin $B_1$-albumin (aflatoxin $B_1$-lysine), is reportedly an appropriate internal exposure indicator, and its levels in the collected bloods were therefore analyzed using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The analytical method of aflatoxin $B_1$-lysine in blood was firstly optimized in Korea and the levels were detected below quantification limits (2 pg/mg albumin) in this study population. Consequently, the exposure levels of aflatoxin $B_1$ by ingestion of herbal medicines were low but it is important to monitor routinely due to the possibility of risk on the aflatoxin exposure.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.109-119
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• 2012

Objectives : This study is about two patients of drug-induced secondary parkinsonism caused by antipsychotic drugs. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effects of Sasang constitutional medicine. Methods : These two patients were treated by Sasang constitutional herbal medications based on "Donguisusebowon". We evaluated the symptoms through the score of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS). Results and Conclusions : The patients' chief complaints were improved. This study shows that Sasang constitutional herbal medications are an effective treatment for drug-induced secondary parkinsonism patients, but further studies are still necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.14-24
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• 2000

Objectives : To direct methods of management and development of herbs and their derived products, and at the end of this study to inform the process of making new herbal drug regulations in Korea. Methods : This study analyzed the regulations and laws of western medicine drugs. Results : We have got some herbal prescriptions which are not in the eleven books of oriental medicine now in use but which have proved effective. We need to establish standards for permissions to produce medical products through those prescriptions. Besides, we need the special permissions to produce herbal products through prescriptions, especially those which have been used to treat incurable diseases. And, we can contribute to globalization of oriental medicine and to well situating of herb products and medicinal acupunctures if we produce them according to international standards. It is thought that herbal medicine has no side effect in the medical society in Korea. But, it is getting popular to administer herbal medicine and western medicine together. Thus, the side effects of taking both medicines at the same time should be documented. Conclusions : Herbal medicines and herbal products should be under the control over the whole process of production, circulation, and sales. Now, it is time for herbal medicine to be known to all over the world. Therefore, herbal medicine must meet and adhere to the standards set by the western society and WHO.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2014

Fenpyroximate is acaricide of pyrazole group. This acaricide have already been permitted for herb cultivation. This experiment was conducted to establish a determination method for fenpyroximate residue in herbal medicines using HPLC-PDA and HPLC-MS/MS. Fenpyroximate residue was extracted with acetone from samples of herbal which Liquorice Root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) and Safflower Seed (Carthamus tinctorius Linne). The extract was diluted with saturated saline water and dichloromethane liquid-liquid partition (extraction) was followed to recover fenpyroximate from the aqueous phase. Amino propyl ($NH_2$) and florisil column chromatography was additionally employed for final clean up of the extract. The fenpyroximate was quantitated by HPLC-PDA and HPLC-MS/MS. The herbals were fortified with fenpyroximate at 2 or 3 levels per crop. Mean recovery ratio were ranged from 72.0 to 106.4%. The coefficients of variation were ranged from 0.2 to 4.4. Therefore, this analytical method was reproducible and sensitive enough to determine the residue of fenpyroximate in herbal medicines.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.417-428
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• 2022

Herbal medicine, a multi-component treatment, has been extensively practiced for treating various symptoms and diseases. However, its molecular mechanism of action on the human body is unknown, which impedes the development and application of herbal medicine. To address this, recent studies are increasingly adopting systems pharmacology, which interprets pharmacological effects of drugs from consequences of the interaction networks that drugs might have. Most conventional network-based approaches collect associations of herb-compound, compound-target, and target-disease from individual databases, respectively, and construct an integrated network of herb-compound-target-disease to study the complex mechanisms underlying herbal treatment. More recently, rapid advances in high-throughput omics technology have led numerous studies to exploring gene expression profiles induced by herbal treatments to elicit information on direct associations between herbs and genes at the genome-wide scale. In this review, we summarize key databases and computational methods utilized in systems pharmacology for studying herbal medicine. We also highlight recent studies that identify modes of action or novel indications of herbal medicine by harnessing drug-induced transcriptome data.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.94-105
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• 2019

Objectives: The correlation between medicinal herbal formulas and a risk of cardiotoxicity has been controversial. Thus, this study investigated cardiac safety assessment of 52 most commonly used medicinal herbal formulas. Methods: We evaluated the in vitro effects of medicinal herbal formulas on recombinant human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cell line expressing human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel. Results and Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that all of 52 medicinal herbal formulas did not show inhibition of hERG current in hERG-HEK 293 recombinant cells. In conclusion, these safety data suggest that 52 medicinal herbal formulas were not associated with an increased risk of cardiotoxicity in hERG-HEK 293 recombinant cells.