• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.35-45
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• 2010

Backgrounds : Recently, commercial indirect moxibustion has been widely used as a substitute for traditional indirect moxibustion by clinicians due to its convenience in using. But, there has been lack of studies about the similarity of thermal stimulation between commercial indirect moxibustion and traditional indirect moxibustion. Objectives : To demonstrate commercial indirect moxibustion can substitute for traditional indirect moxibustion by comparing thermal stimulation between the two. Methods : We measured bottom temperature of commercial indirect moxibustion and traditional indirect moxibustion with various thicknesses of ginger and garlic. A clinical trial was performed on 18 healthy subjects to evaluate thermal stimualtion. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups, traditional indirect moxibustion with ginger and garlic. The skin temperature and heating time were measured. They received moxibustion therapy with commercial indirect moxibustion and traditional indirect moxibustion according to their groups. Acupoint Chogcoe($LU_6$), Zusanli($ST_{36}$) and Tianshu($ST_{25}$) were used in each group for 3 times. Results : There was no difference in bottom temperature among commercial indirect moxibustion, traditional indirect moxibustion with 2mm ginger and 3mm garlic. No major difference was detected in the subjects' baseline data. There was no difference in skin temperature and heating time among these 3 type of moxibustions. Also, No major difference was detected in VAS score of thermal stimulation and frequency of burns among these 3 type of moxibustions. But, most subjects regarded their sensation weren't identical because of its own distinct characteristics. Conclusions : Commercial indirect moxibustion, traditional indirect moxibustion with 2mm ginger and 3mm garlic have same thermal stimulation. Thus, commercial indirect moxibustion can substitute for traditional indirect moxibustion.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.75-85
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• 2012

Objectives : Indirect moxibustion is one of the thermotherapy in Korean medicine and buffer of ginger and mankshood slice are common materials to be used. However it is difficult to control the power of thermal stimulation and the stimulation is greatly influenced by the characteristic of buffer. So we research on the buffer characteristic of indirect moxibustion according to the thickness, diameter and water content changes. Methods : We used thermocouples to measure temperature from surface to depth of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14mm on tissue model and calculated peak temperature($^{\circ}C$). The data were analyzed with student t-test and one-way ANOVA(p<0.05). Results : 1. The peak temperature of indirect moxibustion with ginger were determined by thickness of ginger slice and temperature changes according to the thickness at intervals of 1mm but according to the diameter at intervals of 4mm. 2. The peak temperature of indirect moxibustion with mankshood were determined by thickness of mankshood slice also. The peak temperature of mankshood moxibustion was higher than that of ginger moxibustion. 3. In this study, 2mm-thick-ginger slice and 3mm-thick-mankshood slice were suitable for indirect moxibustion. Variation in the thickness of which is more efficient to control the power of thermal stimulation on indirect moxibustion. 4. The more water loss we got on ginger slice, the higher peak temperature we measured at the surface of moxibustion. But the thermal stimulation was not conducted more than 2mm in the depth. 5. The thickness and water content of buffer are important in indirect moxibustion. Conclusions : The temperature of indirect moxibustion depends on the thickness of buffer than the diameter of it. Therefore, it is more efficient according to the thickness of buffer so that we control the power of thermal stimulation. And water content of buffer is one of the important factor in indirect moxibustion.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 1998

In order to evaluate calorie rate of moxa-combustion(direct moxibustion=DM, indirect moxibustion with stainless steel tube=IMS, indirect moxibustion with ginger slice=IMG), calorie rate(%) in the preheating period, heating period, retaining period, and cooling period was calculated respectively to the total combustion calories in all the periods. The result are as follow: 1. Indirect moxibustion with stainless steel tube had the highest rate with the statistical significance than other groups during the preheating period, represented statistical differences between IMS group and IMG group, and also between DM group and IMS group. 2. Indirect moxibustion with ginger slice group showed the highest rate with the statistical significance and followed by DM group and IMG group during the heating period, represented statistical difference among DM, IMS, and IMG group. 3. Direct moxibustion group had the highest rate with the statistical significance than other group during the retaining period, represented statistical difference between DM group and IMG group, and also between DM group and IMS group. 4. Indirect moxibustion with stainless steel tube had the highest rate with the statistical significance than other groups during the cooling period, represented statistical differences between IMS group and IMG group, and also between IMS group and DM group.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.193-214
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• 2004

Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism and effect of moxibustion with ginger objectively, to be used as the quantitative data through the measurement of temperature, and to grasp the thermodynamic characteristics of moxibustion with ginger. Methods : We have selected the indirect moxibustion with ginger among many indirect moxibustions. We produced a slice of ginger to a thickness of 3, 4, 5mm and the moxa cone having a diameter of 8mm, a height of 10mm for making a comparative study of characteristics of moxa cone according to change the density. We have made a comparative study of the thermodynamic characteristics of moxibustion with ginger with or without holes. We measured combustion times and calculated temperatures, temperature gradients in each period during a combustion of moxa. Results : 1. We found out it was not significantly influenced by the existence of the punched holes in a slice of ginger because the punched holes grow smaller immediately. 2. The duration of the preheating period became longer according to thickness of a slice of ginger and was not directly proportional to the density of moxa cone. The duration of the preheating period was extremely short when it burned a 100mg moxa cone. That was influenced by the density of moxa cone. 3. The duration of the heating period became longer according to thickness of a slice of ginger likewise the preheating period bacause the density of moxa cone had effected on the combustion characteristics. The duration of the heating period was extremely long when it burned a 100mg moxa cone. On the other hand the maximum temperature in the heating period was appeared that the combustion with a thin slice of ginger was highest and measured that the large density of moxa cone was higher. But the maximum temperature in the heating period was about $37.8^{\circ}C{\sim}44.2^{\circ}C$respectively lower in others. 4. The duration of the retaining period was some doubling shorter than that of the heating period that is concerned the shape of moxa cone. The temperature measured the close of a retaining period was $36.6^{\circ}C{\sim}41.8^{\circ}C$, that was considerably lower temperature. 5. The mean ascending temperature velocity and the mean descending temperature velocity were $0.042{\sim}0.073^{\circ}C/sec$, $-0.027{\sim}-0.064^{\circ}C/sec$ respectively. Then, the ascending temperature velocity was some faster than the ascending temperature velocity. Conclusions : The quantitative standard for obtaining the effective heating stimulation is that if the slice of ginger made a hole in it, we had to use the needle above 1.5mm diameter. The recommended size of a slice ginger is the 14mm diameter and the 2~3mm thickness. The moxa cone is formed the conical shape that the base diameter was 8mm, the height was 10mm, the density was $600mg/cm^2$.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2008

Objectives : The moxibustion is the method in using the heat stimulation made of attached and burned a moxa or other herbal materials on a healing point or acupuncture point and the chemical stimulation of a resin made from burning them. We need to standardize the characteristics of moxa combustion in order to get more systematic and objective result in operation mechanism and effects and then get more clinical abilities in these fields. Methods : In this study, using of labview system on the moxibustion. 1. we studied relation the size of barley and jujube seed with the moxa cone's peak combustion temperature and then measured and compared the moxa cone's peak combustion temperature by tonification and sedation method. 2. we measured the peak combustion temperature of indirect moxibustion. Results & comclusions : 1. When we measured a direct moxibustion's combustion temperature, the jujube seed sized moxa cone's peak temperature was higher than the barley sized moxa cone's when it burned and the time to peak temperature of the barley sized moxa cone was shorter than the jujube seed sized moxa cone's. 2. When the direct moxibustion was burned by the tonification and sedation method, the sedation method's peak temperature was higher than the tonification method's, the tonification's time to peak temperature was shorter than the sedation method's. 3. When we measured the temperature of the moxa combustion in the kinds of sliced herbal materials, the peak temperature of indirect moxibustion with a ginger when it sliced a 1.3mm size and a 1.5mm size was degreed within $40^{\circ}C$ to $52^{\circ}C$ and the peak temperature of indirect moxibustion with a garlic when it sliced a 1.7mm size was degreed within $46^{\circ}C$ to $62^{\circ}C$.