• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.59-69
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• 2017

Objectives : This study analyzed the current status of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of miniscalpel acupuncture for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) in China. Methods : A literature search was performed using the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. All studies up to June 7th, 2017 were searched. The quality of included RCTs was assessed with the Jadad scale. Results : Five RCTs were finally included in this review. The overall quality of the RCTs was assessed as low. All articles evaluated miniscalpel acupuncture as monotherapy or in combination with filiform needle therapy, drug injection therapy, Tuina treatment, thermal coagulation therapy, or spinal decompression. Miniscalpel acupuncture as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy showed greater therapeutic effect and fewer adverse effects. Conclusion : Miniscalpel acupuncture is a safe and effective nonpharmacological treatment for LSS. However, high-quality studies with consistent treatment protocols are needed to confirm these findings.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.19-28
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• 2009

Objectives : We tried to investigate the effects of Panax Ginseng Radix pharmacopuncture and Zizyphi Spinosi Semen pharmacopuncture on human body with the Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in adult man. As well as we tried to investigate how safe Panax Ginseng Radix and Zizyphi Spinosi Semen pharmacopuncture on the the human being. Methods : We investigated on 44 healthy volunteers consisted of 16 subjects in Panax Ginseng Radix pharmacopuncture group, 13 subjects in Zizyphi Spinosi Semen pharmacopuncture group and 15 subjects in Normal Saline. We ruled out subjects who wasn't stable by rest, with in the limit of normal heart beat(60-120cycle/min). Study form was a randomized, clinical trial. Each group was injected Panax Ginseng Radix pharmacopuncture, Zizyphi Spinosi Semen pharmacopuncture and Normal Saline $0.2m{\ell}$ at $GB_{21}$(Kyonjong). We measured HRV on 7 times : before and after injection per 5 minutes during 30 minutes. The SPSS 13.0 for windows was used to analyze the data by the paired t-test(in the group) and Anova test(among the groups) were used to verify the result. Results : 1. After Panax Ginseng Radix pharmacopuncture injection, SDNN was significantly high, pNN50 was significantly low, Ln(TP) was significantly high, Ln(VLF) was significantly high, Ln(LF) was significantly high at 30 minutes. 2. After Zizyphi Spinosi Semen pharmacopuncture injection, Complexity was significantly low, Ln(VLF) was significantly high at 30 minutes. 3. HRV-index made a significant difference between the Zizyphi Spinosi Semen pharmacopuncture and normal saline at 5 minutes(p=0.02). 4. There wasn's any pain the injected region and whole body, rubefaction, uredo, nausea, vomiting, colic, headache, dizziness within 24 hours. Measured data and mean value of Mean-HRV was within normal range. Conclusions : The results suggested that and Panax Ginseng Radix pharmacopuncture in healthy adult man tended to activate the vagus nervous system within normal range.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.324-329
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• 2006

Neuropathic pain syndromes resulted from peripheral nerve injury appear to be resistant to conventional analgesics like opioids. However, it has been demonstrated that acupuncture including aqua-acupuncture may be effective in managing neuropathic pain. The present study was conducted to determine if bee venom injection into acupoint ihibits neuropathic pain, which is difficult to be treated by usual analgesics. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neuropathic surgery. Two weeks after nerve injury, mechanical and cold allodynia were tested in order to evaluate the antiallodynic effects of bee venom injection into an acupoint. Intraperitoneal injection of morphine inhibited mechanical allodynia dose-dependently. Bee venom injected into Zusanli acupoint significantly inhibited mechanical and cold allodynia. These results suggest that bee venom-acupuncture as well as morphine is very effective to inhibit mechanical allodynia.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the single-dose intravenous toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go glucose 5% pharmacopuncture (GWG5). Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of five males and five females per group: an intravenous (IV) injection of 1.0 mL of normal saline solution per animal was administered to the control group; IV injections of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mL of GWG5 per animal were administered to the experimental groups (G: 0.1, G: 0.5, and G: 1.0). Observation of clinical signs and body weight measurements were carried out for 14 days following the injections. At the end of the observation period, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological tests, as well as necropsy examinations, were performed on the injected parts. Results: No mortalities or adverse clinical signs were observed in any of the groups. The body weights of all groups continuously increased. In the hematological and the biochemical tests, females in G-0.1 had minimal changes, but those changes were not dose dependent. On necropsy examination, no abnormalities were observed. In the histopathological test, focal inflammatory cell infiltrations were observed in two female rats, one in the control group and one in G-1.0. Also, one female rat in the control group had an epidermis crust. These changes were concluded to have been caused by the insertion of the needle into a vein. Conclusion: The above findings suggest that the lethal dose of GWG5 administered via IV injection is more than 1.0 mL per animal in both male and female rats. Further studies are needed to establish more detailed evidence of its toxicity.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.166-176
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• 2003

Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of 15Hz electroacupuncture(EA) on carrageenan-injected rats. Inflammation was induced by an intraplantar injection of 1% carrageenan into the right hind paw. Methods : Bilateral EA stimulation with 15 Hz were delivered at those acupoints corresponding to Zusanli and Sanyinjiao in man via the needles for a total of 30 min duration in carrageenan-injected rats. Results: The developing edema was measured 30 minutes interval afer carrageenan injection and 15 Hz EA stimulation presented significant edema inhibition. Three hours after carrageenan injection, prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ and nitric oxide(NO) levels were measured. The 15Hz EA stimulation significantly inhibited $PGE_2$ and NO production in the right paw. The pro-inflammatory mRNA expression such as cyclooxygenases(COX)-2 and interleukin(IL)-$1{\beta}$ were slightly down-regulated by EA stimulation. The number of COX-2, IL-$1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ immunoreactive cells were abundantly observed in paw edema. But these cells were decreased in nmber according to anti-edema effect of 15Hz EA. Conclusions: These results indicate that 15Hz EA stimulation have an alleviation action against carrageenan-induced edema and local inflammation.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.248-251
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• 2018

This retrospective study reports the effects of combined traditional Korean treatment of cervical radiculopathy in patients who underwent ineffective epidural steroid injection treatment. This study analyzed cervical radiculopathy in patients who visited traditional Korean medicine hospital following an ineffective epidural steroid injection. There were 29 cases included in this study. Scores for Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were measured before and after combined treatment with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and chuna therapy. The results of this study showed that patient VAS scores for neck and shoulder pain were significantly reduced (p < 0.001) when comparing scores before treatment ($6.03{\pm}2.04$) with after treatment ($2.14{\pm}1.27$). In addition, the VAS score for radiating pain before treatment ($6.67{\pm}1.44$) compared with after treatment ($2.89{\pm}1.83$) showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the NDI score before treatment ($25.85{\pm}6.33$) compared with after treatment ($11.33{\pm}7.47$), also showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001). The results in this study showed the positive effects of combined traditional Korean medicine treatment in significantly reducing pain for patients with cervical radiculopathy, who had ineffective anesthesia.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.41-54
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• 2000

This study was undertaken to determine if Plantaginis Semen Herbal Acupuncture(PSA) has a protective effect against glycerol-induced acute renal failure in rats. Rats were dehydrated for 24hr and then injected with 8 ml/kg of $50\%$ glycerol, one-half of dose in each hindlimb muscle. In experiments for PSA effect, rats received 0.1 ml of PSA extraction in both sides of corresponding Shenso($BL_{23}$) of human body for 3 days after injection of glycerol. The experimental group were di vided into the Normal group, the Control group, the PSA group. Glycerol injection decreased glomerular filtration rate and increased urine volume, serum creatinine, BUN level and fractional excretion of glucose, $Na^+$, $K^+$ and $CI^-$. These result show that glycerol injection result in acute renal failure. PSA significantly increased glomerular filtration rate and significantly decreased serum creatinine, BUN level and fractional excretion of glucose, $Na^+$ and $CI^-$ as compared Control group. This suggests that PSA could be used in prevention and treatment of acute renalfailure. However, the precise mechanisms of PSA protection remain to be determined.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to prove the clinical safety of Sweet Bee Venom(BV) and observe the physical reaction(percentage of localized itching & pain) after Sweet BV treatment. Methods : This study was carried out on 130 patients who had been injected with Sweet BV in Koran Medicine Hospital of Woosuk University from March 20, 2012 to June 30, 2013. Patients were treated with Sweet BV daily and we checked the physical reaction. After that, we analyzed those according to treatment times and body parts of injection. Results : 37 patients(28.46 %) complained localized itching and 41 patients(31.54 %) complained localized pain after Sweet BV injection. In 37 patients who complained localized itching, 8 patients were experienced itching in the first treatment. And 27 patients were experienced itching in the 1st~5th treatment. Wrist, ankle and toe were the highest percentage of localized itching. Finger was the highest percentage of localized pain. Knee showed a relatively higher percentage of itching, pain, itching & pain than other body parts. Conclusions : This study suggested that Sweet BV treatment was relatively safe treatment and doctors should explain the physical reaction before treating patients. Further studies are needed to propose a guideline for safety and treatment.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.147-156
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effects of herbal acupuncture with Ginseng Radix for the treatment to intestinal disease in the rat with 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis. Methods : All animals were subjected to the injection of saline $(300{\mu}{\ell},\;500{\mu}{\ell})$ for a study control or TNBS $(300{\mu}{\ell},\;500{\mu}{\ell})$ into the lumen of the colon, 8cm proximal to the anus through the intestine. Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture ($20mg/m{\ell},\;0.4m{\ell}$) were injected to the both $Hapgok(LI_4)$ acupoints at 2nd injection of TNBS in rats. Thus, the body weight, RBC count, WBC count, total protein, IgG levels and IgM levels were observed to study the effects of Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture. Results : Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture on $Hapgok(LI_4)$ for TNBS-induced colitis inhibited the body weight loss rate but did not affect RBC and WBC counts. Furthermore, it inhibited the reduction of total protein concentration and serum IgG and IgM levels in TNBS induced colitis were recovered. Conclusions : Herbal acupuncture with Ginseng Radix helps recover the TNBS-induced colonic damage and may be an important method for treatment of the colitis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.147-153
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• 2019

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and analgesic effects of Datura Flos pharmacopuncture (DFP). Methods: The analgesic effects of DFP were assessed using mechanical (hot plate), chemical (formalin test), and thermal (von Frey filament test) pain tests. Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned randomly into DFP (75 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg), lidocaine 0.5%, or normal saline group for treatment on Kl3. Gross pathology, histopathology, biochemistry and hematology were performed. Results: In the hot plate test, DFP at a high dose (HDDFP; 150 mg/kg) produced a significant analgesic effect, at 10 and 20-minutes post injection (p < 0.01). Low dose DFP (LDDFP; 75 mg/kg) also showed an analgesic effect at 10 minutes post injection (p < 0.01). In the formalin test, HDDFP produced an analgesic effect, for 0-10 and 10-20 minutes (p < 0.01) post treatment, whereas LDDFP showed analgesic effects between 10-20 minutes (p < 0.05). In the von Frey filament test, DF-H produced an analgesic effect, 10 (p < 0.01) and 20 minutes post treatment (p < 0.05). LDDFP showed analgesic effect at 10 minutes (p < 0.05). In the acupuncture response test, HDDFP produced an analgesic effect at 10 minutes post treatment (p < 0.05). DF-H did not cause any anatomical changes to the liver or kidney and there were no abnormalities in biochemistry or hematology. Conclusion: DF-H was not toxic and provided short term analgesia, suggesting it may be useful in the management of pain.