• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.232-243
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• 2007

Objective : This study researched the application of Sa-am acupuncture for the treatment of hiccup. Methods : We investigated the literature for Sa-am acupuncture treatment and traditional acupuncture treatment for hiccup. Result & Conclusion : In traditional oriental medicine, hiccup is considered to be caused by uprising stomach gi, whereas, in Sa-am acupuncture, it is considered to be caused by weakness and impurity of lung gi. In Sa-am acupuncture, hiccup is divided into five classes; reverse hiccup (treated with large intestine tonification), wind hiccup (treated with liver tonification), fire hiccup (treated with heart tonification), damp hiccup (treated with spleen tonification) and cold hiccup (treated with kidney tonification). In traditional oriental medicine, hiccup is treated by way of lowering the uprising stomach gi, while, in Sa-am acupuncture, hiccup is treated by way of removing whichever of the original cause of hiccups (impurity of large intestine, damage to liver, dry heat of heart, impairment of spleen, exhaustion of kidney) caused the weakness and the impurity of lung gi. In Sa-am acupuncture, the therapeutic mode for all the five causes of hiccups is tonification mode.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigate current status researches and to provide source in setting development strategy on Liver-tonification acupuncture(LTA) and Liver-sedation acupuncture(LSA). Methods : We searched databases of Pubmed, KISS, OASIS, Google scholar and CNKI up to February 2017. We included articles that using LTA or LSA as main treatment, using the partial acupoints combination of LTA or LSA, or using each acupoint of LTA or LSA. We analyzed disease, details of acupuncture and control treatment and clinical outcomes from included studies. Results and Conclusions : Among the included clinical studies, case report was the most used methodology. LTA used to treat obesity, myopia, bartholinitis, tinnitus, hiccup and sleep disorder, prostate cancer and tremor. LSA used to treat panic disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowl syndrome, herpes zoster and neuralgia. Obesity and tremor were the most studied diseases using LTA or LSA. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was the only disease which LTA or LSA have no therapeutic effect. Each acupoints was not used as a meaning of Saam acupuncture but as affiliated meridian acupoint. Since animal researches were not fully conducted, mechanism of LTA and LSA was hard to be proved. Thus, more clinical studies and basic animal research are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.187-195
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• 2012

Objectives : Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a progressive and incurable disease that causes degeneration of the motor neurons of the brain stem and spinal cord. The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of Sa-am acupuncture treatment on ALS patient. Methods : Following the stabilization period, a ALS patient respiratory figures(Et $C_{O2}$, Sp $_{O2}$, RR, pulse) were measured by using capnography & pulse oximetry for 30 minutes before acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture treatment such as lung tonification($SP_3(+){\cdot}LU_9(+){\cdot}HT_8(-){\cdot}LU_{10}(-)$), heart tonification($HT_9(+){\cdot}LR_1(+){\cdot}SI_8(-){\cdot}KI_{10}(-)$), liver tonification ($KI_{10}(+){\cdot}LR_8(+){\cdot}LU_8(-){\cdot}LR_4(-)$) were conducted for 5 days. Each Sa-am acupuncture treatment conducted at AM 7 : 00, AM 11 : 00, PM 4 : 30 of the day. During acupuncture treatment, the patient respiratory figures were measured equally for 30 minutes. The patient was treated by using Dong-bang acupuncture needles($0.30{\times}4.0$) and also stimulated using infra red. Results : The value of Et $C_{O2}$ has decreased more after Sa-am acupuncture lung tonification treatment than others. The value of pulse has decreased more after Sa-am acupuncture heart tonification treatment than others. The value of raspiration rate has decreased more after Sa-am acupuncture liver tonification treatment than others. And the value of Sp $O_2$ has increased more after Sa-am acupuncture liver tonification treatment than others. Conclusions : Although this study was subject to a few limitations, but it shows that Sa-am acupuncture treatment for ALS patients has a meaningful effect. This study needs to be developed further using a larger sample size to obtain more valuable and meaningful data.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.115-123
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• 2020

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of liver-tonification acupuncture (LTA) on periodic muscle cramps (MC). Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 28 patients treated for periodic MC with LTA in a Korean medicine clinic. Patients were treated with (A) LTA alone, (B) LTA and treatments for myofascial meridian, or (C) LTA and treatments for other diseases. We mainly investigated effectiveness of treatments, the number of treatments, the number of relapses, and time to relapse. Results After treatments, periodic MC disappeared in all patients except two in group C. The number of treatments in group C was significantly greater than that of group A (p<0.05). Periodic MC recurred in one patient in each of groups A and C, but symptoms disappeared after re-treatments. Periodic MC did not recur for a median of 7.0, 8.5, and 5.0 weeks in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Conclusions We found some therapeutic effects of LTA treatments for periodic MC in middle-aged and elderly patients.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.162-174
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• 2021

Objectives : We aimed to identify the antidepressant effect of liver tonification acupuncture treatment (ACU (LT); KI10, LR8, LU8, LR4) and four gate acupuncture treatment (ACU (FG); LI4, LR3) and its brain neural activity in the normal and chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced mouse model. Methods : Firstly, normal mice were given ACU (LT) or ACU (FG) and the c-Fos expressions in each brain region were analyzed to examine brain neural activity. Secondly, CRS was administered to mice for 4 weeks, then ACU (LT) or ACU (FG) was performed for 2 weeks. The depression-like behavior was evaluated using open field test (OFT) before and after acupuncture treatment. Then, the c-Fos expressions in each brain region were analyzed to examine brain neural activity. Results : In normal mice, ACU (FG) regulated brain neural activities in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and periaqueductal gray. ACU (LT) changed more brain regions in the prefrontal cortex, insular cortex, striatum, and hippocampus, including those altered by ACU (FG). In CRS-induced model, ACU (LT) alleviated depression-like behavior more than ACU (FG). Also, brain neural activities in the motor cortex area 2 (M2), agranular ventral part and piriform of insular cortex (AIV and Pir), and cornu ammonis (CA) 1 and CA3 of hippocampus were changed by ACU (LT), and those of AIV and CA3 were also changed by ACU (FG). As in normal mice, ACU (LT) resulted in changes in more brain regions, including those altered by ACU (FG) in CRS model. M2, Pir, and CA1 were only changed by ACU (LT) in depression model, suggesting that these brain regions reflect the specific effect of ACU (LT). Conclusions : ACU (LT) relieved depression-like behavior more than ACU (FG), and this acupuncture effect was associated with modulation of brain neural activities in the motor cortex, insular cortex, and hippocampus.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.81-98
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• 2006

Objectives : Acupuncture using a tonification or sedation techniques method is used as a controlling the medication for an early stroke in the Korean medicine. LR3 has indicatons of headache, vertigo, facial paralysis, apoplexy, epiepsy as the source acupoint of a liver meridian. So this study is aims to investigate the anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects of acupuncture on the focal ischemia induced by intraluminal filament insertion in rats. Methods : The focal ischemia was induced by intraluminal filament insertion into middle cerebral artery. The animals were divided into seven groups (n=8 in each group) : Normal, intactness group; Conrol group, no therapy group after being ischemia induced; MA-l, acupuncture perpendicularly without Tonification or Sedation techniques at LR3 after being ischemia induced; MA-2, acupuncture obliquely towards the knee at LR3 after being ischemia induced; MA-3, acupuncture obliquely towards the toe at LR3 after being ischemia induced; MA-4, acupuncture obliquely towards the knee and rotate 9 times in a clockwise direction at LR3 after being ischemia induced; MA-5, acupuncture obliquely towards the toe and rotate 6 times in a counterclockwise direction at LR3 after being ischemia induced. The anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects of Acupuncture techniques of tonification or sedation at LR3 are observed by mGluR5, Bax, Cresyl violet, ChAT-stain and NGF. Results : The intensity of mGluR5 and the density of ChAT was increased in MA-1 group. The intensity of Bax was decreased in MA-3, MA-4 group. The density of neurons stained by Cresyl violet and ChAT was increased in MA-2, MA-3, MA-4, MA-5 group. The density of neurons stained by NGF was only increased in MA-4 group. Conclusions : Our study suggests that acupuncture perpendicularly without Tonification or Sedation techniques and obliquely towards the knee and rotate 9 times in a clockwise direction(Tonifying technique) at LR3 after being ischemia induced at LR3 shows anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects on cholinergic neuron in focal cerebral ischemia of the stroke in rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.169-176
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was designed to compare the effects of tonification and sedation methods of Liver Meridian in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease mice model. Methods : We injected MPTP (30 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline for 5 consecutive days. Acupuncture treatments were given to the mice with MPTP at LR8 and LR4 to tonify Liver Meridian (Liver+) or LR4 and LR2 to sedate it (Liver-) for 12 day. At the 12th day after first injection, mice were perfused, and then tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunohistochemistry was performed in substantia nigra (SN) of their brains. After counting the number of TH-positive neurons, we compared their numbers among experimental groups. Results : The number of TH-positive neurons of Liver+ group was significantly increased compared to that of MPTP group in the SN. That of Liver-group was also increased more than MPTP group, but not significantly. Conclusions : Tonifying Liver Meridian might be effective therapeutic tools for the neuroprotection in subchronic MPTP-induced mice model.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.131-141
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• 2005

Objectives : Saam acupuncture has evident principles of prescription based on acupuncture tonification and purgation of Nan-gyeong but many prescriptions of Saam acupuncture are not typical patterns. This paper studies principles of prescriptions of the king fire and the premier fire. Methods : Through investigation of many medical documents concerning king fire and the premier fire, the author explained of physiological and pathological principle of king and the premier fire, also explained of interacting mechanism through five element. And The theoretical authorities of analysis are Nan-gyeong, works of Joo dan-gye and Li dong-won. Results & Conclusion : 1. The sufficiency and the control of the water is the key to treat the disease by fire. Considering the attack and the treatment of disease, heart and liver give rise to fire in its early stage and kidney and lung are the key to treatment. 2. Consequently the pathology of the disease from fire is corresponding to the theory- Yang Sufficient, Yin Deficient- of Joo dan-gye. It seems that the theory of Joo dan-gye influenced on the medical theory of Saam Acupuncture. 3. On that account I believe that the study of medical theories of the Geum and Won Dynasty that various medical theories had appeared is very available for Saam Acupuncture. At present global warming is accelerating because environmental pollution has been increasing. Therefore the damage of fire to human body will be more and more severe and extensive. Because in the future medical plants will not be free from environmental pollution, acupuncture will be very confidential treatment.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 2004

Saam acupuncture has an evident principles of prescription based on acupuncture tonification and purgation of Nan-gyeong but many prescriptions of Saam acupuncture are not typical patterns. Therefore it is difficult to understand principles of those prescriptions. Understanding the principles of any prescription means understanding the physiology and pathology of that prescription and it have an important role in selecting the best prescription and taking the most effective treatment. This paper studies principles of prescriptions of the king fire and the premier fire. The theoretical authorities of analysis are Nan-gyeong, works of Joo dan-gye and Li dong-won and Uihakimmun. The damage of fire to mentality is very intensive and severe. The prescriptions of the king fire and premier fire have a good effect on diseases by fire. The fire of human body are two types, the king fire and the premier fire but the water of human body is only one and then inferior to fire. The fire superior to the water is unstable and the fire influences rapidly and intensively on four elements, wood, earth, metal, water. So the control of the water is the key to treat the disease by fire. Considering the attack and the treatment of disease, heart and liver are attacked with a disease by fire in its early stage and kidney and lung are the key to treatment. Consequently the pathology of the disease by fire is corresponding to the theory- Yang Sufficient, Yin Deficient- of Joo dan-gye. It seems that the theory of Joo dan-gye influenced on the medical theory of Saam Acupuncture. On that account I believe that the study of medical theories of the Geum and Won Dynasty that various medical theories appeared is very available.