• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2014

Objectives : Zizyphi spinosi Semen is widely used for treating insomnia in korea and other oriental country. This study is analyzing combination tendency of Zizyphi spinosi Semen in herbal formula for treating insomnia. Methods : Herbal formulas for treating insomia were searched in "The Prescription Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine", and checked in each literary source. Then, the herbal formula was divided in two groups : FCZ(The formula group containing Zizyphi spinosi Semen) and FWZ(The formula group without Zizyphi spinosi Semen). FCZ and FWZ were compared by following criteria; i) Prevalence of herbal formula by period ii) Prevalence of medicinal material's effects iii) Prevalence of medicinal material iv) Prevalence of the nature of midicinals v) Prevalence of flavor of medicinals vi) Prevalence of meridian entry. Results : 116 Herbal formula met our criteria, and herbal formulas were divided in two groups : FCZ(n=59), FWZ(n=57). The result of prevalence in FCZ is following; Herbal formula prevalence increased as time passed to the Qing(淸) dynasty. Tonifying and replenishing medicinal(補益藥), tranquillizing medicinal (安神藥), and inducing diuresis to drain dampness medicinal(利水滲濕藥) are the three most prevalent types of materia medica. In specifically, Panax ginseng radix(人蔘), Liriopis Tuber(麥門冬), Angelicae Gigantis Radix(當歸), Poria Cocos(茯神), Glycyrrhizae Radix(甘草), Poria cocos(茯神), Polygalae Radix(遠志), Thuja Orientalis L.(柏子仁), Paeonia Japonica(白芍藥), and HgS(硃砂) are combined frequently. The most prevalent nature of medicinals were 'warm microwarm(溫 微溫)' and flavor of medicinals was normal(平). Meridian entrys that frequently combined were heart(心), spleen(脾), and liver(肝). Conclusion : We found combination tendency of Zizyphi Semen in herbal formula for treating insomnia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9939-9943
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• 2014

Lobaplatin, one of the third - generation platinum compounds, has shown encouraging anticancer activity in a variety of tumor types. However, the efficacy of lobaplatin in ovarian cancer has not been systemically evaluated. In this study, lobaplatin as a single agent and in combination with taxanes was investigated in - vitro and in an in vitro model of ovarian carcinoma. Using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, the cytotoxic effects of lobaplatin alone and in combination with taxanes were compared with cisplatin and carboplatin in seven ovarian cancer cell lines. In addition, in - vitro antitumor activities were evaluated with cisplatin - sensitive and cisplatin - resistant human ovarian cancer xenografts in nude mice. The cytotoxicity of lobaplatin was similar to or higher than that of cisplatin and carboplatin, with $IC_{50}$ values from 0.9 to $13.8{\mu}mol/L$ in a variety of ovarian cancer cells. The combination of lobaplatin with docetaxel yielded enhanced cytotoxic activity in vitro. In addition, in platinum - sensitive ovarian cancer xenografts, lobaplatin alone showed similar antitumor activity to cisplatin and carboplatin. Furthermore, lobaplatin alone or in combination with docetaxel exhibited significant activity in platinum - resistant ovarian cancer xenografts. These results indicate that the use of lobaplatin alone or in combination with docetaxel might be a rational and novel therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer. Further clinical development of lobaplatin is clearly warranted.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.21-30
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• 2003

The effect of hand hygiene was measured by hand culture before and after hand hygiene for 86 nurses, doctors, and nurses aide/housekeepers in Surgical Intensive Care Unit. The subjects were asked to press their dominant hand in hand-shaped Mannitol salt agar immediately after patient contact and then washed their hand by preferred hand hygiene agents [soap and water, waterless alcohol gel, or 4% chlorhexidine gluconate detergent (CHG)], and cultured one hand again Amount of isolated microorganism was calculated by counting the number of divided areas ($1{\times}1cm$) which is culture positive in hand culture plate. The amount of microorganisms were significantly reduced from 58.1(${\pm}38.59$) to 27.4(${\pm}30.4$) cells after hand hygiene. The staff nurse's hand hygiene was more effective compared to medical doctors and nurses aide/housekeepers. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) was isolated in 41(47.1%) subjects ; but only removed 100% in 28(32.2%) subjects. When the amount of hand microorganisms was compared by subject's preferred hand hygiene agents, it was decreased in order of 4% CHG, waterless alcohol solution, soap and water, and water. The hand hygiene practice was inadequate to reduce hand microorganisms and significantly different by occupations. Further research and development of hand hygiene improvement program which emphasize the quality of hand hygiene is recommended.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.139-149
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• 2012

Objectives : The aim of this study was to report Bell's palsy patients with postauricular pain treated by Calculus Bovis Fel Ursi Moschus(BUM) Pharmacopuncture. Methods : The 6 patients were treated by the Korean medica treatment including herbal medication, dry needle acupuncture and physical therapy. We performed BUM Pharmacopuncture in Yepung for the treatment of postauricular pain once or twice. We have evaluated the effect of BUM Pharmacopuncture by Visual Analog Scale(VAS). Results : After BUM Pharmacopuncture for the treatment of postauricular pain, VAS were decreased in all cases. Conclusions : It was suggested that BUM Pharmacopuncture might have effect on control of auricular pain in Bell's palsy. Further, systemic studies will be needed to evaluate obvious effect of BUM pharmacopuncture on postauricular pain of Bell's palsy.

• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.77-104
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• 2013

In this study we examined the concerned literature for clinical use of Balsaminaceae plants focusing on the latest literature "zhong hua ben cao"(chinese materia medica, 1998). The findings were summarized as follows: 1. As an original plant, 27 species have been reviewed. 2. As a result of investigating oriental drug names by medicinal using part, a survey reported that the total of 22 species of oriental drug names, including 14 species of herba, 3 species of flos, 4 species of radix and rhizoma, and 1 species of semen, are being used for clinical use. 3. When we examined oriental drugs with five flavors by calculating and arranging their nature, effect, toxicity with points for conveniences sake, pungent and bitte showed 13 points, respectively, as main flavors. In drug nature, warm property of drug indicated 10 points and cold property of drug obtained 6 points. But as for other oriental drug, it is thought that we can recognize their significance. 4. With respect to efficacy, activating blood drug reached 10 kinds and wind- damp-dispelling 7 kinds, according to the examination. 5. In the examination on components and medicinal action, we examined that components are recorded in only impatiens balsamina's whole grass, flowers, root, root stems, and seeds, and Impatiens noli-tangere's whole grass. In medical action, we found out that the components are recorded in impatiens balsamina' flowers and seeds; impatiens noli-tangere's whole grass and flowers; and Impatiens textori' whole grass. 6. As a result of examining clinical prescription, the total of 84 kinds of clinical prescriptions by disease nature were examined, of which the prescription of Impatiens balsamina showed 19 cases in total, which was remarkable.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5805-5810
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• 2013

This study was conducted to analyze the molecular mechanisms responsible for anti-proliferation effects of glaucocalyxin A in cultured MCF-7 and Hs578T breast cancer cells. The concentration that reduced cell viability to 50% (IC50) after 72 h treatment was derived and potential molecular mechanisms of anti-proliferation using the IC50 were investigated as changes in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Gene and protein expression changes related to apoptosis were investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Involvement of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases and JNK signaling in regulation of these molecules was characterized by western blotting. Cell viability decreased in a concentration-dependent manner and the IC50 was determined as $1{\mu}M$ in MCF-7 and $4{\mu}M$ in Hs578T cell. Subsequently, we demonstrated that the GLA-induced MCF-7 and Hst578T cell death was due to cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition and was associated with activation of the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. We conclude that GLA has the potential to inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells through the JNK pathway and suggest its application forthe effective therapy for patients with breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5075-5079
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• 2012

Purpose: The results of recent published studies focusing on IL-8 polymorphism in colorectal cancer susceptibility have often been inconsistent. We therefore carried out a meta-analysis based on independent studies to assess the association. Methods: Nine case-control studies with 7,003 individuals (3,019 cases and 3,984 controls) were included in this meta-analysis through searching the databases of PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM; Chinese) (up to Aug 1st, 2012). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were used to assess the strength of the association. Meta-analysis was conducted in a fixed/random effect model. Results: No obvious associations were found for all genetic models when all studies were pooled into the meta-analysis (for A vs. T: OR = 1.084, 95% CI = 0.971-1.209, P = 0.019; for TA vs. TT: OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.943-1.475, P = 0.001; for AA vs. TT: OR = 1.155, 95% CI = 0.916-1.456, P = 0.014; for AA+TA vs. TT: OR = 1.170, 95% CI =0.953-1.437, P = 0.001; for AA vs. TT+TA: OR = 1.044, 95% CI = 0.886-1.230, P = 0.097). In the subgroup analyses by ethnicity (Caucasian) and source of controls (population based), also no significant associations were found for all genetic models. Conclusions: Result suggests that the IL-8-251T>A polymorphism is not associated with colorectal cancer risk. Because of the limitations of this meta-analysis, this finding demands further investigation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.369-375
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• 2008

Polygonatum cyrtonema Lectin (PCL), which is classified as a monocot mannose-binding lectin, has received great regards for its uniquely biological activities and potentially medical applications in cancer cells. This paper was initially aimed to study apoptosis of PCL on Hela cells. Thus, 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method was carried out. Through observation of cell morphologic changes and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity-based cytotoxicity assays, PCL induced HeLa cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. To further gain structural basis, multiple alignments, homology modeling and docking experiments were performed to analyze the correlation between its biological activities and mannose-binding sites. Eventually, considering docking data, chemical modification properties on the three mannose-binding sites were analyzed by a series of biological experiments (e.g., hemagglutinating and mitogenic activity assays, fluorescence and Circular Dichrosim (CD) spectroscopy) to profoundly identify the role of some key amino acids in the structure-function relationship of PCL.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.189-230
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• 2020

The metabolic syndrome, by definition, is not a disease but is a clustering of individual metabolic risk factors including abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These risk factors could dramatically increase the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The reported prevalence of the metabolic syndrome varies, greatly depending on the definition used, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and the ethnic background of study cohorts. Clinical and epidemiological studies have clearly demonstrated that the metabolic syndrome starts with central obesity. Because the prevalence of obesity has doubly increased worldwide over the past 30 years, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome has markedly boosted in parallel. Therefore, obesity has been recognized as the leading cause for the metabolic syndrome since it is strongly associated with all metabolic risk factors. High prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is not unique to the USA and Europe and it is also increasing in most Asian countries. Insulin resistance has elucidated most, if not all, of the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome because it contributes to hyperglycemia. Furthermore, a major contributor to the development of insulin resistance is an overabundance of circulating fatty acids. Plasma fatty acids are derived mainly from the triglycerides stored in adipose tissues, which are released through the action of the cyclic AMP-dependent enzyme, hormone sensitive lipase. This review summarizes the latest concepts in the definition, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome, as well as its preventive measures and therapeutic strategies in children and adolescents.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.396-401
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• 2015

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important redox-sensitive transcription factor that regulates the expression of several cytoprotective genes. More recently, genetic analyses of human tumors have indicated that Nrf2 may cause resistance to chemotherapy. In this study, we found that the expression levels of Nrf2 and its target genes GCLC, HO-1, NQO1 were significantly higher in cisplatin-resistant A549 (A549/CDDP) cells than those in A549 cells, and this resistance was partially reversed by Nrf2 siRNA. 3,4,5,5,7-Pentamethoxyflavone (PMF), a natural flavon extracted from Rutaceae plants, sensitized A549/CDDP to CDDP and substantially induced apoptosis compared with that of CDDP alone treated group, and this reversal effect decreased when Nrf2 was downregulated by siRNA. Mechanistically, PMF reduced Nrf2 expression leading to a reduction of Nrf2 downstream genes, and in contrast, this effect was decreased by blocking Nrf2 with siRNA. Taken together, these results demonstrated that PMF could be used as an effective adjuvant sensitizer to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs by downregulating Nrf2 signaling pathway.